As relações da igreja católica na diocese de Santa Cruz do Sul com os sindicatos e os movimentos sociais na defesa e promoção da vida.

Abstract

We departure from the belief that organizations, institutions and social movements only account for their existence to the extent that they contribute to defend and promote life. Based on this, we seek to evaluate the job of protecting and promoting life carried out by Workers’ Unions, Social Movements and the Catholic Church in the area belonging to the diocese of Santa Cruz do Sul. To achieve our goal, we began researching the motivations implied in the work of the Catholic Church and perceived that to its leadership’s minds, social action is an inherent element of its mission. Later, we surveyed the history of the Catholic Church, the Workers’ Unions’ and the Social Movements’ around the region, where we were able to witness a great deal of initiatives regarding the task of protection and fostering of life. Next, we focused on the relationship among Catholic Church, the Workers’ Unions, and the Social Movements and arrived ad the conclusion that, throughout history, the former has played a paramount role in the development of the latter. Nowadays, unfortunately, we notice a frailty of the Unions and the Social Movements and a serious, gradual distancing of the Church from the social causes. Meanwhile, life unfolds threatened by the constant destruction of the environment, the increase of social imbalances and the growing radicalism of ethnic and religious groups as well. Eventually, we signal to the importance of a work integrated with the various institutions, organizations and movements which refuses to abide purely and simply to the market laws, thus actually promoting life as a larger value, which deserves being secured and enforced.