"Caritas" 101

In prep for tomorrow's release of B16's first major contribution to the church's "social magisterium," the Mothership's Don Clemmer has posted a useful primer of background on (and links to) the long line of texts that form the meat-and-potatoes of Catholic social teaching, and the US bishops' longtime peace-and-justice guru John Carr has outlined some of what he expects to see come Roman Noon (6am Eastern).

In the meantime, some might likewise find it worthwhile to brush up on the Holy See's 2004 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church... not just to see what it says, but how Caritas in Veritate might just "develop" some of its threads even further.

Busy week, gang -- more on that in a bit... 'til then, though, welcome to it.

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