Communities of Salt and Light
“The Church is the salt of the earth, she is the light of the world. She is called to make present in society the leaven of the Kingdom of God and she does this primarily with her witness, the witness of brotherly love, of solidarity and of sharing with others."
Pope Francis, Address on Vigil of Pentecost to Ecclesial Movements
In their landmark statement on Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish (1993), the U.S. Catholic bishops exhorted the faithful “to build evangelizing communities of faith, justice and solidarity, where all believers are challenged to bring God’s love, justice and peace to a world in desperate need of the seasoning of the gospel.” Today, U.S. Catholics are invited to take up anew this call to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world.”
The materials on this page can help faith communities as they seek to grow in their witness as communities of salt and light.
Read the statement for the 30th anniversary of Communities of Salt & Light.
Salt & Light Assessment Tool
How is your faith community living the vision of Communities of Salt and Light? Our interactive assessment tool can help your community see where you are doing well and how to improve. Engage the tool together! Use it as a prompt for how the Holy Spirit might be inviting your community to grow.
Themes and Resources
Want to be an evangelizing community that integrates faith, justice, and solidarity throughout its ministries and mission? Pay attention to these major themes identified in Communities of Salt & Light. With each theme, find resources to help
Anchoring Discipleship in Prayer and Worship
We must root social ministry in prayer, while also ensuring that worship reflects Christ’s call to conversion, unity, love, and justice.
"Our social ministry must be anchored in prayer, where we uncover the depths of God's call to seek justice and pursue peace."
- U.S. Catholic bishops, Communities of Salt & Light
“The celebration of the Eucharist thus becomes a constant summons for everyone ‘to examine himself or herself,’ to open the doors of the family to greater fellowship with the underprivileged, and in this way to receive the sacrament of that eucharistic love which makes us one body.”
- Pope Francis, Amoris Laetitia, no. 186
Be salt & light
- Use these Prayers for Church and World | en Español in your faith community.
- Read these reflections on Eucharist and mission: The Eucharistic Liturgy: Formed, Transformed, and Sent | en Español and The Mystery of the Eucharist and the Call to Love and Transform | en Español.
- Use this Examination of Conscience in Light of Catholic Social Teaching | en Español.
- Consider how the call to environmental stewardship can be appropriately included in the liturgy: Caring for God's Creation: Resources for Liturgy, Preaching, and Taking Action | en Español.
- Find more materials on our Resources and Tools page | en Español.
Forming Disciples through Preaching and Education
We must ensure that Catholic social teaching is an essential part of preaching, as well as the curriculum and life of our schools, religious education programs, sacramental preparation and Christian initiation activities.
“it is important that catechesis and preaching speak more directly and clearly about the social meaning of existence, the fraternal dimension of spirituality, our conviction of the inalienable dignity of each person, and our reasons for loving and accepting all our brothers and sisters.”
- Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, no. 86
Be salt & light
- How does your faith community form lay leaders in Catholic Social Teaching? Teaching materials, foundational documents, activities, videos, adult and youth resources, and more are available on this page | en Español.
- Sacraments and Social Mission: Living the Gospel, Being Disciples | en Español can help ensure that our social teaching is part of sacramental preparation.
- Find more resources for formation of adults and children in English and Spanish.
- These reflections can assist with preaching on social mission: Preaching the Mystery of the Faith: the Sunday Homily and Preaching the Social Doctrine of the Church.
- Watch recordings from the Marten Program conference on “Preaching and Catholic Social Teaching.”
Living as Disciples in Family, Work and the Public Square
We must help Catholics live their faith in the family, neighborhood, marketplace, and public square.
“If indeed ‘the just ordering of society and of the state is a central responsibility of politics,’ the Church ‘cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice.’ All Christians, their pastors included, are called to show concern for the building of a better world.”
- Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 183 (quoting Deus Caritas Est, no. 28)
Be salt & light
- Visit our Laudato Si’ Resource page to discern how you can Care for God’s Creation.
- You can be a neighbor in the marketplace as an ethical consumer, purchasing products from companies such as Equal Exchange or SERRV.
- Vocation of the Business Leader | en Español is an essential reflection for Catholics who seek to live our Catholic values in the business world.
- Individuals and organizations can use the USCCB’s Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines to invest with a conscience.
- Participate in the public square inspired by your faith! These Faithful Citizenship resources | en Español can help you engage.
- Civilize It: A Better Kind of Politics | en Español teaches skills for encounter and dialogue—in your family, neighborhood, workplace or community.
Being Neighbors, Locally and Globally
We must serve as bridge-builders, encountering our brothers and sisters at home and around the world.
“We need to grow in a solidarity which “would allow all peoples to become the artisans of their destiny,” since “every person is called to self-fulfilment.’”
- Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 190 (quoting Populorum Progressio)
Be salt & light locally
- Create a culture of encounter | en Español through 1-1 relational meetings.
- Use these questions to Facilitate Encounter.
- Learn about the work of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) | en español in communities around the U.S.
- Get to know CCHD groups near you | en Español with a Journey to Justice Day | en Español experience.
Be salt & light globally
- Join a CRS Chapter or Club | en Español.
- Participate in CRS Rice Bowl | en Español at home, school or work during Lent.
Responding with Charitable Works
We love God by loving our neighbor, as Jesus tells us in the Mt. 25: 31-46. When our brother is hungry we must feed him. When our sister is a stranger, we must welcome her. Helping those who are hungry, homeless, troubled and alienated, in our own communities and beyond, is essential to answering Christ’s call to care for “the least of these.”
“It is essential to draw near to new forms of poverty and vulnerability, in which we are called to recognize the suffering Christ, even if this appears to bring us no tangible and immediate benefits. I think of the homeless, the addicted, refugees, indigenous peoples, the elderly who are increasingly isolated and abandoned, and many others.”
- Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 210
Be salt and light
- Explore the “Charitable Works” foot of the Two Feet of Love in Action | en Español.
- Read How to Make Service Truly Transformational | en Español using the ART model.
- Participate in a Service Learning Retreat Experience: “Transformed by Eucharist, Sent on Mission.”
- Find Your Local Catholic Charities Agency.
- Explore Catholic Charities USA – Resources for Parish Social Ministry.
- Volunteer with or join the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
Responding with Social Justice
Helping Catholics understand the root causes of issues that prevent vulnerable families and individuals from thriving can lead to faith-inspired participation to change the structures that deny people their dignity and rights as children of God.
“’The Church, guided by the Gospel of mercy and by love for mankind, hears the cry for justice and intends to respond to it with all her might.’ In this context we can understand Jesus’ command to his disciples: ‘You yourselves give them something to eat!’ (Mk 6:37): it means working to eliminate the structural causes of poverty and to promote the integral development of the poor, as well as small daily acts of solidarity in meeting the real needs which we encounter.”
- Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, no. 188
Be salt and light
- Explore the “Social Justice” foot of the Two Feet of Love in Action | en Español.
- Learn about the causes of poverty | en Español in the U.S.--and its solutions | en Español. Then use these activities | en Español to educate others.
- Work to address the causes of poverty locally with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.
- Understand social sin—and then work to address it.
- Take action at the USCCB Action Center to urge your members of Congress to protect the lives and dignity of all. Advocate | en Español with Catholic Relief Services on behalf of our brothers and sisters around the world.
- This booklet can help Hispanic/Latino Ministry diocesan staff and Social Justice and Catholic Charities offices to form or strengthen their relationships and explore opportunities for collaboration.
Diversity and Racial Justice
Our communities benefit from the gifts and contributions of the many cultural communities that make up our family of faith. We value diversity and seek to root out prejudice and racism, which prevent the unity of the Body of Christ and threaten the dignity of its members.
“We are a very diverse community of faith racially, ethnically, economically, and ideologically. This diversity should be respected, reflected, and celebrated in our social ministry.”
- U.S. Catholic bishops, Communities of Salt & Light
“We ask [all Catholics] to fight the evil of racism by educating themselves, reflecting on their personal thoughts and actions, listening to the experience of those who have been affected by racism, and by developing and supporting programs that help repair the damages caused by racial discrimination.”
– U.S. Catholic bishops, Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love
Be salt and light
- Learn Intercultural Competencies | en Español that are essential to effective ministry in our diverse faith family. The USCCB Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church has resources for pastoral ministry with many cultural communities in the U.S.
- Read the U.S. bishops’ pastoral statement against racism, Open Wide Our Hearts: The Enduring Call to Love | en Español. Use these resources on Racism | en Español to examine your heart, learn, discern the call, and act to educate others and work to address racism.
Leadership Development
Developing leaders is an essential part of helping lay men and women live their vocation as disciples of Christ. This section includes tools for developing leaders and for helping new and seasoned leaders to develop leadership skills.
“It is lay women and men, placing their gifts at the service of others (cf. 1 Pt 4:10), who will be God's primary instruments in renewing the earth by their leadership and faithfulness in the community.”
- U.S. Catholic Bishops, Communities of Salt and Light
Be salt and light
- Develop skills for leadership.
- Learn what a well-run meeting looks like.
- Use this Process for Group Discernment.
- Evaluate your efforts.
- Develop new leaders with the CST101 Certificate Program for Hispanic Leaders.
- Send a team from your faith community to the Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, DC. Scholarships are available through the Diversity Outreach Initiative.
Success Stories
Be inspired by faith communities responding to the call to be salt and light.
-
Advocacy Helps Students Live Faith that Does Justice
-
Teens Educate Parish, Sell Fair Trade Products
-
Discovering solidarity through mutual encounter in Guatemala
-
Diocese trains rural leaders for leadership in service and social justice
-
JustFaith Catholic Inspires Home for Victims of Sex Trafficking and Exploitation
-
Parish forms green teams in response to Laudato Si'
-
Chicago parish addresses domestic violence
-
Schools unite for life and justice
-
Parish holds listening sessions to better journey together
-
Parish Integrates Social Mission into Liturgy, Prayer
-
Catholic groups mobilize to end the death penalty in Georgia