Vincentian Center for Church and Society

How do we move from growing inequality in wealth and consumption of the world’s resources to more equitable stewardship and sharing of economic and environmental resources? What values, virtues and principles of Catholic social thought will lead us to a future of prosperity and justice for all?

What is the role and responsibility of Markets, Civil Society and Government in achieving Intergenerational justice? What policies and practices respect human dignity, promote the common good, protect human rights, and address systemic poverty and injustice?

What is the individual’s responsibility to future generations? What short term sacrifices are individuals and communities willing to make to assure intergenerational Justice? What patterns of consumption will need to be adjusted to achieve economic and social justice?

Roundtables are interdisciplinary, participatory dialogues that invite reflection on the topic from all who choose to attend. The Roundtable is an opportunity to learn from experts and to contribute your own expertise, thoughts, questions and comments in a dialogue format to shape strategies. We have chosen six critical issues that must be addressed in order to move from our present condition of extreme inequality in both consumption and wealth to a future of social and economic justice. In the first five minutes, a faculty expert will summarize the state of the issue for the dialogue. A Moderator will pose questions for consideration and moderate the discussion. The dialogue will focus on individual responsibility to achieve a level of human dignity and sustainable prosperity for all. Each Roundtable will bring to the summation three to five points that can be achieved in the next decade but will require individual and community effort and commitment.

Each Roundtable presents the ways that individuals and communities can affect change to achieve intergenerational justice. Questions and comments will be invited from the floor.

Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time