June 2025
Social Gospel vs Christian nationalism - Pope Leo on lay apostolate - Chicago Catholicism - Trinity Sunday
A new Social Gospel?
Dear Friends,
In this month's newsletter, we feature one of Pope Leo's first major talks to the lay movements whom he met for the first time in Rome on 6 June. While there, several movements also took the opportunity to consult with Sr Nathalie Becquart xmcj and other Synod officials as the implementation phase of the Synod on Synodality begins.
As the YCW Centenary continues, we present a talk given by Belgian Bishop Jean-Pierre Delville on Cardijn and the social conscience of young people while Stefan Gigacz recalls Cardijn's insistence on recording the "Golden Legend" of the movement from its beginnings in the parish of Notre Dame at Laeken in 1912.
We also have an important article by Professor Christine Littlefield contrasting the Social Gospel and Christian nationalist movements of the 19th century while Margaret Steinfels explains the Chicago background - including Specialized Catholic Action - that provided the backdrop for Pope Leo's youth.
Newly ordained, Fr Chris Malano csp, has kindly shared one of his first homilies preached on Trinity Sunday.
From the Black Catholic Messenger, we have a reminder of this year's Juneteenth events.
And we conclude with the Pat Branson and Richard Pütz's usual insightful reflections plus several social media posts from the various movements.
The Cardijn Associates Team
Vatican II emphasised lay apostolate: Pope Leo
Vatican II and particularly the decree Apostolicam Actuositatem strongly encouraged the lay apostolate and apostolic associations, Pope Leo told leaders of Catholic international movements and organisations on 6 June 2025.
He was addressing moderators of Associations of the faithful, ecclesial movements and new communities who travelled to Rome for the Jubilee.
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Vatican II emphasised lay apostolate: Pope Leo
Analysis: Christian Nationalism or Social Gospel
Similar to today, the late 19th century was a time where a small group of men enjoyed immense wealth, privilege and power to shape the nation, writes Christine Littlefield. It was a time of immense inequality, as factory and housing conditions crushed the lives of the poor.
And it was a time of white Christian nationalism.
In northern cities, reformers saw the wealth gap, the plight of workers and the squalid conditions in tenements as undermining their vision of a Christian America. Fueled by faith, the Social Gospel movement worked to expand labor rights and improve living conditions at the turn of the 20th century.
READ MORE
Social Gospellers vs Christian nationalism (The Conversation/Centre International Cardijn)
Chicago: The home of Specialized Catholic Action movements
The election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8 was a stunner, writes Margaret Steinfels. ” Not simply an American pope, mind you, but a pope born and raised in Chicago. If you were born and raised in Chicago, ever lived there, or merely passed through, you’d instinctively grasp the true import of this election.
Chicago was the home of the “specialized Catholic Action movements”: the Young Christian Workers, the Young Christian Students, and the Christian Family Movement. These were nurtured by Msgr. Reynold Hillenbrand, a pioneer of liturgical renewal, whose tenure as head of Chicago’s seminary produced a generation of priests who were social activists and community organizers. They joined laypeople in the Catholic Interracial Council, the Catholic Labor Alliance, the labor paper Work, the interracial Friendship House, and The Critic, a literary journal.
READ MORE
Margaret Steinfels, ‘Nice Boy Up from the Parishes’ (Commonweal)
Cardijn and the social conscience of young people
“What was written and what you have just heard is happening today,” said Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth (Luke 4:14-21). He was reading a passage from the prophet Isaiah announcing good news to the poor and freedom to the oppressed, Bishop Jean-Pierre told participants at the YCW Centenary celebration in Brussels on 1 May.
Joseph Cardijn, too, a hundred years ago, could say: “What was written and what you have just heard is happening today,” because Cardijn announced good news to young workers: he was founding the YCW, the Young Christian Workers, with them and opening up a new future for workers.
And in 2025, we can say once again: “What was written and what you have just heard is happening today,” because the YCW has become a global movement and the good news has spread across the whole world.
Jean-Pierre Delville, Joseph Cardijn and the social conscience of young people (IYCW)
Celebrating Trinity Sunday at Holy Trinity parish
What a day to celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving, writes Paulist Fr Chris Derige Malano, celebrating his Mass of Thanksgiving on "Trinity Sunday at Holy Trinity, the parish’s feast day!"
Trinity Sunday has a bit of a reputation. Among preachers, it’s often considered one of the hardest Sundays to preach well. Because unlike Christmas or Easter, there is no story to step into. The Holy Trinity is a mystery of faith. Profound. Beautiful. But, not easily dramatized. And yet, it’s central to who we are as Christians.
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Fr Chris Malano, The Trinity in real life (Bridging Our Worlds)
Juneteenth events 2025
The 160th anniversary of Juneteenth will be celebrated throughout the United States on June 19 as a federal holiday, giving Americans ample opportunity to honor the legacy—and eventual freedom—of enslaved African Americans, Black Catholic Messenger notes.
The original Juneteenth celebrations were born from the 1865 decree, "General Order No. 3," issued in Galveston, Texas, where the last enslaved African Americans remained for some time after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. In that same city in 1528, an enslaved Black Catholic named Esteban had been one of the first Africans to set foot in what is now the United States.
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Where to find a Catholic Juneteenth event (2025 edition) (Black Catholic Messenger)
History: The first worker apostles
As International YCW president, Basma Louis, noted in her opening address at the Centenary service at Notre Dame church, Laeken, on 1 May 2025, Cardijn actually began organising young workers in that parish from 1912.
Indeed, I have been struck by how often Cardijn insisted that the history of the movement needed to begin in 1912, writes Stefan Gigacz. Reflecting on this, I realised that the study circles for young workers, particularly teenage girls, that Cardijn launched there with his collaborators were the ONLY YCW teams that he created and worked with himself.
No wonder then that he wanted people to know how he himself had started the YCW in the parish of Our Lady of Laeken.
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Stefan Gigacz, The first worker apostles (Cardijn Research)
Gospel: Beware this road leads to...
Beware! This road leads to … (Gospel Enquiries)
Reflection: "When looms weave by themselves, man's slavery will end."
"When looms weave by themselves, man's slavery will end." ~ Aristotle, 4th century BCE Are we approaching this reality sooner than we think? asks Richard Pütz.
The question is, who will decide the fate of humans? When humans stop "weaving looms" of the modern era, what will happen? When “robots” and “AI” become the new slaves, what will humans do? Who decides? Do we trust those who might be the decision-makers? How did they become the decision-makers? Do we truly understand the meaning of being human and the profound impact it has on us? What role will leaders play in the decision-making process? What role will religion play, if any? What lessons can we learn from the mystics and contemplative teachers of history?
This is a question that needs to be carefully addressed, as the answer will have a direct impact on our grandchildren and their children.
READ MORE
Richard Pütz, When looms weave by themselves (Cardijn Reflections)
News briefs and social media
Lay movements at Synod Consultation
Assisi Catholic Peace Forum
Editorial Note: The purpose of the Cardijn Associates USA Newsletter is to share information and promote discussion. Citing or linking to articles does not imply any endorsement by Cardijn Associates of the authors' views.
Cardijn Associates USA
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