Pastoral Messages
Rights and Responsibilities
As we continue our journey of learning about Catholic Social Teaching, this month our focus is on the principle of Rights and Responsibilities.
This principle teaches us that, because every person, created in the image and likeness of God, possesses inherent dignity, they have fundamental rights that must be respected and protected.
These include the right to life, food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education, meaningful work, and religious freedom. These rights are not earned or granted by society; they flow directly from our God-given worth.
At the same time, rights cannot be separated from responsibilities. Catholic Social Teaching reminds us that we are not isolated individuals, but members of families, communities, and a global human family. Therefore, we have responsibilities to respect the rights of others, care for the vulnerable, contribute to the common good, and act with justice and charity in our daily lives. Our responsibilities extend to our families, our workplaces, our parish, our nation, and the wider world.
Living out this principle calls us to both advocate for just structures that protect human rights and to examine our own choices and attitudes. As disciples of Christ, we are invited to promote a society where everyone’s dignity is honored and where love of neighbor guides both our rights and our responsibilities.
For more information, visit the USCCB site here.
Blessings this week,
~Deacon Jim
Scripture
An Introduction to the Sunday Scripture Readings - June 21, 2026
“Do Not Be Afraid; You Are Worth Many Sparrows”
The readings for this Sunday give us encouragement to live out our faith as we are called to do, regardless of the consequences. Do not be afraid in the face of persecution or the scorn of others, because our faith is a gift from God. There is nothing anyone can do to hurt us. In the end, it is only the love we have for God and for others that matters. As Jesus commanded us, “Fear no one.”
In our first reading (Jeremiah 20:10-13), we hear one of the laments of the prophet Jeremiah, who was continuously persecuted for speaking God’s truth. Despite experiencing "terror on every side", he remained steadfast in his faith in God.
In our Epistle reading (Romans 5:12-15), St. Paul compares and contrasts the role of the “old Adam” with that of the “new Adam” (Jesus).One brought sin and death into the world while the other brought life and salvation. Jesus undid the transgression of Adam with His “gracious gift” through the grace of God.
In our Gospel reading (Matthew 10:26-33), Jesus prepared His apostles for the persecutions they would experience as He commissioned them to go to the "lost sheep of Israel", to "proclaim that the Kingdom of God is at hand."
This mission was but a foretaste of the persecutions they would encounter proclaiming the risen Christ to the world. Almost every one of the apostles was thought to have been martyred for their faith in Christ. None of it mattered though, because their persecutors could not kill the soul. The only one to fear was the evil one who could kill both body and soul. Jesus told them, not one sparrow falls to the ground without the Father’s knowledge. “So do not fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.”
In many ways, we too are called to be prophets, to speak God's truth to the world—to our children, our spouses or family members, in the workplace, in the marketplace, even in Church. And in so doing, we too may suffer persecutions, scorn, or ridicule. But we should take comfort in knowing that God has our back - so much more so than even the sparrow. Our heavenly reward awaits us all the more. In the words of the prophet Jeremiah, “The LORD is with me, like a mighty champion.”
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062126.cfm
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