The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) Day 314: Goods of Others (2025)
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Nov 10, 2025 Explore the importance of respecting others' possessions and the virtues of temperance, justice, and solidarity. Delve into the moral implications of theft, including when taking is justified. Learn about the responsibilities of justice in economic contexts, and how harmful practices like fraud and price gouging violate the dignity of others. Fr. Mike highlights the significance of reparative justice and the link between personal virtue and societal fairness, offering real-life examples and encouraging a deeper commitment to ethical living.
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Virtues Govern Use Of Goods
- Human dignity requires temperance, justice, and solidarity to govern use of goods.
- These virtues balance private property with the universal destination of goods.
When Taking Is Not Theft
- Theft is defined as usurping another's property against the owner's reasonable will.
- Consent or urgent necessity can remove the label of theft when basic needs are at stake.
Cabin Example For Urgent Necessity
- Fr. Mike gives the cabin-in-winter example where breaking in to survive isn't theft.
- He uses this to illustrate urgent necessity and the universal destination of goods.