Our commitment to the Catholic social mission must be rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. Modern Catholic social teaching is said to have originated in 1891 with the encyclical letter, Rerum Novarum. A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. USCCB Communications Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. Life and Dignity of the Human Person The first social teaching proclaims the respect for human life, one of the most fundamental needs in a world distorted by greed and selfishness. The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers (Spanish), Handout for Adults in English and Spanish If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative. The activities of the Wolfington Center are informed by the following principles of Catholic Social Teaching as articulated by the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops. More on Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. It is not what you do or what you have that gives you … Washington, D.C. 39. Catechism of the Catholic Church (United States Catholic Conference, Inc., 1994), No. People are never tre… God reveals himself to us as one who is not alone, but rather as one who is relational, one who is Trinity. . Option for the Poor and Vulnerable (Spanish) . liberty to captives . Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. 5-281) and other social teaching documents, call 800-235-8722. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. Every person--regardless of race, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, employment or economic status, health, intelligence, achievement or any other differentiating characteristic--is worthy of respect. This is the bedrock principle of Catholic social teaching. Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. More on Life and Dignity of the Human Person. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Catholic Social Teaching draws on experience because we believe that God continues to communicate with us through the people, places and events of human history. Catholic Social Teaching is the Church’s best-kept secret not because the Church hides it, but because the way we have been taught to see keeps us from seeing what is, in fact, in plain view. 433. A full understanding can only be achieved by reading the papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents that make up this rich tradition. CST 101 is a 7-part video series by the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services on Catholic Social Teaching. How we organize our society -- in economics and politics, in law and policy -- directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. It involves mutual respect and confidence between peoples and nations. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of Jesus Christ, who came "to bring glad tidings to the poor . Catholic Social Teaching Catholic Social Teaching (CST) offers a way of thinking, being and seeing the world. The economy must serve people, not the other way around. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. The Church's social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. 5-315 Catholic Social Teaching addresses issues concerning matters like oppression, subsidiarity, social organisation, social justice, and wealth distribution. Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. Nations must protect the right to life by … All our programs are people-centred with empowerment at their heart. The foundation and guiding principles for all our work is Catholic social teaching, a body of thought on social issues that has been developed by the Church over the past hundred years. DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON All people are sacred, made in the image and likeness of God. For a general introduction to Catholic Social Teaching visit this page. Copyright 2005, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. No human being should have their dignity or freedom compromised. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict. Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2007), No. CORPUS CHRISTI, TX (Catholic Online) - One of the foundational concepts of the Church's social doctrine is personhood. Solidarity (Spanish) We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person. recovery of sight to the blind"(Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with "the least of these," the hungry and the stranger (cf. Catholic social teaching applies Gospel values such as love, peace, justice, compassion, reconciliation, service and community to modern social problems. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in Gods creation. Publication No. Catholic Social Teaching is the body of Church doctrine that describes how Catholics are called to transform the world by proclaiming and living the Gospel. Catholic social teaching is based on and inseparable from our understanding of human life and human dignity. Catholic social teaching upholds that the person is sacred, but that the person is also social. We are one human family whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Handout for Children in English and Spanish We are called to reach out and to build relationships of love and justice. ©2020 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Experience the richness of your faith... visit our store, No video provider was found to handle the given URL. In the words of Pope John Paul II, “Peace is not just the absence of war. The dignity of every person, independent of ethnicity, creed, gender, sexuality, age or ability, is the foundation of CST. With human dignity at its centre, a holistic approach to development founded on the principles of CST, is what Pope Paul VI called ‘authentic development’. Poster for Children in English and Spanish, Foundational Catholic Social Teaching Documents, Quotes from Pope Francis on Issues of Life, Dignity, Justice and Peace |  En Español, Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions, In the Footsteps of Jesus | En Español, Church Teaching on Environmental Stewardship, Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish, Resources and Tools from the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development, Caritas in Veritate Study Materials and Session Guides, Vocation of the Business Leader: A Reflection, from the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Examination of Conscience in Light of Catholic Social Teaching (En Espanol), Responsibility, Rehabilitation, and Restorationatholic Perspective on Crime and Criminal Justice, Superhero of Justice Activity for Elementary students (from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development in the Archdiocese of Baltimore), Reflections on the Joy of the Gospel for Those Serving in Ministry (from Catholic Charities USA), On Fraternity and Social Friendship (Fratelli Tutti). Every person, from the moment of conception to natural death, has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity. Poster for Adults in English and Spanish 1935, quoting Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, No. Catholic social teaching is complex, linked with changing social conditions and deepening understandings of both the work of God in history and ethical principles. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In these brief reflections, we highlight several of the key themes that are at the heart of our Catholic social tradition. Care for God's Creation (Spanish) The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. Principles of Catholic social teaching. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. Catholic Social Teaching is the tradition of papal reflection about how we live this vocation for the common good in our world. Modern Catholic Social Teaching, rooted in Scripture and articulated through a tradition of written documents, has evolved over time in response to the challenges of the day. 1397). Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God's special love for the poor and called God's people to a covenant of love and justice. "Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and therefore is invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family" (Reflections,p. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Therefore, we who are made in God's image share this communal, social nature. Download Share. Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. All of Trócaire's work, in Ireland as well as overseas, is informed by Catholic Social Teaching (CST). The Church's social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. Fred Kammer, S.J. Audio only: Questions Covered: 18:12 - What is the proper response for a Catholic … The notion of "social justice"--the term, by the way, coined by the Jesuit mentor of Pope Leo XIII, Luigi Taparelli (1793-1862), and based upon the teachings of St. Thomas Aquinas--is "the justice that regulates social relationships according to the criterion of observance of the law." Modern Catholic social teaching has been articulated through a tradition of papal, conciliar, and episcopal documents. God the Father sends his only Son Jesus Christ and shares the Holy Spirit as his gift of love. Call to Family, Community and Participation (Spanish) There are many other thinkers, usually neglected, such as von Ketteler, Sturzo, and John A. Ryan. At the core of CST is the common good. In our relationship with God, we experience the conversion of heart that is necessary to truly love one another as God has loved us. These teachings make use of reason, tradition and experience as well as Scripture to respond to social justice issues. Mt 25:45). The Catholic Church has a history of social teaching that goes back centuries and provides a compelling challenge for living responsibly and building a just society. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. Religion. This is why Catholic Social Teaching is not Catholicism. The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Video series by the USCCB and Catholic Relief Services on Catholic social teaching is on. We show our respect for the common good in our society, human life is direct... 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