Celebrating Kwanzaa and Catholic Social Teaching

By Charlene Howard
Pax Christi USA Executive Director

Kwanzaa is an African American holiday created by Dr. Mualana Karenga in 1965 to celebrate family, community and culture. Although it was not designed to be a religious holiday, the seven principles possess a spiritual quality that is evident in holy scripture and resonates with our principles of Catholic Social Teaching inspired by Pope Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum. The binding thread is acknowledging that we thrive in community and common care for one another.

During these next seven days – December 26 through January 1 – I encourage you to learn and reflect on the richness of combining these two sets of principles to inform your focus and resolve for 2025. Put into action the ideas you gain to resist divisiveness by building peace and community.

December 26
Kwanzaa principle: Umoja
Unity – To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

Principle of Catholic Social Teaching
Solidarity – We are one human family. Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic and ideological differences. We are called to work globally for justice.

Pray and reflect
Ephesians 4: 11-13 The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.

How does being united by the one Spirit of God affect your relationships with others?
Think of ways to improve how you work and live together in your communities.

December 27
Kwanzaa principle: Kujichagulia
Self-determination – To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves instead of being defined, named, created and spoken for by others.

Principle of Catholic Social Teaching
Rights and responsibilities – People have a fundamental right to life, food, shelter, health care, education and employment. All people have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to respect the rights of others in the wider society and to work for the common good.

Pray and reflect
Matthew 16: 13-18 When Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter said in reply, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus said to him in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.

When do you accompany others in a way that allows them to retain their sense of self rather than your opinion of their capabilities?

December 28
Kwanzaa principle: Ujima
Collective work and responsibility – To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and solve them together.

Principle of Catholic Social Teaching
Option for those who are poor and vulnerable – The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. Those who are poor have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the nation. We are called to look at public policy decisions in terms of how they affect people who are poor.

Pray and reflect
Nehemiah 2:17-18 Afterward I said to them: “You see the trouble we are in: how Jerusalem lies in ruins and its gates have been gutted by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer be a reproach!” Then I explained to them how God had shown his gracious favor to me, and what the king had said to me. They replied, “Let us begin building!” And they undertook the work with vigor.

What are the needs of your community?
What action can you take to address these situations?

December 29
Kwanzaa principle: Ujamaa
Cooperative economics – To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

Principle of Catholic Social Teaching
The dignity of work and the rights of workers – People have a right to decent and productive work, fair wages, private property and economic initiative. The economy exists to serve people, not the other way around.

Pray and reflect
Acts 1: 44-45; 4:34-35 All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need. . . There was no needy person among them, for those who owned property or houses would sell them, bring the proceeds of the sale, and put them at the feet of the apostles, and they were distributed to each according to need.

Like Dorothy Day, how can you modify your lifestyle in a way that helps to support others around you so that their material and spiritual needs are met?

December 30
Kwanzaa principle: Nia
Purpose – To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

Principle of Catholic Social Teaching
Call to family, community, and participation – The human person is both sacred and social. We realize our dignity and rights in relationship with others, in community. “We are one body; when one suffers, we all suffer.” We are called to respect all of God’s gifts of creation, to be good stewards of the earth and each other.

Pray and reflect
Hebrews 13:1-3,5 Let brotherly [and sisterly] love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them; and those who are ill-treated, since you also are in the body. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never fail you nor forsake you.”

Make a list of the ways you build and develop the common good. Is this the best you can do? Is it what God wants you to do?

December 31
Kwanzaa principle: Kuumba
Creativity – To always do as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

Principle of Catholic Social Teaching
Care for God’s creation – The goods of the earth are gifts from God. We have a responsibility to care for these goods as stewards and trustees, not as mere consumers and users.

Pray and reflect
1 Corinthians 12:4-7,11 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

What are some gifts others have shared with you? How has this sharing impacted your community?

January 1
Kwanzaa principle: Imani
Faith – To believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

Principle of Catholic Social Teaching
Life and dignity of the human person – All people are sacred, made in the image and likeness of God. People do not lose dignity because of disability, poverty, age, lack of success, or race. This emphasizes people over things, being over having.

Pray and reflect
2 Corinthians 9: 10-15 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God; for the rendering of this service not only supplies the wants of the saints but also overflows in many thanksgivings to God. Under the test of this service, you will glorify God by your obedience in acknowledging the gospel of Christ, and by the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others; while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

When do you support businesses of entrepreneurs operated by marginalized people? Broaden your consciousness and economic power by spending with local, small, women, indigenous, Black owned or cooperative businesses. Doing so affirms their God given dignity which adds value to our world.

References and resources