Subsidiarity – The World Assembly – and the Catholic Nation

The question of whether or not a “Catholic” nation should suffer itself under the structure of the World Assembly is a deep and complex well. The World Assembly is known as the “Festering Snake Pit” for a very good reason. But this editorial will focus on the underlying principle of subsidiarity as it applies to the World Assembly in general, as opposed to the member states and lack of morals of these member states within the World Assembly

Subsidiarity is an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. Political decisions should be taken at a local level if possible, rather than by a central authority. The Oxford English Dictionary defines subsidiarity as the idea that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level.

The principle of subsidiarity is broadly concerned with the limits of the right and duty of the public authority to intervene in social and economic affairs. The term was first used and explicitly defined by Pius XI in his encyclical Quadragesimo anno: "It is a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry. So, too, it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and a disturbance of right order, to transfer to the larger and higher collectivity functions which can be performed and provided for by lesser and subordinate bodies. Inasmuch as every social activity should, by its very nature, prove a help to members of the body social, it should never destroy or absorb them." This doctrine, though not by name, was taught in the earlier encyclicals of Leo XIII, Immortale Dei and Rerum novarum, and is contained in the writings of Thomas Aquinas about the nature of law and the state. Subsequently, Pius XII and John XXIII quoted with strong approval Pius XI's enunciation of the principle.

Thus we come up with two basic questions, at what level should something take place and whether such a thing should happen at all. With regard to the former, there is a common misconception that the World Assembly creates “International Law.” This is not the case. The World Assembly creates “Resolutions” which result in mandate for individual “nations” to create law to comply with the resolution. The writing of such law can take place at any level within the nation’s legal structure including the lowest level possible as the principle of subsidiarity demands. Thus Catholic nations, using the principles of subsidiarity can easily maintain their respect for World Assembly resolutions while at the same time.

The later is more complicated. Pope Pius XI starts off with the notion of “individuals.” Indeed it is possible for the World Authority to require the creation of legislation on topics which simply does not belong to the “community” in any matter whatsoever, even at the lowest level of the community because the proper solution is to have the individuals resolve these problems. However, these cases within the World Assembly tend to be rare and when they occur, can easily be repealed.

Therefore, in the totality, there is nothing within the principle of subsidiarity that demands a Catholic Nation not associate itself with the World Assembly. We believe that it is better that nations with true Catholic morals remain in this body in order to keep the body from sinking to the lowest denominator within the body. We encourage all Catholic Nations to flood this body with high moral standards so we can repeal all resolutions that go against Catholic teaching and support those resolutions that are in accord with Catholic teaching.