I had the privilege of meeting with three groups of most extraordinary young men this week. They were freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors at Brophy Jesuit Prep in Phoenix, Arizona. Brophy conducts a Summit each year in which the entire school explores implications of the Catholic response to a given issue. This year the theme was Globalization and Human Dignity. Brophy invites speakers to come in and exchange ideas with students. I was one of those speakers.
What impressed me so much about these students was their openness to a variety of perspectives. The title of my presentation was Helpful Options for the Poor and looked at the range of policy options designed to address poverty. I think Catholic social doctrine is the finest value system on the planet, and that figuring out how to respond to the needs of others in truly effective ways, the way the Good Samaritan responded to the beaten man in Jesus’ parable, is one element in exercising Christian charity. I also believe strongly in the power of economic freedom to offer a way out of poverty.
I shared these beliefs and some statistical information with the Brophy students through a lesson I wrote called the Heinrich Lesson, named after Heinrich Pesch, S.J., an economist. We considered the question, how can we evaluate effective preferential options for the poor. At the end of the presentation I challenged the students to stand up, literally, and defend their top policy option that would assist the poor most effectively given the alternatives. I pushed them. Challenged them. Tried to punch holes in their reasoning. And they stood their ground. They responded honestly, articulately, compassionately.
Thank you Brophy Jesuit Prep for inviting me to explore this issue with you. And thank you for striving to become men for others, loving, and open to growth!
