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OFFICE FOR SOCIAL MINISTRY
“Let us pray for all workers, so that no one might be without work and all might be paid a just wage. May they benefit from the dignity of work and the beauty of rest.” (Pope Francis, Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, May 1, 2020)
Labor Day is marked with end-of-summer parties, picnics and barbecues. But amid a pandemic, when large social gatherings are restricted and many are out of work, this special holiday may not be celebrated in the same way it was during pre-COVID times. Yet, the meaning of this holiday should not be diminished. Labor Day celebrates all workers across the country, employed and unemployed. Perhaps this weekend is a good time to reflect on the words of Pope Francis, who proclaimed 2021 the Year of St. Joseph:
“St. Joseph was a carpenter who earned an honest living to provide for his family. From him, Jesus learned the value, the dignity and the joy of what it means to eat bread that is the fruit of one’s own labor. In our own day, when employment has once more become a burning social issue, and unemployment at times reaches record levels even in nations that for decades have enjoyed a certain degree of prosperity, there is a renewed need to appreciate the importance of dignified work, of which St. Joseph is an exemplary patron.”
Labor Day is a celebration of overcoming the dark days of the Industrial Revolution when laborers were forced to work long hours in factories, mills and mines — with very little pay and no protections or benefits. Labor unions helped many workers secure just wages and benefits to enjoy a better quality of life for themselves and their families. Pope Francis points out that, especially during this pandemic, St. Joseph can help us take a more profound look at labor in the light of faith and family.
“Work is a means of participating in the labor of salvation, an opportunity to hasten the coming of the Kingdom, to develop our talents and abilities, and to put them at the service of society and fraternal communion. Work becomes an opportunity for the fulfillment not only of oneself, but also of that primary cell of society which is the family. A family without work is particularly vulnerable to difficulties, tensions, and even break-up. How can we speak of human dignity without working to ensure that everyone is able to earn a decent living? Working persons, whatever their job may be, are cooperating with God himself, and in some way become creators of the world around us. The crisis of our time, which is economic, social, cultural and spiritual, can serve as a summons for all of us to rediscover the value, the importance and necessity of work for bringing about a new ‘normal’ from which no one is excluded.”
In his Easter Message, Pope Francis called all to view with compassion vulnerable workers suffering the pandemic’s impact: “The loss of employment that affects so many of our brothers and sisters, and has increased as a result of COVID-19, should serve as a summons to review our priorities. The crucified and risen Lord is comfort for those who have lost their jobs or experience serious economic difficulties and lack adequate social protection. May he inspire public authorities to act so that everyone, especially families in greatest need, will be offered the assistance needed for a decent standard of living … This may be the time to consider a universal basic wage which would acknowledge and dignify the noble, essential tasks you carry out. It would ensure and concretely achieve the ideal, at once so human and so Christian, of no worker without rights.”
Here in Hawaii, people are struggling to pay rent and utilities while returning to workplaces without adequate safeguards. Some of these are the hard-working members of Unite Here Local 5, who were vital assistants in parish workshops that helped immigrant green cardholders achieve American citizenship before the pandemic. Since then, this union has been organizing large food distributions to families fighting food insecurity. For more information on Unite Here Local 5’s efforts to support hospitality and healthcare workers, please visit unitehere5.org.
During the Labor Day holidays and beyond, help support essential workers who labor serving our communities despite dangerous difficulties. And in the words of Pope Francis: “Let us implore St. Joseph the Worker to help us find ways to express our firm conviction that no young person, no person at all, no family should be without work!
Mahalo,
Your friends at the Office for Social Ministry
