As members of the E
questrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, we serve to create a more just community that gives priority to the needs of poor and vulnerable people. We facilitate following Christ through works of charity and action that promote social justice and nurture faith that reflects God’s love in the world and brings forth peace.
The Church’s teaching on the sanctity of life flows from her understanding that every human being is created by God out of an act of love and in His image and likeness. As such, we are created with an inherent dignity that can never be diminished or taken away, and we are made for a life in relationship with Him. Life is a precious gift – it is the means by which we encounter God and each other. Because of this dignity, we seek to protect life at all stages and in all conditions – from its very beginning at the moment of conception until we take our last breath at natural death.
Parishes are the heart of our Catholic life and a vital setting for sharing and acting on our Catholic social teachings. We acknowledge and attest that every human life is a life worth living, that every person has gifts, talents and inherent dignity, from the moment of conception until our entrance into God’s Kingdom.
As an Order, we do not take part in political activities that may place at risk our national or international standing to continue our charitable work in the Holy Land. As individual Catholics, we are called to be conscientious citizens, speaking out for the rights and dignity of all people. As informed Catholics we seek through public policy initiatives, advocacy and voter education, to bring about the unchanging Gospel values into a changing world. As individuals we advocate for legislative and policy issues at the local, state and national levels placing ourselves at the service of the local bishop, USCCB, Catholic Relief Services and other organizations.
The Seven Core Principals of Catholic Social Justice are: