Marianist Studies: William J. Ferree, SM: Social Justice

Course Summary

What actions are we called to do when practicing the virtues of Social Justice and Social Charity? That is the question Father William J. Ferree, SM, discussed in his 1942 thesis "The Act of Social Justice" and in his 1948 pamphlet "An Introduction to Social Justice". In this course we will revisit Father Ferree’s writings to better understand the impact of his thinking and how it challenges us to rethink how we go about Social Justice. Throughout the course we will work together to investigate how his work is relevant to us in today’s world.

Successful completion of this course earns 2.5 CEU's.

General Course Objectives

• By the end of the course participants will be able to:
• Express how Father Ferree developed his thoughts on Social Justice from Pius XI encyclicals.
• Demonstrate the acts associated with Social Justice and Social Charity
• Describe how and why we should continually work toward achieving the “Common Good”
• Argue why Ferree’s thoughts and writings are still valid in the 21st century

Course Materials

• No books required. All readings are online.

Course Structure and Highlights

• Week 1: How does Ferree develop ideas from Pius XI encyclicals?
  • By the end of the session participants will be able to:
  • Relate how the work of Pope Pius XI influenced Father Ferree
  • Explain the connection between Social Justice and the Common Good
  • Describe the key ideas of Ferree’s analysis of Social Justice
• Week 2: What is Social Justice?
  • By the end of the session participants will be able to:
  • Evaluate the power of appropriate organization structure and management in terms of Social Justice
  • Discover several ways Ferree challenges management of organizations to support the Common Good
  • Compare and contrast management issues referenced in Ferree’s writings with 21st century realities
• Week 3: What is Social Charity?
  • By the end of the session participants will be able to:
  • Formulate a stronger sense of who Ferree was as a person
  • Compare and contrast social charity and individual charity
  • Describe the importance Ferree’s insistence on supporting organizations with their good and their bad points
• Week 4: What is the "Common Good"?
  • By the end of the session participants will be able to:
  • Defend the importance of valuing the “Dignity of the Human Personality”
  • Clarify what it means to pursue the “Common Good"
  • Describe the characteristics of Social Justice
• Week 5: How does Ferree Blend Social Ethics with Management Theory?
  • By the end of the session participants will be able to:
  • Examine how Social Justice can be incorporated into management goals
  • Describe several kinds and styles of authority and how they determine the nature of an organization
  • Integrate Ferree’s theory of administration into today’s economic and global realities

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