Justice and Peace

Mission & Identity

"The Church cannot and must not remain on the sidelines in the fight for justice."

- Pope BenedictXVI

The Secretariat of Justice and Peace promotes awareness of Catholic social teaching and opportunities to live the Baptismal call to love God and neighbor.

The work of the Secretariat of Justice and Peace is guided by the Committees on Domestic Justice and Human Development, International Justice and Peace, and Religious Liberty, and the Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism. 

The Secretariat shares the Good News of the Gospel to inspire prayer, learning and advocacy in support of poor and vulnerable persons and communities, in the U.S. and abroad.

Working On The Margins In The United States

Letter to Congress Regarding Budget Reconciliation
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Bishop Robert E. Barron, Bishop David M. O'Connell, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Bishop Mark J. Seitz, and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, June 26, 2025

Letter to Congress Regarding the Farm Bill
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, Mr. Sean Callahan, Ms. Kerry Alys Robinson, Mr. James Ennis, and Mr. John Berry, June 25, 2025

Letter to Congress Regarding One Big Beautiful Bill Act
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Bishop David M. O'Connell, Bishop Kevin C. Rhodes, Bishop Mark J. Seitz, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, and Bishop Robert E. Barron, May 20, 2025

Letter to the 119th Congress Regarding Medicaid
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Kerry Alys Robinson, Sr. Mary Haddad, February 27, 2025

Letter to Congress on Budget Reconciliation Package
Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Bishop David M. O'Connell, Bishop Mark J. Seitz, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas, and Bishop Robert E. Barron, January 13, 2025

 More United States Issues

Working On The Margins Internationally

Letter to the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa Expressing Solidarity
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, July 17, 2025

Letters Expressing Solidarity with the Bishops of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congolese People
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, July 8, 2025

Statement: Bishop Zaidan Urges Prayers for Syria Amid Sectarian Violence
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, June 23, 2025

Letter to Congress on International Assistance Funding for Fiscal Year 2026
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, Bishop Mark J. Seitz, Mr. Sean Callahan, June 9, 2025

Statement: Bishop Zaidan Urges Ardent Prayers for Peace in the Middle East
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, June 16, 2025

Letter to President Trump on Global Debt Relief During Jubilee Year
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan and Mr. Eric LeCompte, Executive Director, Jubilee USA Network, April 8, 2025

Statement: Bishop Zaidan Encourages Solidarity and Prayer for Lasting Peace in the Holy Land
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, March 25, 2025

Communique of the Holy Land Co-ordination
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, January 23, 2025

Gaza Ceasefire an “Encouraging Sign of Peace” for the Middle East
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, January 16, 2025

Positive Change Will Come for Cuba with Bilateral Collaboration and Cooperation
Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, January 16, 2025

More International Issues

Resources

Resources and Tools to Learn, Reflect, and Act
We are called as missionary disciples to bear witness in the world. The Secretariat of Justice and Peace has numerous resources in English and Spanish to help Catholics engage in the Church’s social mission. Visit the Resources and Tools page and the Fe en Acción page today and take advantage of the numerous resources available to put your faith in action.

The Mystery of the Eucharist and the Call to Love and Transform 
What do the Eucharistic Revival, the U.S. bishops’ 2021 statement on the Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church, and our Catholic social mission have in common? All form and send missionary disciples to transform our communities in God’s vision of love and justice. Read a new short reflection, The Mystery of the Eucharist and the Call to Love and Transform, which can help communities pray, reflect, and discern how to respond to Christ’s call to love one another. The reflection is also available in Spanish.

Civilize It: A Better Kind Of Politics
Civilize It: A Better Kind Of Politics is a response to Pope Francis’ invitation to model “a better kind of politics, one truly at the service of the common good” (Fratelli Tutti, no. 154). Commit to seeking the truth, building bridges, and finding solutions together that promote the common good. Individuals, families, and communities can participate. Take the pledge today!

CST101 Videos and Educational Materials | en Español
CST 101 collaborative 7-part video and discussion guide series presented by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services on Catholic Social Teaching. The videos bring the themes of Catholic social teaching to life and inspire us to put our faith into action. Some suggested uses of the videos and discussion guides include adult faith formation settings, high school theology classes, in lay ministry formation, and to prepare groups for service trips. The series also includes downloadable posters and handouts for adults and kids, in English and Spanish. The artwork featured in the videos and accompanying videos are courtesy of Br. Mickey McGrath, OSFS.

Environment
Learn more about God's gift of creation and the Church's teaching on the environment with our new resources.

Pope Francis' Social Teaching
These quotes from Pope Francis are an example of his teaching on poverty, economic justice, care for creation, human rights, and other issues. | en Español