In the spirit of this reflection we cannot fail to acknowledge that many people throughout Ireland are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Budget for 2012 in the Republic and the new Programme for Government in Northern Ireland. It is to be hoped that the measures adopted in these crucial areas will contribute to the common good and not further scar the social landscape. There is a need for all of us today to ask ourselves to what extent the social dimension of the Gospel, as understood through the prism of the Sermon on the Mount, is reflected in and through the exercise of ministry that flows from our common Baptism. To what extent does the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and Catholic Social Teaching both inform professional practice and also the multitude of decisions that constitute our daily life?
A Call to Action in Times of Crisis