Dear Parishioners,

There was once a city that set land aside for a park. It was a long time ago. So, there were no rules about how to use this park. So, while the intention was to preserve a little green land in an urban setting, some people in the city used it for more than that. Some people began grazing their animals there and others began to grow gardens. Eventually, the land was overused and became unfit to even be a park.

What I just described is known to economists as the “Tragedy of the Commons.” It is the observation that a shared resource for which no one is particularly responsible will be over-exploited by those who have access to it. What was meant to be in common use for the community ends up only benefiting a few. This misuse of a common resource has been observed since the time of Aristotle to the present day by anyone who has had to share anything with a multitude of people.

I bring it up today because I find it to be an accurate allegory for how we treat the world in general. Ever since the fall, human beings are naturally selfish. It takes formation and grace in order to overcome this natural inclination. So, when we think something is a public good, we are more likely to think “How can I use this to serve myself and those I care about?” instead of “What is good for society in general?” This is not even an irrational position since if we do not use something, someone else is just going to be selfish and use it for their own ends.

As I have been reading the Pope’s recent encyclical Magnifica Humanitatis though, he encourages us to take the opposite approach. We should care about the world and all the people because it’s more than just a common good for us to exploit: the world is a gift from God we ought to use for the common good. The encyclical teaches that we have to all work for the common good which involves a recognition of God and creating the means for all people to flourish.

I am going to get into more details about what principles allow for this flourishing in a future article. But for now, I want you all to think about all the gifts God has given you and how it can be used for the good of our society and Church. Or, what common goods do you think are being most misused or neglected?

God Bless!

Fr. Carter

P.S. Thank you to everyone that participated in Fr. Caesar’s going away party. I would especially like to thank Sue McGann and Carol Maliff and all the other people who helped plan it. It is events like this that really bring our parish community together.