A Place at the Table: Justice for the Poor in a Land of Plenty

It s one thing to say that we believe in justice for all, but quite another to actively seek social justice for the poor in our midst. After extensive research, the author is convinced that a huge gap exists between talking about justice and actually doing justice for the poor. She believes that achieving justice for all requires a deep and broad approach that involves the integration of Catholic social teaching with Scripture and Tradition so that charity and justice actually become social justice. Only when people every race, nationality, class, and religion are educated for justice, built on respect for the person and the responsibility of individuals and the community, will we in the U.S. be able to cut through the rhetoric of blame and move toward solidarity. To this end, Dr. Brady skillfully synthesizes information on poverty, approaches to poverty in the U.S., justice in the biblical and social sense, how poverty is addressed in Church documents, the ways that Catholic Church leadership has advocated for the poor, theological reflection based on liberation theologies, and finally ways to encourage the growth of justice as a primary focus in education. This is a powerful exploration of how to in fact share a place at the table with those who struggle daily with poverty. Highly recommended for students of Catholic Social Teaching and Poverty and Justice Studies.