Morals of the Church
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Section — Marc, Institutiones Morales

§ 1. On Man's Ownership Over Other Men

¶853.
  1. Principles. I. Man does not have full ownership of property over another man. For this ownership belongs to God alone (cf. n. 729 and 753). In no way can it be conceded that man, as regards personality, is directed to another as to an end. Hence the commerce of Black persons is illicit. Cf. Leo XIII, Constitution In plurimis, May 5, 1888, and Encyclical Letter Cath. Eccl., November 20, 1890.

The Commandments of GodJustice and Rights (Seventh and Tenth Commandments)Ownership and PropertyWho May Own Property

¶854.
  1. II. Man can have useful ownership over another man, i.e. there can belong to him the legitimate faculty of disposing, for his own advantage, of another man's acts and of the fruits of these acts.

The reason is that any man has ownership of his own acts and of the fruits of his own labor, and therefore he can lease them to another, as happens in the state of service, or even, unless something opposes, alienate them in perpetuity.

The Commandments of GodJustice and Rights (Seventh and Tenth Commandments)Ownership and PropertyWho May Own Property