We have, as a divided Church, been impotent to deal with the broken fellowships in political society that brought our nation to the verge of disaster in Ireland, in the industrial sphere with the labour wars; in the community with its extremely rich and extremely poor; and in the great feminine movement. We have been out of touch with, and that despite our most earnest endeavours to reach, the large community of labour.

To claim for the Christian law the ultimate authority to rule social practice; to affirm the social mission of the Church, and make practical suggestions as to how that mission may best be fulfilled; to investigate, where necessary the social and economic facts in different departments of the national life, and to study how to apply the truths and principles of Christianity to the problems arising therefrom; to take action, as occasion arises, for the furtherance of specific reforms.