This month, our nation marks the 70th anniversary of the passage of the Social Security Act in 1935. Created in the midst of the Great Depression, this landmark legislation established a system of universal social insurance that would protect working families against the "hazards and vicissitudes" of economic life --- an idea that had been championed for decades by Catholic Church leaders, such as Msgr. John O'Grady of the National Conference of Catholic Charities, now Catholic Charities USA.

While many people think of Social Security as a low-risk, low-return retirement plan, that is a serious misunderstanding. Social Security is the only national program in which Americans mutually insure each other against destitution following a risk common to all of us: the loss of a breadwinner through death, disability, or retirement. Actually, it is the way in which, as a society, each generation of Americans provide retirement security for previous generations and ensure that the families of deceased and disabled workers can live in dignity.

The protection of human dignity is the real purpose of Social Security. Each person who can work is expected to try to save for the risks of life. We as a society still make a commitment to each other that no one will be forced to rely on welfare or charity when they can no longer earn a living because of those life events that cannot be avoided: death, disability, and old age.

With this guiding philosophy, the Social Security program has served America well for seven decades --- and yet the program is facing political threats today greater than any that have surfaced since its inception. Exaggerated concerns about long-term solvency of Social Security and reform proposals that include a move to private savings accounts and cuts in benefits could lead to radical changes in the structure and fundamental nature of this successful program.

Congressional committees have already held initial hearings on Social Security reform, and more are expected. The future of the Social Security program may be decided by Congress over the following months.

And, as the public debate continues on Social Security reform, it is important to keep in mind the teachings of the Catholic social tradition. As the U.S. bishops wrote in their 1986 pastoral letter, "Economic Justice for All," changes to public policy must first and foremost be evaluated with respect to these questions:

How will the proposed changes affect the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society, including the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children? Will the proposal protect, or place at risk, the basic human dignity of those who struggle to meet their basic needs and to participate fully in our communities? Will it promote solidarity among working people and between generations, or will it leave working families alone to fend for themselves against the hazards and risks of the world?

Answers to these vital questions form the foundation of the following nine fundamental principles, which where approved by the Board of Trustees of Catholic Charities USA earlier this year, to guide our advocacy efforts on Social Security.

---Social Security should provide minimum guaranteed benefits that are adjusted for inflation and that provide a decent income sufficient for beneficiaries to live with dignity.

---Social Security benefits should be universal and portable.

---Any new benefit structure should be at least as progressive as the current structure.

---Any change in Social Security should not disproportionately harm persons with low incomes or whose work life has been physically demanding.

---Basic benefit protections for women --- who have lower lifetime earnings and more workforce absences because of care giving for children, parents, or spouses --- should be preserved or strengthened.

---Social Security should continue as the foundation of our social insurance and retirement system. New policies may be needed to encourage private savings, but any such policies should be implemented in addition to, rather than at the expense of, the existing Social Security benefit structure.

---While not opposing private accounts as a voluntary option, they should not be substituted for Social Security's current defined benefits, and Social Security revenues should not be diverted to finance private investment accounts. Diverting Social Security revenues into private accounts would severely undermine the long-term fiscal viability of Social Security and force deep benefit cuts to millions of working persons and their families.

---Congress should take prudent steps to shore up Social Security finances to ensure long-term stability of Social Security benefits.

For more than 70 years, Social Security has embodied the most important principles of Catholic social teaching, and it has been one of the federal government's most successful ventures. While adjustments may be needed to ensure that Social Security will remain a reliable source of protection for families, these adjustments should be made in a way that is consistent with both the original structure of the program and the principles of Catholic social teaching.

Most important, we must take great care not to allow overblown concerns about the financial instability of Social Security to push us down paths that would lead to substantial cuts in benefits or to changes that would undermine the basic structure and integrity of the program itself.

Father Larry Snyder is president of Catholic Charities USA. For more information on Catholic Charities USA's position on Social Security reform, visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/advocacy/socsec/index.cfm. Charities USA includes more than 1,300 local agencies and institutions nationwide.