Work shouldn't be this hard-or this unfulfilling. Burnout, low wages, gig labor, layoffs, and the struggle to balance purpose with pay have made many of us question what work is, and what it could be--and should be.
Ethicist Kate Ward offers a fresh, timely perspective rooted in Catholic social teaching. She explores work not only as a paid job but as purposeful human activity, examining it through five lenses: purpose, care, food, art, and pay. Caregiving, often undervalued yet essential to every life, reminds us that work extends beyond the workplace. Food and art reveal how creative and repetitive labor shape our satisfaction, meaning, and sense of contribution. And pay exposes the persistent gaps between society's valuation of labor and the real costs of living.
Ward draws on the Church's centuries-long reflection on work, justice, and human dignity, showing how its teachings speak directly to the frustrations and potential of modern labor. This first book devoted to Catholic social thought on work illuminates how communities and societies can better recognize, support, and value meaningful human activity.
Making a Life encourages readers to rethink what work is for, who it serves, and how it can nurture human flourishing. Whether you are a student, a professional, or someone simply seeking more purpose in daily life, Ward provides a compelling roadmap for understanding work as a path to both personal meaning and the common good.
- 193 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF
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Information
Topic
Theology & ReligionSubtopic
Christian DenominationsTable of contents
- Cover
- Half Title
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- Catholic Social Teaching Documents and Abbreviations
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: Making a Life:: Work and Human Purpose
- Chapter 3: Caregiving:: Is It Work If You Love Them?
- Chapter 4: Drudgery and Flow:: The Labor of Food
- Chapter 5: Do Artists Work? Creativity and Leisure
- Chapter 6: Making a Living:: Just Work and Fair Pay
- Chapter 7: Building Work We Can Live With
- Discussion Questions
- Glossary
- Index
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Yes, you can access Making a Life by Kate Ward in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Theology & Religion & Christian Denominations. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.