Key Principles of Catholic Social Teaching

The Catholic Church's teachings on social justice are organized into seven traditional principles. These principles help to understand the major themes within the Church's documents on social teachings. Below is a summary of each principle:

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person

• Sacredness of Life: All life is sacred; every person is precious in the eyes of God from conception to natural death.
• Foundation for Teachings: This principle underpins the Church's positions on abortion, euthanasia, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, the death penalty, and peace in conflict.
• Core Idea: All human life is sacred and deserving of dignity.

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation

• Right to Participate: All people have the right to participate as citizens in society, seeking the common good.
• Social Beings: Human beings are social by nature and should protect institutions that strengthen communities, such as marriage and family.
• St. John Paul II's View: Christian families can model a life based on truth, freedom, justice, and love.

3. Rights and Responsibilities

• Recognition of Duties: We must recognize our duty to protect the rights of all individuals according to their God-given dignity.
• Interconnectedness: Protecting community rights and individual dignity requires each person to take responsibility for one another.

4. Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

• Priority for the Poor: This principle emphasizes prioritizing the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable in society.
• Mending Divisions: It addresses the need to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, reflecting on Jesus's words regarding serving "the least of these."

5. Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

• Participation in Creation: Work allows people to participate in God's creation.
• Protection of Workers' Rights: Basic rights include just wages, the ability to organize, and ownership of private property.
• Historical Context: In the late 19th century, the Church addressed workers' rights in the document "Rerum Novarum" by Pope Leo XIII, which remains relevant today.

6. Solidarity

• One Family Concept: Solidarity acknowledges that we are all part of one family, regardless of differences.
• Brothers and Sisters: We are each other's keepers and should promote peace and justice.

7. Care for God's Creation

• Stewardship: We must respect the Creator through our stewardship of the environment.
• Moral Responsibility: Faith leads us to protect the environment for future generations.

Conclusion

• Foundation for Understanding: These principles serve as a foundational starting point for understanding our role in society.
• Call to Action: They inspire us to protect the rights and dignity of all people, especially those in need.
• Moral Imperative: We are called to love one another as Christ loved us, emphasizing love for our neighbors.