What is Catholic Social Teaching? Catholic Social Teaching: The Family, Gift and Sanctuary of Life. In a culture without truth, there is a fatal risk of losing love. [32] "Being in the image of God, the human individual possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone. CST 101 is a collaborative 7-part video and discussion guide series presented by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services on Catholic social teaching. [34] It is most well-known, however, from its subsequent incorporation into Pope Pius XI's encyclical Quadragesimo anno. With respect to climate change, some critics have argued that Pope Francis is departing from the positions of his predecessors. The person is not only sacred but also social. [86] The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences promotes the study and progress of social sciences. Nations are called to protect the right to life by seeking effective ways to combat evil and terror without resorting to armed conflicts except as a last resort, always seeking first to resolve disputes by peaceful means. Belief in the inherent dignity of the human person is the foundation of all Catholic social teaching. [41] Examples of these associations today would include the family, unions, nonprofit organizations, religious congregations, and corporations of all sizes. We are one human family.... Learning to practice the virtue of solidarity means learning that ’loving our neighbor’ has global dimensions in an interdependent world" (Reflections,p. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. 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. 5-315 "Catholic social teaching proclaims that we are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they live. According to John Paul II, every human person "is called to a fullness of life which far exceeds the dimensions of his earthly existence, because it consists in sharing the very life of God. The Ten Commandments reflect the basic structure of the Natural Law insofar as it applies to humanity. For example, CST encourages us to believe in both the common good and the right to private property, both the need to protect the environment and … The publication of Leo XIII's encyclical Rerum novarum in 1891 marked the beginning of the development of a recognizable body of social teaching in the Catholic Church. This principle is grounded in the idea that the person is made in the image of God. A Biblical vision of justice is much more comprehensive than civil equity; it encompasses right relationships between all members of God's creation. 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. It falls prey to contingent subjective emotions and opinions, the word love is abused and distorted, to the point where it comes to mean the opposite. Catholic Social Teaching recognizes that the poor are the most vulnerable to environmental impact and endure disproportional hardship when natural areas are exploited or damaged. They should inspire us to take responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of all people, especially those in most need. Catholics oppose acts considered attacks and affronts to human life, including abortion,[51] fornication[52] (including contraception),[53] capital punishment, euthanasia,[54] genocide, torture, the direct and intentional targeting of noncombatants in war, and every deliberate taking of innocent human life. It is a normative exercise of Church teaching, a kind of comprehensive applied - … The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB’s) mission is to encounter the mercy of Christ and to accompany His people with joy. This imbalance is the result of ideologies which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. We believe in God. In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii gaudium, Francis said: "It is vital that government leaders and financial leaders take heed and broaden their horizons, working to ensure that all citizens have dignified work, education and healthcare. More on Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers. Having the right to life must mean that everyone else has a responsibility towards me. Call to Family, Community, and Participation. [30], Every commentator has his or her own list of key principles and documents, and there is no official 'canon' of principles or documents. This idea has proven to be controversial and difficult to accept, particularly by right-of-center U.S. Catholic thinkers who are generally suspicious, or even disdainful, of supranational and international organizations, such as the United Nations. The bishops have see this as a basis for the support of social welfare programs and of governmental economic policies that promote equitable distribution of income and access to essential goods and services. [48], As with the principles above, there is no official list of key themes. Pope Benedict XVI has taught that "love for widows and orphans, prisoners, and the sick and needy of every kind, is as essential as the ministry of the sacraments and preaching of the Gospel". These principles, which are a summary of the major concepts in Catholic social teaching, should only be a starting point. Catholic Social Teaching is paradoxical. The present formulation is contained in Article 5 of the Treaty Establishing the European Community (consolidated version following the Treaty of Nice, which entered into force on 1 February 2003). Pope John Paul II wrote in the 1987 encyclical Sollicitudo rei socialis, "Solidarity is undoubtedly a Christian virtue. Pope John Paul II stated that love is the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being. It is through work that we achieve fulfilment. While not endorsing any particular political agenda, the church holds that this teaching applies in the public (political) realm, not only the private. In the years which followed there have been numerous encyclicals and messages on social issues; various forms of Catholic action developed in different parts of the world; and social ethics taught in schools and seminaries. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. It does not allow us to compromise. On Fraternity and Social Friendship (Fratelli Tutti). It works to achieve sustainable development the eradication of poverty in the world's underdeveloped nations. [43], The church has chosen the concept of "charity in truth" to avoid a degeneration into sentimentality in which love becomes empty. Believing men and women are made in the image and likeness of God,[59] Catholic doctrine teaches to respect all humans based on an inherent dignity. The right to exercise religious freedom publicly and privately by individuals and institutions along with freedom of conscience need to be constantly defended. Undeniably, Catholic social justice can restore social, economic and racial justice which have been under attack before our eyes. More on Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. In 1933, the Catholic Worker Movement was founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. They should endeavor, therefore, in the light of the Faith and with the strength of love, to ensure that the various institutions—whether economic, social, cultural or political in purpose – should be such as not to create obstacles, but rather to facilitate or render less arduous people's perfectioning of themselves both in the natural order as well as in the supernatural. [19], The May 1971 apostolic letter Octogesima adveniens addressed the challenge of urbanization and urban poverty and stressed the personal responsibility of Christians to respond to injustice.

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