Read On - Catholic Scholars for Worker Justice

Jesuit School of Theology
A Graduate School of Santa Clara University
1735 Le Roy Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
CRS 9999- CATHOLIC SOCIAL ETHICS
The
Powerlessness and Vulnerability
of
Women Domestic Workers
Instructor:
Student:
Thomas Massaro, S.J.
Patrie R. Razafimahafaly
Date of Submission: Thursday, May 9, 2013
SPRING 2013
ABBREVIATION
RN: Rerum Novarum (The Condition ofLabo1). Enc)'Cl ical Letter of Pope Leo XI IT, 1891 .
QA: Quadragesimo Anno (The Reconstruction of the Social Order) . Encyclical Letter of
Pope Pius XI, 1931.
MM: Mater et Magistra (Christianity and Social Progress). Encycl ical Letter of Pope John
XXIII, 1961.
PT: Pacem in Terris (Peace on Earth). Encyclical Letter of Pope John XXIII, 1963.
GS: Gaudium et Spes (Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World). Second
Vatican Council, 1965.
PP: Populorum Progressio (On the Development of Peoples) . Encyc lical Letter of Pope Paul
VI, 1967.
OA: Octogesima Adveniens (A Call to Action on the Eightieth Anniversary ofRerum
Novarum). Aposto lic Letter of Pope Pau l VI, 197 1.
JW: Justice in the World. Statement of the Synod of Bishops, 1971.
EN: Evangelii Nuntiandi (Evangelization in the Modern WorlcO. Apostolic Exhortation of
Pope Paul VI, I 975.
LE: Laborem Exercens (On Human Work). Encyclical Letter of Pope John Paul II , 198 1.
SRS: Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (The Social Concerns ofthe Church). Encycl ical Letter of Pope
John Paul II, 1988.
CA: Centesimus Annus (On the Hundredth Anniversmy ofRerum Novarum). Encyclica l
Letter of Pope John Pau l II, 199 1.
CV: Caritas in Veri/ale (On Integral Hu;nan Development in Charity and Truth). Encyclica l
Letter of Pope Benedict XV I.
Remark: All texts are from the book of David J. O'Brien and Thomas A. Shannon.
O'Brien, David J. and Thomas A. Shannon, ed. Catholic Social Thought: The Documentmy
Heritage. Marykno ll , New York: Orb is Books, 20 I0.
Patrie Razafimahafaly-CSE
Introduction
" It is better to die tomorrow than today," says a Ma lagasy proverb. Poverty,
unemployment, ignorance, insecurity, political crises, and corruption have become dominant in
the landscape of Madagascar since the 1990s. Thousands of men and women are forced to
leave their fami lies and homes every year in search of work in the surrounding ci ties for a little
money to survive. In this paper, based on Cathol ic social ethics, I wou ld like to highlight one of
the Malagasy struggles, which is the powerlessness and vulnerability of women domestic
workers who are housemaids. My primary reference is Leo XIH 's encyclica l, Rerum Novarum,
along with subsequent social encyclicals dealing with the rights of workers. Also, I will use a
Catholic urban parish, run by the Jesuits, named Sts. Philip and James in Tanj ombato, as an
example of my own fieldwork on this area.
The organization of this paper will employ the methodology of SEE, JUDGE, and
ACT 1 which characterizes much of Catholic Social Teaching. In the SEE section, I wil l present
the situation affecting the lives of these housemaids. For the JUDGE section, I will give an
overview of the papal encycl ical Rerum Novarum, and in the light of it, I wi ll analyze the
Tanjombato housemaids' plight. Finally, in the ACT section, I will exp lai n how the leaders of
Sts. Philip and James parish discerned the parish's pastoral actions to address the powerlessness
and vulnerability of these women.
1) SEE: The situation of housemaids in Tanjombato
1.1. Description of the Reality in Tanjombato
Tanjombato, a medium-sized town, is situated about four miles south of the center of
the Malagasy capital, Antananarivo. It has many settlements of people who have migrated
from the villages looking for work . During the 1990s, Tanj ombato and other nearby towns
1
Dona l Dorr, Oplion oj1he Poor a11djor1he Earlh: Cmholic Social Teachi11g (Maryknoll. New York:
Orb is Books. 20 12). 119.
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became places where fore ign businesses were bu ilding many cloth ing factor ies, the flouri shing
of which provided, and continues to provide, j obs for many Malagasy men and women from
different parts of Madagascar. These factories have spurred the growth of jobs, such as
housemaids, security agents, and other domestic workers serv ing wea lthy peop le.
Unfortunately, their pay has remained very low, and they have been treated unfairly. Workers
live in an environment of inju stice, oppression, and suffering. Thi s situation awakened in the
Jesuits nearby a desire to respond to their suffering by offering pastoral care th rough a program
called the "M inistry of the Workers," open to all workers in need. My focus here, however,
will primarily be on the fema le domestic workers, or housemaids.
1.2. Ho usemaids in Ta njombato
By defin ition, a housemaid is a woman who does household and personal tasks within
an employer's household, performing a variety of household services from prov iding care for
the chi ldren and elderly to c leaning and housekeeping. Their ages usua lly range from fi fteen to
forty-five years old/ and the majority of them reside in the empl oyer's house, while others are
day-workers. Because of their poverty, these women li ve in situations of powerlessness and
vu lnerability, enduring all kinds of injustice mentioned by the Statement of the Synod of
Bishops in 197 1, Justice in the World (JW), such as exploitation marginalization,
powerlessness, domination, oppress ion, abuses, and violence. 3
First, the most prevalent problem is verba l abuse. When making just a little mi stake,
they are ca lled pejorative names, such as "idiot," ·'stupid;' ·'good for nothing,'' ·'crazy, ..
"worthless," " liar," and so on. They constantly su ffer from bru ised egos and battered selfesteem. Second, there are many cases of physical abuse as well at the hands of the employers."'
For example, some em ployers have ironed the hands of their housemaids and have thrown hard
2
Mamy Ny Soa. Jllpiasa An-trano (Housemaid~). hll p://mamm vsou .blaogv.com/ ( accessed March 23.
20 13).
3
Dorr, Option of the Poor and for the Earth. 305.
Ka my, A/piasa An-lrano lharan 'ny !-leriselra (Domeslic Workers cmd Physical Abuse) .
hllp:/lwww.inovaovao. coml spip. php?artic/e / 870 (accessed March 23, 20 13).
4
Pa t rie Razafimah a fa ly-CSE
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objects at them. Sometimes, it has been the children of these emp loyers who have perpetrated
the abuse of kicking, hitting, and bi ting their housemaids. Third, sexual abuses5 have been
experienced by many of the housemaids in their j obs. Male employers, and sometimes their
sons, feel that they can do anyth ing they want with their female workers. Some of these bosses
terri fy their housemaids if they refu se to satisfy them, whi le others may ask for sexual
satisfaction with them, sometimes givin g them supplemental pay apart from their sa laries, and
others simply force their maids to have sexual intercourse. Fourth, these housemaids are among
the lowest paid working sectors in Madagascar, earning considerably below the min imum
wage. Most of them are promi sed (and usually receive) basic salaries between 30 to 50,000 Ar6
per month/ or about 25 US D per month. In reality, thi s amount of money is a pi ttance, not
enough for one person to survive for a month. Fifth, there is al so the problem of long working
hours. Around 80% of them work as live-in workers. and the rest who " live out" are sometimes
better off than those who are live-in, because norma lly they do not have to work as late. Those
who " li ve in" usually work 14 hours8 and even more per day without extra payment. Often,
many of them work with little rest, and are given an uncom fOiiable room, sometimes, with
little food. Sixth, there is also the constant fea r of a premature termination of contract.
Housema ids do not have security of tenure, and their contracts can be term inated at any time.9
Employers can dismiss them, terminating the contract if they are not satisfied with their
housemaid 's work. Fi nally, there is their constant battle aga inst lonel iness, particularly for
those who are mothers and very young women. Separation and living fa r from their fa milies is
a heart-rending experi ence. The first three months is not only cri tical in term s of their
adjustment to their work and employers' families, it is important in overcoming the pain of
5
Kamy, .\!/piasa An-lrano /haran'ny Herisetra (Do mestic Workers and Physical Abuse).
Ar is the abbreviation of Malagasy money Arim y I US Dollar is about 2. 000 1\r.
7
Mamy Ny Soa. Jlfpiasa , 111-trano (Housemaid~).
8
Volana Rakotoharimanana ... Mija ly ny Zaza Miasa 1\n-Trano:· (.\linor Housemaids· suffered). in
L 'Erpress de Madagascar. no. 5268. Mardi I0 Jui llct 20 12. h!tp://www.lex pressmada.com (accessed March 23.
20 13).
9
Jllanandevo ny /vlpampiasa Vahiny (Foreign Employers Enslave).
hllp://malagasvmiray. net/2008/06/ 17/manandevo-ireo-mpampiasa-vahinv/ (accessed March 23. 20 13).
6
Pa trie Razafimahafa ly-CSE
separation. This sometimes becomes serious when they cannot visit their own famil ies and
homes until the end of the contract.
The above situations are the rea lities that most of the housemaids in Tanjombato are
forced to live with in silence, because of their fear of los ing their jobs. necessary for the wellbeing of their loved ones, and because of the difficulties they experience within their own
homes, which give them no choice but to stay.
2) JUDGE: Analysis of the Situation in Light of Rerum Nova rum
2.1. An Overview of Rerum Novarum
In 189 1, Pope Leo XIII, the Vicar of Christ fro m 1878 to 1903, issued his encyclical
letter entitled Rerum Novarum (RN), literally translated from the Latin as ·'On the New
Things,'· but usually rendered as The Condition of Labor. 10 The first of the great soc ia l
11
encyclicals of the Catholic Church, it was written in an era of immense social transformation
at the end of the 191h century industrial revolution, which terrib ly expl oited poor workers in
Europe and
orth America. 12 Essentially, th is encyclical ca lled for the protection of the weak
and the poor through the pursuit of justice, while exc luding socialism and class struggle as
legitimate principles of change. 13 It affirmed the dignity of workers, the right to private
property, and the right to form and joi n professional associations. Leo XIII was also aga inst the
excesses of liberal-capitalist deve lopment in Europe. Centra l to these excesses was the
exploitation of the poor, the poverty of workers, and the monopo lization of privilege and
10
Dav id .1. O"Brien and T homas A. Shannon. ed .. Ca1ho/ic Social Thought: The Document01y Heritage
(Maryknoll. New York: Orbis Books. 20 10). 1-l.
11
Thomas Massaro. Living Justice: Catholic Social Teaching in Action. 2"d Classroom Edition ( 1ew
York: Rowman & Littlefield. 20 12). 3-l. 40.
12
Edward P. DeBerri et all.. Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret ( 1 ew York: Orbis Books.
2003). 45.
13
Richard \V. Rousseau. Human Dignity and the Common Good: The Great Papall::ncyc/icalsfrom Leo
XIII to John Paul// (London: Greenwood Press. 2002). I I.
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5
wealth in the hands of a few. 14 In the history of the soc ial encyclicals of the Church, Rerum
Novarum has been considered the prototype ofal l other social encyclica ls until the present. 15
Rerum Novarum covers five maj or areas.
16
First, Leo XIII described the situation of the
poor and workers, mentioning the destitution of the masses and the wea lth of a few, the dec line
of public morality, and the exploitation of workers by greedy employers (RN 2). Second, the
Pope offered some guiding principles, based on the fundamenta l understanding of the human
person in the Church. He stated that all have been created in God' s im age and likeness, and
have been redeemed by God , and thus divi ne grace and the good of nature belongs equally to
all , all having equa l dignity and rights (RN 9-1 0, 32). Third, Leo XII I accentuated the
important role of the Church in facing these injustices, writing that because of the Gospel's
values, the Church has the right to speak out on social matters affecting religion and morality,
in order to reconcile and to unify all classes, as well as to educate people to act justly (RN 13).
Fourth, the Pope drew up the rights and the duties of both the employees and the employers
(RN 16-17). For the workers, he pointed out that they have the right to have a fa mily, to work,
to receive a just wage, and to own private property, and that their duti es are to work we ll , not to
harm the property of employers, and to refra in from violence and rioting. For the employers, he
emphasized that they have the right to possess private property, without crushing taxes, and
that their duties are to treat workers justly as hum an persons (not as slaves, or as animals, or as
robots), and to uphold workers' dignity, paying them a just wage (RN 33-40). Lastly, Leo XIII
underlined the role of the Public Authority to defend and to foster the rights of fa milies and the
poor, to support the common good, and to uphold the rights of assoc iations and the religious
ri ghts of people (RN 25-26, 28-30).
14
15
16
De Berri et al.. Carho/ic Social Teaching, 4 5.
Massaro. Living Jus/ice, 47.
De Berri ct al .. Carholic Social Teaching. 46-47.
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2.2. Analysis of the Situation
The preferential Option for the Poor and Vulne ra ble
ln this context of powerlessness and vulnerabi lity, fi rst of all, the parish inev itably
became the face and heart of the Church to the vulnerable. This mandate is known as
·'preferential option for the poor and vul nerable," 17 mean ing that the Church must pay more
attention to those who are poor, marginalized, voiceless, oppressed, powerless, and vul nerable,
and must provide leadershi p for those who are interested in the struggle for social justice in the
contemporary world . It is Church' s task to stand on behalf of the poor, to protest against the
exploitation of the poor workers. 18 David Hollenbach, a Jesuit priest and teacher of theo logical
ethics and Chri stian social ethics at Boston Co llege, restating Vatican Il 's Gaudium e/ Spes,
paragraph 42, emphasized that "this religious mi ss ion can be a source of com mitment,
direction, and vigor, in bui ld ing up the human community and in initiating action for the
benefit of everyone, especially those in need." 19 This concern of the Church, according to Pau l
VI in his Apostolic Exhortation Evange/ii Nunliandi (EN) of 1975, relates to the Gospel (Lk 4:
18-1 9) in which Christ him se lf became poor, and came for the poor (EN 6). This does not
mean, however, that Sts. Philip and James pari sh will bar its doors against those who have
power in society. Certain ly, the Good News is for everyone who is seeking in his or her heart
and mind to fo llow Christ (EN 13), and the miss ion of evangeliz ing al l people is the principa l
mi ssion of the Church (EN 14). From this Church's perspective, all are equal since "men and
women are created in God's image and likeness" (Gen I :27); there must not be discrimination
in its membership on any basis of socio-economic, racia l, or educational status (RN 32). So,
the parish mu st be a witness o f love and justice in the world. must put its faith into action, and
fight aga inst any form of human exploitation, being a Church of and for the poor and
vulnerab le. That is what the Good News is all about.
17
Massaro, Living Jus /ice, 11 3.
Dorr, Option ofthe Poor andforlhe Earth, 19.
19
David Hollenbach. 1'l1e Common Good and Chris1i011 Elhics (New York: Cambri dge Uni versity Press.
2002). 107.
18
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Human as Subject of Work
In its soc ial teachings, the Catholic Church is very clear, especially in Laborem
Exercens (LE), John Paul II 's encyclica l issued in 198 1, that work is fo r people, not peop le for
work: "The human being is the subject of work" (LE 6). Through work, individuals not only
transform society and the world, but also achieve fulfilm ent as human beings (LE 9). For John
Paul ll, when a person works, using all the means of production, he also wishes that the fruit of
this work be used by him self and others. He wishes to be able to take part in the very work
process as a sharer in responsibility and creativity, at the workbench to which he applies
himself (LE 15). In this sense, work has a consequence fo r the employee beyond the
immediacy of the task being performed.
This thought also makes sense regarding the situation of those who are housemaids.
They work as human beings not only for the good of their employers, but also for the good of
themselves and their own fami lies. Thi s harmony creates a hea lthy society. For thi s reason, the
Church teaches that employees and employers should be regarded as partners in the ir places of
work and in their respective roles (RN 15). Mutua l respect, esteem, and goodwill should
strengthen the relationship between the employers and the employees.
Sad Situation: The Ex ploitation of the Workers
Many times, in the history ofth e socio-economic li fe of the world, the opposite rea lity
has been more common than it should have been. The good relationship between employees
and employers mentioned above has not occurred often. Confronting this sad situation, the
Church, in the person of Pope Leo Xlll , saw the working poor, like housemaids, as needy,
helpless, and insufficiently protected aga inst injustices and violence (RN 2). Leo XIII was
careful to point out that the poor are equal in citizenship to the rich, and that their work is the
source of the nation's wealth (RN 37, LE I0). Therefore, any kind of di scriminat ion mu st be
stopped and reversed.
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For John Paul II, the labor of all workers is very significant for a nation and for society.
Through work, he explained, a person not on ly earns hi s/her daily bread, but also contributes to
the continual advance of science and technology, and above all, to elevating unceasingly the
cultural and moral level of the society with in which he/she li ves in community (LE I0). In
sociological terms, this is called "contributive justice,'"20 meaning that "all citizens have a duty
to help build up these aspects of social life in a way that is appropriate to their capacity to do
so.'" 21 In this sense, those who treat their workers badly must be informed or taught to pay
attention to the importance and worth of their emp loyees' presence. 22
Fair and Just Wage
Borrowing from the US Catholic bishops in their 1986 Pastoral Letter Economic Justice
for All, which is sti ll relevant today, Hollenbach re-emphasized, "Many peop le are working,
but at wages insufficient to lift them out ofpovet1y .. . Of the long-term poor, most are work ing
at wages too low to bring them above the poverty line.''23 This statement means that employees
should be able to live in a manner worthy of human dignity in order to fulfi l their fa mil ial and
social responsibilities. The Church believes that the wages of all employees should be based,
essentially, on a strong sense of fairness and justice: "Just remuneration" (LE 19) or "fairness
of wages."24 The market should not be the sole arbiter of the rightful sa lary of an emp loyee.
Fo ll owing this thinking, the Church believes that the lowest paid employee should
receive, at least, a wage that provides for his or her basic human needs. Leo Xlll emphasized
this issue of salary levels, and sa id that the determination of wages must transcend the free
consent of the employer and employee; they must go beyond the persona l desire of the
employer; and they mu st sati sfy the right to secure things to sustain life (RN 34). Wages should
never be less than enough to supp011 a worker who is thrifty and upright. For example, a
20
Holle nbach, The Common Good and Christian Ethics. 195.
Ib id., 196-97.
22
Dorr, Option ofthe Poor and for the Earth, 264.
23
1-loll enbach, The Common Good and Christian Ethics. 180.
24
Ibid. , 195.
21
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housemaid should receive a wage sufficiently large to enable her to provide comfortably for
herself, her husband, and her children (RN 35, LE 19). T hat is appl icab le to any workers. If a
worker receives less than what he/she is supposed to earn, that is an exploitation or injustice.
25
In Hollenbach's explanation, based on the principle of "commutative justice,"26 it requ ires
reciprocity in exchanges between ind ividuals, and calls for equivalence in what is gained
and/or lost on both sides of an exchange, "employers must pay the ir employees a wage that is
equiva lent to the va lue of the work the employees have done." 27 So, for him , " if the employer
fails to pay of such value, the worker is not be ing treated in accord with the requirements of
commutative justice, and the employer is doing inj ustice."28
The Right to Having Rest
The right to a just wage goes together with the right to rest. Workers are not machines
or robots, or things; 29 they are human beings who can fee l tired and who need rest. It is very
important in workers' lives to have a time and a day fo r rest, so that they can refresh
themselves, take care of their lives, and interact with thei r fam ily members and others. It is
very significant to have time for interaction with one's fam ily and with others. "Persons can
on ly live in dignity when they are capable of interacting with others in soc iety, whether in the
economic, political, and cultural spheres," 30 explains Ho ll enbach. In th is case, the principles of
the right to rest and to a just wage support the formation of strong fa mily and soc ial relations.
For the housemaids at Sts. Philip and James parish, it is very remarkable and im portant that
duri ng the time they are off from their work, they can undertake their personal and spiritual
deve lopment, engage in community and cultura l acti vities, and take time with their relatives or
friends.
25
26
27
28
29
30
Dorr. Oplion of/he Poor and for !he Ear/h. 20.
Holle nbach, The Common Good and Chris/ian Elhics, 193.
Ibid.
Ibid.
Dorr, Option oj1he Poor andforlhe Earth, 2 1.
Hollenbach. The Common Good and Chris!ian Ethics. 198.
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Therefore, in order to respect the person, the balance between the time spent at the
workplace, and the time spent away from the workp lace in pursuit of personal and social
activities should be respected. Such a balance needs to be recogni sed and encouraged by all
employers, in order to support, develop, and respect individual employees. At the workplace, it
is necessary for each employee to be given an opportuni ty to have proper rest between the days
of work. The required hours to be worked on a dai ly basis must be reasonable (RN 33), and
there should be a day of rest within a week, bas ically on Sundays (RN 32, LE 25).
Special Care for Women and Young People
Special care mu st be taken for women, young people, and chi ldren in the workpl ace.
They must be treated justly in accordance with their strength and capac ity. The whole process
of work must be organized and adapted in such a way so as to respect the requirements of the
person in his or her states of life. For instance, work for a strong man cannot be given to or
done by a woman or a young person (RN 33, LE 19). Then, health safeguards should be
provided as well especially, for women and young persons in the workplaces. Wherever they
work, they are not to be treated as slaves or machines; their dignity must be respected, and no
one may use women as objects for ga in , or sexual pleasure. No one may oppress needy women
fo r his or her own profit (RN 16, LE 7); it is immoral to treat them unjustly, because thi s
constitutes an offense aga inst their human rights. Hollenbach observes that " Human rights are
the moral claim s of all persons to be treated, by virtue of their humanity, as participants of the
shared life of the human community."'31 Therefore, each human person must be treated in
accordance with his or her identity, gender, age, and capacity.
The Right to Join Associations
The consciousness of their own \Veaknesses often leads human beings to ask for help
from others. As the scri pture says, ·'Two are better than one, because they have a good reward
for their toil. For if they fa ll , one will li ft up the other; but woe to one who is alone and fa ll s
31
Hollenbach. 1'l1e Co1111110n Good a11d Christia11 E1hics. 159.
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II
and does not have another to help" (Eccl 4:9- 10). Th is natura l imp ulse pushes men and women
to j oin together in associations. Being Chri stian, the understanding of be ing assoc iated with
others has an even deeper sense, because Christians achieve their vision of human dignity in
communion with others.32 The Church itself recognizes that employee organisations have the
right to exist. There are associations made fo r workers alone, or for workers and employers for
a harmonious society in which the different levels of society cooperate rather than compete.
However, individual employees and employers must be free to decide to join, or not to join a
parti cular assoc iation. Any kind of coercion would be contrary to the ir right to choose, and
authorities must protect these rights (RN 36-37, LE 20).
The immediate object of unions is so lidarity33 or mutua l help among those who are
associated, so that workers may help, secure, and protect themselves from any forms of
injustice and exploitation, which mi ght happen at any time. They may educate themselves in
order to grow in the vi1tues for the good and prosperity of all (RN 36, LE 20). Going further,
the purpose of association is not just for mutual help, but it shou ld also lead all members to go
beyond the material life, to the way of perfection proc laimed by Ch rist in the Gospe l: to grasp
God's love and charity, and to grow in a personal encounter with Christ (RN 45, LE 27). John
Paul II , using the teaching of the Second Vatican Council document, Gaudium et Spes (GS), reemphasized:
When a man works he not only alters th ings and society, he develops him self as well.
He learns much he cultivates his resources, he goes outside of him self and beyond
him self. Rightly understood, thi s kind of growth is of greater value more than any
external riches which be garnered. A man is more precious for what he is than for what
he has ( ...) Hence, the norm of human activity is th is: that in accord with the divine plan
and will, it should harmonize with the genuine good of the human race, and allow men
as individu als and as members of society to pursue their tota l vocation and fulfil it. (GS
35)
32
Hollenbach. The Commo11 Good and Chris/ian Ethics. I 60.
33
Dorr. Oplion oj1he Poor and for !he £crrrh. 272.
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The Role of the State
Popes like Leo XIII and John Paul IT were convinced that the biggest and strongest
organ isation capable of protecting workers' dignity and ri ghts is the State (RN 25, LE 16). The
State is understood as, "Not the particular form of government prevailing in th is or that nation,
but the State as rightly apprehended, that is to say, any government conformable in its
institutions to right reason and natural law, and to those dictates of the divine wisdom" (RN
25). The foremost obligation of public authorities is to make sure that the laws and institutions,
the genera l character and adm inistration of the commonwealth, or nation, shall help to realize
public we ll -being and private prosperity (LE 17-18). They are the guard ians of the common
good of the nation, and they must be concerned with the good of the entire life ofthe citizens to
cause their public and individual well-being (RN 26).
In addition, public authorities must equitably protect each and every class of citizens.
Equitable protection of all citizens means that states must "act in ways that secure the
fundamental human rights of all, where human rights are understood as the min imum
conditions for life in the human community.''34 It also means, in a very specia l way, that
governments should give f11rther special considerati on to those who are weaker than to the rich.
and that spec ial care mu st include the working poor, the powerless, and the vulnerable
workers. 35 They should seek to improve the condition of workers' lives, because part of their
mi ssion is to safeguard the well-being and interests of workers (RN 27-28, LE 17-18).
Furthermore, the state does not have the authority to fo rbid unions; it can oppose,
prevent, and dissolve unions, when their objecti ve is at variance with peace, good morals,
justice, or the welfa re of the state (RN 38, LE 18). It is clear that peace and well-be ing of
individuals, families, and the whole society are very important and pri mordial. Hence, public
34
35
Holl enbach. The Common Good and Christian Ethics. 22 7.
Dorr. Option of the Poor and for the Earth. 32.
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13
authorities must intervene and help without hesitation whenever someone or something
disturbs the peace and threatens the well-bein g of the collecti ve (RN 29).
3) ACT: The Pastoral Activities of Sts. Philip and James Parish in Addressi ng the
Powerlessness and Vulnerability of Housemaids.
I draw from my own experience of thi s community in identifying the following pastoral
activities in which the parish engaged regarding the housemaids, but they can be applied, as
well, to other workers.
3.1. Spiritual Accompaniment
As a Catholic pari sh run by the Jesui ts. spi ritual accompaniment for these women and
other workers is a primary concern. It presents the im age of God among Hi s people and His
accompaniment in joy, in diffi culties, and in sorrow. It is very important to celebrate the Word
of God and the Lord' s Supper with them, because every worship experience is a ce lebration of
God' s sustaining, guiding, protecting. providential, and accompanying presence. The parish's
pastor and leaders, in meeting with these women, ind ividually and in groups, try their best to
transmit this spirituality to the workers, so that they may also understand the meaning of their
lives and their activities, which are sacred before the Creator. God himself invites all to work,
and through their daily activities, human beings realize their identities and dignity, becoming
more co-workers with God to better transform the world (GS 34).
3.2. Faith-Sharing Group
Apart from attending and participating in the liturgy of the Church. there is also a fa ithsharing group. All who are members of the housemaids' association gather for an hour and a
half after every second and fou rth Sunday' s worshi p, the first and third Sundays being reserved
for their own personal business. When they meet in th is group. basica lly they share their
difficult experiences at work, their relational problems, and other personal problems.
ot only
do they share their struggles, but also the j oys and successes they have experienced. Along
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with this activity comes Scripture sharing. Here, they express how they understand the " Parole
de Dieu" ("the word of God'") in relation to their faith and life experiences. Their sharing might
focus also on one topic, such as the meaning of Lent in Catholic practice; or on an important
social or politica l issue, such as the place of women in soc iety.
3.3. Counselling
One of the most difficult but important tasks for the pastor and the parish counsellors is
counselling. Housemaids in Tanjombato face a multitude of problems, either from their
employers, or from their own fam ilies, whi ch in turn affect their jobs. To help them to face and
resolve these problems, the priests and some lay counsellors in the parish offer pastoral
counselling. The most common problems have to do with their humiliation at being mi streated
by their employers with phys ical and sexual abuse, their subjection to hard labor, and the low
wages or lack of payment for services, as well as other abuses.
In their own fam ilies, there is also the problem of infidelity on the part of husband s. It
makes those women suffer during times of separation, because most of them are away from
their husbands and ch ildren in the village. Juvenile delinquency and teenage pregnancy are also
recurring problems among the children of those women, largely due to the absence of motherly
care. Because of these issues, these women need someone with whom they can share their
struggles, someone who can listen to them. That is why the priests of Sts. Philip and James
dedicate themselves to addressing these problems with the help of some lay counsellors, who
offer their best care to encourage these women spiritually and psychologica ll y, endeavoring to
discover some helpful solutions for them.
Unfortunately, the limited resources and capacities of the pari sh, being a Church for the
vu lnerable and powerless, is not easy nowadays. Sts. Philip and James' pari sh tries to
contribute and support, ideologica lly, materially, and financiall y the vulnerab le housemaids as
much as it possibly can during their difficult times. The following are some of these supports
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that the parish supplies: Support in time of illness and death, temporary shelter, empowerment
seminars, and help in fi ghting for bette r wages and working condi ti ons.
3.4. Support in Time of Illness and Death
Every now and then, if a me mbe r is hospitalized, with her employer not contributing,
the pari sh, with the members of the association, contributes and takes care of the sick worker.
In the case of death, because it is so expens ive to send the body of the deceased back home, the
parish a nd some benefactors in the parish organize themselves to contribute to return ing the
corpse to her family . Also, in the case of the death of fa mi ly members, such as children or
parents or husba nds, the parish also he lps the pe rson who is struggling to return home.
Sometimes it is because of fi nanc ial issues, or because of their e mployers not a llow ing them to
go. In this last s ituatio n, the pari sh intercedes for them.
3.5. Temporary Shelter
The premature termination of contracts is very common. An employer might c hange his
or he r mind, and decide to fire the worker, perhaps because of a small m istake, o r beca use they
have found another less expens ive worker. The most critica l period is du ring the first s ix
month s of wo rk, and when thi s problem ha ppens, particu larl y for those who have come from
afar, they do not know where they can acquire he lp. In these serious situations, the parish
provides a temporary she lter fo r th ose w ho are really in need, and it welcomes and a llows them
to stay until they find new e mployers, or until they are able to return to their own villages.
3.6. Empowerment Seminars
O ne of the ma in issues affecting the housema ids is thei r lac k ofmarketab le skill s. Most
of them have not fini shed seconda ry schoo l, and others have fin ished only pri mary school. It is,
therefore, easier fo r e mployers to take ad vantage of such ignorant wo rkers. The leaders of the
parish are awa re of this situation and have decided to help those women, by ra ising thei r level
of avva reness and self-confidence, and by educating them about their basic human rights. With
the help of some specialists from public or pri vate organizations, the pa rish sched ules special
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seminars for them on different topics, such as "Knowing Workers' Rights," " Money
Management," "How to Deal with Employers," and others. In addition, the leaders of the
parish conduct general orientation sessions about the pressures of domestic work, and the
different agencies to which they can go for help in times of need .
3.7. Fighting for Better Wages and Working Conditions
Very often, the hou semaids come to the pastor with prob lems or questions about the ir
jobs. The less difficult ones are usually resolved by way of counselling, but for complicated
and serious ones, the pastor and other leaders in the parish call in some technical a nd legal
assistance from outside spec ialists. In such situatio ns, the parish real izes that helping o nly the
vulnerable women workers would not be enough , and would be almost nothing if thi s
intervention did not e ngage the employers and the public authorities.
The parish does its best to appeal to the consciences of public leaders, employers,
factory owners, and a ll others involved, for the good of the poor workers. In facilitating th is,
the parish partic ipates in efforts toward the protection and the promotion of wo rke rs' rights,
especially those work ing in informal sectors, such as domestic helpers. Fo r instance, Sts. Phi lip
and James pari sh has representatives col laborati ng with the m ini sters of population, health, and
public affairs. The parish a lso participates, directly or indirectly, in mass protests and ra llies,
ca lling for a new minimum wage law, collaborating vlith oth er organizatio ns wh ic h a lso
promote the rights of workers, like Caritas, Justice and Peace, Catho lic Relief Serv ice, and the
Red Cross. Finally, together with other concerned churches and o rganizations, the parish has
been engaged in dia logues with the government and w ith local authorities, in connection with
those issues affecting poor workers, including ho usemaids. Tn fact, it is a very cha llengi ng
mi ssion, but for the good of the vulnerable and powerless workers, the parish must stand and
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fight. 36 Unfortunate ly, the association of ho usemaids is not yet recogn ized by the government,
it is just at the pari sh level.
Conclusion
I would like to sum up thi s paper w ith thi s phrase of Do na l Dorr: "To be Christian
today is to be called to work for justice in society, and an e lementary part of this is to stop
being unj ust, to di sentangle oneself from unj ust structure for which on is partly responsi bl e.'"37
The concerns of poor people and workers have been a challenge fo r the Church and many
faith-based assoc iations in the world, as well as in Madagascar. O n the part of the Catholic
Church, papa l e ncyc licals are exempla ry documents, which have add ressed the issues of justice
and rights for poor workers: the " Pre ferentia l Optio n for the Poor and Vulnerab le ." 38 Sts. Phi lip
and James parish in Ta njo mbato has been try ing to respond to these needs since 1990, in taking
care of the poor housemaids and other poor workers. T he Church ' s involvement, a long with
other private or public organizations, in promoting justice for all, especially for the vulnerable
and the powerless, is mere ly a s ign and a symbol, but the success of thi s vita l aspect of the
Church's service of pro moting justice in the world, depends increas ingly on the contributions
of a ll humankind, regardless of socia l c lass or status. A ll are cal led to fi ght agai nst injustice, in
all its form s, and to promote justice and fai rness. Massa ro claims, " Work for social j ustice is a
part of every Chri stia n vocation, and it is far from easy." 39 A ll are chal lenged to make a
preferentia l option for the poor, to create conditions w he re margina lized voices can be heard to
de fe nd the defenceless, and to assess the im pact of lifestyles, polic ies and social institutions on
the poor. The opt ion for the poor does not mean pitting one group against anothe r, but rather it
calls us to strengthen the w ho le community by assisting those w ho are most vulnerable. My
36
37
38
39
Dorr, Option ofthe Poor and for the Earth, 26.
Dorr, Option ofthe Poor and for the Earth, 270.
Massaro, Living Justice, 11 3.
Ib id ., 182.
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further question is: how much and how deeply is Catholic Socia l Teachi ng a ffecting the minds
of our own political leaders and those in many other countries like Madagascar?
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