By my count, Bishop Joe Vásquez and I have recorded and printed 150 Bishop’s Interviews for the Catholic Spirit. This number alone blows my mind! Yet in all those interviews, we have never specifically honed in on Catholic social teaching.

We have danced around it many times (nearly everything we believe as Catholics is addressed in Catholic social teaching), and we have discussed the dignity of life quite often. However, with this issue and continuing in the July/August and September issues, Bishop Vásquez requested that we specifically focus on the seven elements of Catholic social teaching.

Our bishop says Catholic social teaching is one of the best kept secrets of the Catholic Church. And I have to agree. I have certainly enjoyed reading through and studying these elements of our faith. As we gear up for the presidential elections and even in our daily lives as “we love our neighbors as ourselves,” Catholic social teaching reminds us of the beauty and dignity of every human life.

Please read this month’s interview with our bishop, I think everyone will benefit from learning more about our church’s social teachings. St. John Paul II, pray for us!

More information on Catholic social teaching can be found at www.austindiocese.org/catholic-social-teaching.