Industrial Revolution: Work from a Catholic, Salesian Perspective

Oct 7

W-o-r-k.

In our culture, work seems to become a “four-letter” word, something to be avoided, a drudgery that somehow gets in the way of human enjoyment and fulfillment. From both a Catholic and Salesian perspective, nothing could be further from the truth.

In his encyclical on Capital and Labor (Rerum Novarum, 1891), Pope Leo XIII underscored not only the dignity of workers, but the dignity, value, and worth of work itself as a deeply constitutive aspect of what it means to be human. Made in the image and likeness of God, each person is charged with engaging in the most important work of all: continuing to build up the Kingdom of God, primarily by working with others to fashion just and equitable communities and societies based on Christ-centered generosity, justice, peace, and love.

Bl. Louis Brisson, OSFS, (1817–1908) was no stranger to some of the deleterious effects of the Industrial Revolution: he witnessed them firsthand. Nevertheless, Brisson specifically cites “work” as one of the three chief ways of what he called “Reprinting the Gospel” (what we would probably refer to in our day as evangelization). A contemporary take on Brisson’s positive perspective on the power and promise of work is most instructive:

“We reprint the Gospel by means of work. Our Lord himself came to this earth and passed many years in manual labor. Light of the world that He was, Jesus came to enlighten every person in the world. In this Jesus was truly a working man. He worked with His hands as He spoke the language of love. He engaged in manual labor…Without doubt, while not all of us may be good at working with our hands, there is all kind of work to be done: keeping things in order, lending a helping hand or just tending to the details of everyday tasks that require our care...God has attached great graces to work; work has indeed produced many great saints. Therefore, let us be lovers of labor.”

During the month of October, the Catholic Church observes the Feast Day of Blessed Fr. Louis Brisson, OSFS, founder of the Oblate Sisters and the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales, on October 12. The celebration of Brisson’s life and legacy provides a great invitation for us to take a closer look at how we can continue to work to build up God’s Kingdom in our respective corners of the world, as displayed so clearly in the life of Jesus Himself.

Lovers of labor, laborers of love: from a Salesian perspective, quite the revolutionary perspective indeed!