Syllabus:

• the nature of one current issue to which a religion seeks to respond

• the response of a religion to one current issue in society

Poverty in Australia

Define the term ‘poverty’.

Poverty is a relative concept used to describe the people in a society that cannot participate in activities that most people take for granted. A community facing poverty may face struggles in terms of financial stability, living conditions, health, etc.

Outline how poverty is measured in Australia

Poverty is measured by using two poverty lines (formed by ACOSS and UNSW) - 50% of median income, whereby people living below these incomes are regarded as living in poverty.

Outline the key features of poverty in Australia

Due to changes to economic conditions and to Australia’s social security system, it has resulted in an increase of people who are experiencing poverty. People living in poverty have inadequate resources and have a lack of access to things such as food, education, employment opportunities, health care and more. Their standard of living are much lower than those who have daily access to these necessities, with some even taking them for granted. For the past few years, the living standard in Australia has increased, as well as the cost of living. This means people who earn an income can still be classified as living in poverty, since it might not be enough to cater for their necessities.

Causes of poverty in Australia

1. Work, income and wealth - there are still large amounts of people unemployed or don’t work enough (must rely on social security payments)

2. Education - families with low levels of education cannot better educate their children, which gives them low opportunities in the workforce

3. Housing - impacts a person’s ability to find work, education and training, especially in higher socioeconomic places

4. Health - those who live in poverty suffer greater levels of physical and mental illness (results to bad lifestyle choices)

5. Services - access to affordable community services is an important poverty prevention strategy by helping disadvantaged people to fully participate in social and economic life

Ways Catholics respond to poverty

1. By teaching/educating

Catholic Church’s task is to proclaim the good news Jesus Christ gave to the world, which has the power to set captives free and recover sight to the blind (Luke 4:18)

Catholicism expresses this good news through the Catechism of the Catholic Church

• people need to learn to be selfless and share with the less fortunate

• Church’s love for the poor was inspired by the Gospel of the Beatitudes

• the greedy or those who steal for their own personal gain will not inherit God’s kingdom

• goods of creation are destined for the entire human race, meaning these goods should be shared by everyone

• “Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of lfie. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs.” St John Chrysostom (CCC 2446)

• Jesus stands by the poor and encourages us to tend to them - serving the poor means we are serving Jesus as well

• 7th commandment is highly emphasised, as we should not be stealing from others

2. By taking action

Jesus didn’t simply teach. He put His words into action. Not only did Jesus tell his followers to “love one another” (John 13:34), but He also washed His disciples’ feet as a sig that love means service of others. So too, after teaching the Parable of the Good Samaritan, where a Samaritan man helped a man beaten by robbers, Jesus His followers to “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37)

Catholicism seeks to respond to the issue of poverty by taking action, such as through the work of caritas and the St Vincent de Paul Society

St. Vincent de Paul Society: promotes human dignity and personal integrity and alleviates suffering by providing millions of dollars each year in emergency relief to cover life essentials. They advocate for poverty to be monitored and defined so that they are able to assist people at an individual and community level. Their initiatives such as vouching for a fairer and more equitable taxation system will assist in a more equal wealth balance.

Caritas: assists marginalised communities in more than 18 countries through their diligent workforce that provides food programs, skills training for those with disabilities, women’s empowerment and sustainable solutions that allow for a cleaner environment. Through donations that are given by the community and from membering organisations, Caritas is able to assist the marginalised and ensure a better standard of living.

Catholic Social Teachings

Dignity of the Human Person

All people are “created in the image and likeness of God.” (Gen 1:26)

Solidarity

All people are part of God’s family, therefore, those who are able should help those in need. They stand together in solidarity with those who are experiencing injustice

Quote: “In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers [or sisters] of mine, you did it to me.” Matthew 25:40

The Common Good

The basic necessities of all people, needs and interests are to be considered for all people rather than for some people in society.

Quote: “You are not making a gift of your possessions to the poor person. You are handing over to them what is theirs.” Saint Ambrose

Option for the Poor

Preference/support should be given to the poor/marginalised/disadvantaged to help them stand up for themselves.