Online text: “A Peace Agenda for the United Nations”, by the Catholic Association for International Peace

See this online text:

• A Peace Agenda for the United Nations: A Report of the Post-War World Committee (Pamphlet No. 32) (Washington, DC: Catholic Association for International Peace; New York: Paulist Press, 1943). [Note: The members of the Post-War World Committee include Msgr. John A. Ryan, Charles G. Fenwick and Carlton Hayes]. Available in pdf format at DigitalGeorgetown.

See also these related texts on the Catholic contribution to the establishment of the United Nations Organization as a peacebuilding institution:

Online text: “The Role of International Organizations and NGOs in Surveying Human Rights Compliance”, by Christian Strohal

See this online text:

• “The Quest for Protection: The Role of International Organizations and NGOs in Surveying Human Rights Compliance”, by Christian Strohal (2009). Available in pdf format on this page of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.
  • This may also read as part of a larger work: Catholic Social Doctrine and Human Rights (Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences Acta 15: Proceedings of the 15th Plenary Session, 1-5 May 2009), edited by Roland Minnerath, Ombretta Fumagalli Carulli, and Vittorio Possenti (Vatican City: Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, 2010). 630 pages. Available in pdf format on this page of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

See also:

• International Catholic Organizations & Catholic Inspired NGOs: Their Contribution to the Building of the International Community (The Caritas in Veritate Foundation, 2012). The Caritas In Veritate Foundation Working Papers: “The City of God in the Palace of Nations”. Available in PDF format on this page of the Caritas in Veritate Foundation.
• “Meet the New Generation of Catholic-Inspired NGOs”, by Terrence McKeegan, J.D., Inside the Vatican (April 2008): pp. 62 & 65-66. May be read online (on this page) at Catholic Culture.
• “New Challenges for Catholic-Inspired NGOs in Light of Caritas in Veritate”, by Jane Adolphe, The Catholic Social Science Review, vol. 16 (2011): pages 181-193. Available in pdf format (on this page) at the Philosophy Documentation Center.

Posted in belated observance of World NGO Day, 2019. For other legally free ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title) and the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject).

“[I]nternational discussions often seem marked by a relativistic logic which would consider as the sole guarantee of peaceful coexistence between peoples a refusal to admit the truth about man and his dignity, to say nothing of the possibility of an ethics based on recognition of the natural moral law… The bitter fruits of this relativistic logic are sadly evident: we think, for example, of the attempt to consider as human rights the consequences of certain self-centred lifestyles; a lack of concern for the economic and social needs of the poorer nations; contempt for humanitarian law, and a selective defence of human rights.

“It is my hope that your study and reflection during these days will result in more effective ways of making the Church’s social doctrine better known and accepted on the international level. I encourage you, then, to counter relativism creatively by presenting the great truths about man’s innate dignity and the rights which are derived from that dignity. This in turn will contribute to the forging of a more adequate response to the many issues being discussed today in the international forum. Above all, it will help to advance specific initiatives marked by a spirit of solidarity and freedom.”

(Pope Benedict XVI, Address at the Forum of Catholic-Inspired NGOs)

Online text: “Catholic Action: A Particular Lay Vocation”, by Father Pietro Baudena

See this online text:

• Catholic Action: A Particular Lay Vocation, 2nd improved edition, by Father Pietro Baudena, MC and CA leaders of Nyeri Metropolitan Dioceses (2004). Also identified as: The ABC of Catholic Action, by Nyeri Metropolitan, Kenya. Available in pdf format at International Forum Catholic Action.

Posted in observance of the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development. For other online texts and legally free ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title) and the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject).

Text and audiobook: “Into the Breach: An Apostolic Exhortation to the Men of the Diocese of Phoenix”, by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted

Sagrada Familia, by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. Image from Wikipedia

See these online texts:

• Into the Breach: An Apostolic Exhortation to the Men of the Diocese of Phoenix, by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, September 29, 2015 (Diocese of Phoenix, 2015). Available in pdf format (on this page of Into the Breach; and on this page of the Knights of Columbus. Also available at document Issuu.com (linked by Catholic Men’s Ministry). Excerpts are made online on this page of Pagadian Diocese and on this page of Church Militant.  
  • The audiobook is available on SoundCloud (linked by Into the Breach)
  • The official trailer to the document may be found at Youtube (linked by Women of Grace)
• Into the Breach: Study Guide for College Men (New Haven, Connecticut: College Councils Department) is available in pdf format on this page through the Knights of Columbus.
• Forward! Into the Breach! A Compendium Workbook to ‘Into the Breach’, by Anthony J. Castellano (May 9, 2016) is available in pdf format at on this page (linked by Catholic Men’s Ministry) and on this page at Forward into the Breach.

One may also read the following articles and posts discussing the document:

• “An Apostolic exhortation to Catholic men by Bishop Thomas Olmsted”, republished at Gaudium Press.
• “Bishop Olmsted Calls Men Into the Breach” by Luma Simms, at Crisis Magazine.
• “Bishop Olmsted issues apostolic exhortation on masculinity” by Tony Gutierrez, at Catholic Sun.
• “A Bishop Speaks to the Men of His Flock”, by Jim Graves, at Catholic World Report. (linked by Diocese of Phoenix)
• “Book Review:  Bishop Thomas Olmsted, Into the Breach” by Fr. Ben Cameron, at Fathers of Mercy.
• “Film, document from Phoenix challenges men to go ‘Into the Breach’” by Jim Graves, at OSV Newsweekly (linked by the Diocese of Phoenix)
• “Into the Breach” by Brian Fraga, at Legatus Magazine.
• “Into the Breach – Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted’s Letter to the Catholic Men in the Diocese of Phoenix” by Tom Perna.

On the Feast of Saint Joseph, foster father of our divine Lord Jesus Christ and chaste husband of our Lord’s Blessed Mother, in the Latin church. For other legally free ebooks, you may access the List of Free eBooks (Arranged by Title) and the List of Free eBooks (Grouped by Subject). 

“Up, then, gird thee like a man, and speak out all the message I give thee. Meet them undaunted, and they shall have no power to daunt thee. Strong I mean to make thee this day as fortified city, or pillar of iron, or wall of bronze, to meet king, prince, priest of Juda, and common folk all the country through; impregnable thou shalt be to their attack; am I not at thy side, the Lord says, to deliver thee?” (Jeremias i, 17-19)

Online text: “New Challenges for Catholic-Inspired NGOs in Light of Caritas in Veritate”, by Jane Adolphe

Knights of Columbus in St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Fort Collins, Colorado. Image from Wikipedia

See this online text:

• “New Challenges for Catholic-Inspired NGOs in Light of Caritas in Veritate”, by Jane Adolphe, The Catholic Social Science Review, vol. 16 (2011): pages 181-193. Available in pdf format (on this page) at the Philosophy Documentation Center.

In observance of the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development 2017, and in remembrance of René de La Tour du Pin (d. 4 December 1924), soldier, statesman, and social reformer.

“Whereupon they… will answer, Lord, when was it that we saw thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? And he will answer them, Believe me, when you refused it to one of the least of my brethren here, you refused it to me. And these shall pass on to eternal punishment, and the just to eternal life.” (St. Matthew xxv, 40)