What would you do? What would you not do? You will probably not fall on your knees for the woman or man next door to adore them as a deity… But sometimes you do indeed have to fall on your knees to help another human being in need. Jesus said that whatever you do for someone who is hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked, sick, or imprisoned, you do to him! (Mt 25:35-36). But how do you do this in practice? The book Your neighbour is GOD will help you to apply Jesus’ message of love in your daily life.
Questions from around the world
The origin of Your Neighbour is GOD lies in questions that you will be asking yourself. Each of the questions in the book has been asked by young and not so young people from around the world. The answers give you a great overview of the social teaching of the Church about these and many more themes:
Poverty & Solidarity
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Should I give money to a beggar?
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I cannot help everyone; where is the limit?
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We cannot welcome all migrants, can we?
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How can we react to ‘religious invasion’ and ‘migrant violence’?
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And more…
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Environment & Animal rights
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Why should I care about the environment?
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What if I cannot afford an eco-friendly lifestyle?
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Should Christians be vegetarian?
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Are there limits to animal rights?
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Should I ditch my phone?
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And more…
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Justice & Peace
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What is social justice?
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Do we have a right to punish as Christians?
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Does the Bible condone modern slavery?
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How far should I adapt to minorities?
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Are there parallels between Catholicism and the military?
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And more…
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Economy & Work
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How can my job serve God? Does the Church support workers or employers?
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Is the right to property Christian?
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Does the Church discriminate against women?
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What if my boss tells me to act unethically?
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Can we limit state intervention?
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Why should I pay taxes?
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And more…
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Politics & State
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How are family, society and state related?
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Does social media disrupt families?
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Can I join politics? Must I vote?
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So why does the Church join the political debate? Should priests tell us how to vote?
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May the state limit (religious) freedom?
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And more…
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Technology & Faith sharing
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Can human embryos be used to save lives?
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Is artificial intelligence a blessing or a danger?
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How can I live happily when others suffer?
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Can I evangelise through my profession?
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And more…
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“God needs me to be his hands and feet – and his mouth too. While I can only do so much, I can help my neighbour! By doing so my faith in God becomes real and tangible.”
Father Michel Remery – Author
Social teaching
The answers in the book Your neighbour is GOD are based on what we call the ‘social teaching of the Church’ or ‘Catholic social teaching’. Basically, this is a modern interpretation of how to live your faith in daily life in relationship with other people and with God.
The principles of the social teaching are founded on and always in full accord with the teaching of Jesus in the Bible: human dignity, the common good, solidarity, care for creation, justice and peace, subsidiarity, participation, evangelisation, and integral human development.
“Our Catholic social teaching can help the human family heal this world that suffers from serious illnesses. It is my desire that everyone reflect and work together… to construct a better world, full of hope for future generations.”
Pope Francis, General Audience, 5 August 2020
Using this book
A book for everyone
This is typically a book you can pick up whenever you have a moment. Every Question is answered concisely on two double pages. The colourful layout with quotes, boxes, and summaries helps you deepen your understanding of the theme and continue your search for answers. There is no need to start with Question 1: you can go directly to the Question that interests you most.
A great resource for groups
To deepen the answers you find in this book, it would be good to discuss the theme with a small group, taking the text of the book as a starting point for your dialogue. For every topic, the book provides questions to stimulate group interaction. You can hold as many or as few meetings as you like.
The book is integrated with two free apps:
You can use the app Tweeting with GOD to scan the main image just above the central question. This will lead you to an online synthesis of the answer and to extra resources that can help you deepen the theme alone or in a group.
The app Online with Saints can be used to scan the image of the saint that is related to the Question. This will open a video and then their ‘social media profile’ in which the saint tells you about their life and experience.
Interactive pages
Two double pages are dedicated to finding an answer to each question. The text has been written in plain language, with the intention of showing how simple the social principles are, and how these can be applied in your daily life. The subjects are further deepened through various frames and boxes:
- Explore: Further information or a curiosity to aid your understanding of the context.
- Pray: A short prayer to help you relate to God, who created you.
- Quote: A short text written by one of the popes, illustrating the theme at hand.
- Saint: You are not alone: the saints want to join your quest for answers.
- Act: Some suggestions to help you face concrete situations in your daily life.
- Think: Questions that help you continue your pondering beyond what was said so far.
- Read more: References to resources that can help deepen the theme further.
- Recap: A concise summary of the highlights of the answer.
