Let's practice what the bishops preach.

We catholics in the United States should, at least, be embarrassed. Over the years our leaders, popes and bishops especially, have given us a precious heritage - the social-justice teachings of the church. But many of us, on our part, have become social-justice couch potatoes. Most of us know that the teachings are there, but we are content to leave them on a barely accessible shelf. And our indifference hurts.

Lately, for example, the American Catholic bishops at their annual meeting in November spoke loudly and clearly against much of the legislation that the U.S. Congress has been considering and sometimes passing. Speaking of welfare "reform" and of the need for tax credits for poor families, the assembled bishops said: "If Congress does not reject this fatally flawed legislation, we urge the President to veto it. We are not supporters of the status quo, which too often undermines families and hurts children, but this legislation in many respects represents a huge step backward."

At the same meeting, Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles condemned Congress for its "unprecedented dismantling" of health care and educational and social-service programs. "We are witnessing," the cardinal said, "an extraordinary assault upon the poorest members of our society, blaming them not only for their personal plight and poverty, but also for many of the economic and social ills affecting our country."

The cardinal added a comment regarding another concern of the bishops: "Our immigrant brothers and sisters and various minority groups are being singled out for hostile blame." But will our political leaders be moved to action in response to these strong words? Don't bet the farm on that. Relying on the ever-present poll takers, they are counting on the indifference of Catholics and others to the unequivocal teachings of our religious leaders that, above all else, we respect the dignity of all human persons. The polls reveal that, in the words of some teenagers, we are "hanging" when we should be participating.

Hardly an evening goes by that we do not hear on the news that this corporation or that is "downsizing" and will eliminate the jobs of x-number of employees. A few of such corporations are ailing financially and their management believes that the downsizing is necessary to achieve financial health. But most are not. Their managers and directors, driven by an overweening concern for the bottom line and an evergrowing lust for greater profits, have no compunction about treating their employees as disposable units, fewer of which will mean greater dividends for their shareholders.

But what can the rest of us do in the face of this practice that mocks Catholic social teaching? Most of us are not shareholders, at least not to the extent that we could exercise clout at annual corporate meetings. We could, of course, be outraged - as indeed we should be, but how effectual could that be? We could express our outrage to our friends and neighbors (who might, sadly, look away), and write letters to editors or to our elected representatives (who, in turn, are limited in the effect they can have on private corporations).

And it likely would help if Father, looking to subsidize his often threadbare Sunday homily, would cause his congregation to sit up by reminding them that Catholic social teaching which began with Pope Leo XIII in 1890 and continues to this day, is an integral part of our Catholic faith.

The demise of labor unions in the United States is a sad chapter in the story of dwindling adherence to the social teachings of the popes and bishops. The unions have, ironically, been victims of their own success. As the late socialist and politician Norman Thomas once answered when asked what happened to all the social idealists, "They all got good jobs." The changing nature of the American economy with the decrease in manufacturing jobs contributed to the lessening of union memberships, also. And too often labor leaders themselves become overly complacent and self-satisfied. New leaders of labor unions have called for the rebuilding of their unions, recruiting new members in the interest of posing a true counterforce to the new "robber barons" who don't give a damn about anyone but themselves. But that's an uphill job. This would be a great time for a new generation of "labor priests" to arise in the U.S. Catholic Church.

It would be tragic if the great Msgr. George Higgins would prove to be the last of the labor priests after serving more than 50 years in that cause. What a great opportunity it would be for younger American priests, some plagued by anomie and a feeling of floundering aimlessness, to really make a difference. There's a missionary work begging for missionaries.