And the Greatest of These Is Love

By Dario de Iglesias

“It doesn't matter what your faith is - all faiths teach compassion and service to humanity in one way, shape or form.” The focus here is ultimately on compassion and service to all humanity, regardless of the religious affiliation, or lack thereof.
Morality is based on compassion and service to others. Consider these two points from the Christian faith: 1) What would Jesus do? And 2) Christ said, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” How compassionate, how Christ-like are these actions? From the non-Christian faith: How compassionate are your actions? Are your actions truly a service to humanity, or are they merely a service to a select few?
Starting with a look at Social Doctrine, we look at Family as the basic unit of society. We follow with the dignity of work, businesses as communities, private property and free markets, poverty, and globalization and development. We finish with a look at creating a civilization of love.
I speak out against other “Christians” – those who profess their love of the Lord on Sunday at Church but then practice just the opposite throughout the week. This is a call to compassion and to service to others, not to following one religion’s rules over another’s.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dario de Iglesias
• Release date: Nov 4, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370727810

Dario de Iglesias

DARIO DE IGLESIAS Dario de Iglesias was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He graduated from Sparta Senior High School in Wisconsin in 1974, after which he reported for Army basic training at Ft. Ord, California, then phase one of his Advanced Individual Training Defense Language Institute, Presidio of Monterey, California and phase 2 at Goodfellow AFB, Texas in March, 1975. He then served with the 408th Army Security Agency Company at Ft. Clayton, Panama Canal Zone until January, 1978. From there, he attended another AIT at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, and was then stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas; Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin; and with the 5th Army Headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany. He completed his enlistment in May 1981 and joined the Air Force Reserve later that year. Dario received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish with a concentration in Latin American Studies from the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse in 1984 and received a Master of Arts degree in Spanish with a focus on secondary education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1987. He moved to Chicago after completing his Master’s Degree to accept a teaching position at Morgan Park Academy, a private school on Chicago’s south side. By 1989, he would become advisor to the Key Club and a member of the local Kiwanis Club. As a Chicago Kiwanian, Dario served on the Board of Directors, and the Executive Board of Directors. In 1998, he was elected Lieutenant Governor of his local Division. While continuing to teach, Dario affiliated with the Navy Reserve in May, 1997 at Great Lakes and transferred to San Antonio and the Medina Annex, Lackland AFB, Texas, in 1999. During his Navy tenure, he has served in Guantanamo, Cuba; aboard the US Coast Guard Cutter CGC Harriet Lane, SOUTHCOM Headquarters, Miami, Florida, Joint Interagency Task Force South, Key West, Florida; and Commander Naval Forces Europe/Commander Sixth Fleet, Naples, Italy. He retired from the Navy Reserve Naval Information Operations Command Medina, Lackland AFB, Texas in 2009. Dario is a very active member of his local Catholic Parish, and is a veteran income tax preparer through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Project in San Antonio.

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And the Greatest of These is Love

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Copyright 2017 Dario de Iglesias

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Introduction

The farther one goes to the right in the political spectrum, the farther one finds itself from the core values of their religion. In the United States, the religious right and white evangelicals will deny this, vehemently and outright.

The Ku Klux Klan presents itself as a Christian organization, yet carries itself in complete opposition to Christ. They are as truly Christian as the Taliban and ISIS are truly Islam.

Fundamentalist Muslims do not represent true Islam. Fundamentalist Christians do not represent true Christianity. Fundamentalists exercise an air of hatred which is displayed neither in the Holy Bible nor in the Holy Qur’an.

As a Muslim acquaintance told me, It doesn't matter what your faith is - all faiths teach compassion and service to humanity in one way, shape or form.

While this work is written primarily from a Roman Catholic, but also from a Global Christian perspective, the focus ultimately needs to be on compassion and service to all humanity, regardless of the religious affiliation, or lack thereof.

The term we herein refers to all of us, as a human race. Phrases such as, We as Christians could just as easily read, we as fellow human beings.

Morality is not based on Christianity. Morality is based on compassion and service to others.

As this book is read, consider these two points from the Christian faith: 1) What would Jesus do? And 2) Christ said, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me."¹ How compassionate, how Christ-like are these actions? From the non-Christian faith: How compassionate are your actions? Are your actions truly a service to humanity, or are they merely a service to a select few?

Note about the author: I consider myself to be a practicing Roman Catholic, and I consider myself overall to be a good Catholic. I am extremely active in my local Parish. This writing is primarily from a Roman Catholic perspective. As a Christian, I am speaking out against other Christians – those who profess their love of the Lord on Sunday at Church but then practice just the opposite throughout the week. This is clearly NOT a treaty against business owners. However, as the saying goes, If the shoe fits, wear it. This is a call to compassion and to service to others, not to following one religion’s rules over another’s. I would sooner convert a business owner to compassion than humanity to Catholicism.

I will also admit that I was not a big fan of Pope Benedict until I took the course to which I refer to two paragraphs below. In compiling this book, I have grown to respect the Pope Emeritus even more and do concur that he is best seated where he is.

I am forever grateful to Wendy Heilman, a former high school Spanish student of mine, for her editing assistance with this work. Wendy is a Ph.D. candidate at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. She is in the Church History department, working on the theological development of War Theory in both Christianity and Islam. She also does work and is active in Christian-Muslim Relations in the Chicago area. In addition, she is a full-time flight attendant for a major U.S. airline. She resides in the southern suburbs of Chicago with her parents and her two dogs, Henry and Rocko.

I am also grateful to Lisa Marie Usher McLaughlin, another former student, for the manuscript review and subsequent cover design.

Note: Contained herein are excerpts from various Catholic Church documents. You can access the Church documents in their entirety on the Vatican English Web site at: http://w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html.

The overall outline of this book, and the Catholic Church documents selected, are based on an on-line course called Catholic Social Doctrine which was offered in the early spring of 2017 by The Catholic University of America, 620 Michigan Ave., N.E., Washington, DC 20064.

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