Catholic Social Teaching  “is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society.”

The “Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching,” as defined and discussed by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), are:

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person
•  Call to Family, Community, and Participation
•  Rights and Responsibilities
•  Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
•  The Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers
•  Solidarity
•  Care for God’s Creation

Catholic social teaching is grounded in love - God’s love for us and our love for each other. See, A Civilization of Love (19 minute video on FORMED.org).  Another Formed.org video, Dignity of the Human Person, (27 minutes) provides an overview of Catholic social teaching. In addition, the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace thoroughly instructs on each of the seven themes.

An introduction to each of these 7 themes follows. Videos and study materials are available for each of the 7 themes. Catholic Social Teaching 101 Videos and Materials 

Life and Dignity of the Human Person

Our Sacred Scripture begins:

“In the beginning…. God created man in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

So our Catholic Social Teaching begins:

 The Catholic Church  proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia. The value of human life is being threatened by cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and the use of the death penalty. The intentional targeting of civilians in war or terrorist attacks is always wrong. Catholic teaching also calls on us to work to avoid war. Nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by peaceful means. 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.  USCCB, Life and Dignity of the Human Person

Excessive economic and social disparity between individuals and  peoples of the one human race is a source of scandal and militates against  social justice, equity, human dignity, as well as social and international  peace'." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1938 citing Gaudium et Spes, 29)

"Whatever insults human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children; as well as disgraceful working conditions, where men are treated as mere tools for profit, rather than as free and responsible persons; all these things and others of their like are  infamies indeed. They poison human society, but they do more harm to those who  practice them than those who suffer from the injury." (Second Vatican Council, The Church in the Modern World [Gaudium et Spes], no. 27)

REFLECT: How does the loss of dignity for one affect us all?

Watch this 3 to 4 minute Video: Life and Dignity of the Human Person

Life and Dignity of the Person – END OF LIFE ISSUES

Catholics believe in the sanctity of life. The Church does not allow euthanasia or doctor assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. These patients should be kept as free from pain as possible until they die a natural death with dignity. 

Catholic hospice and palliative /comfort care patients can guide their own healthcare as long as they are mentally and physically capable of doing so. The Catholic Church does not promote preserving physical life at all costs (i.e. extraordinary care where the treatment would be futile or overly burdensome - Catechism of the Catholic Church 2278 & 2279), but Catholics have a moral obligation to provide normal care to patients in a “vegetative” state, including providing the food and fluids they need to survive (even if medically assisted, as in tube feeding), unless no hope remains of a change and the situation is excessively burdensome on the caregivers.  (See, USCCB.org -Human Dignity in the ‘Vegetative’ State).

The sacrament of The Anointing of the Sick is appropriate as soon as one begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age or prior to a serious operation. The sacrament may be repeated. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1514-1515).

While the Catholic Church prefers a traditional burial in the ground, it does accept cremation as an option. The Catholic Church believes cremated remains must also be buried and should not be scattered or kept at home.   

Call to Family, Community, and Participation

The second USCCB  theme of Catholic Social Teaching is the Call to Family, Community, and Participation. 

OVERVIEW: The person is not only sacred but also social. 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.  Marriage and the family are the central  social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We  believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking  together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and  vulnerable.   

Leviticus  25:23-43   What you own belongs to the Lord and is given for the good of all.

1 Peter 4:8-11    Serve one another with the gifts you have received. 

1 John 4:19-21   Those who love God must love their brothers and sisters.

THE FAMILY: “Human beings are so made that they cannot live, develop and find fulfillment except ‘in the sincere gift of self to others.’ The true beauty of life is built on true relationships and bonds of fidelity.” (Pope Francis, On Fraternity and Social Friendship [Fratelli Tutti], no. 87) 

"The first and fundamental structure for a 'human ecology' is the family. The family is a small scale church called upon to be a sign of unity for the world and to bear witness to the Kingdom and peace of Christ by modeling a life based on the values of truth, freedom, justice and love. (St. John Paul II, The Family in the Modern World [Familiaris Consortio], no. 48)

The family is called to witness and participate in the gospel by “solidarity with the poor, openness to a diversity of people, the protection of creation, moral and material solidarity with other families, including those most in need, commitment to the promotion of the common good and the transformation of unjust social structures, beginning in the territory in which the family lives, through the practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy." (Pope Francis, The Joy of Love [Amoris Laetitia], no. 290, quoting the Final Report of the Synod of Bishops, 10/24/15)

REFLECT:  What can we do to help our family seek solidarity with others and promote the common good?

See also the Formed short video series on The Mission of the Family. 

Part II- Catholic Social Teaching on Family, Community and Participation 

COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATION: “Social problems must be addressed by community networks and not simply by the sum of individual good deeds." (Pope Francis, On Care for Our Common Home [Laudato Si’], nos. 179, 219)

“Responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation.” (Pope Francis, The Joy of the Gospel [Evangelii Gaudium], no. 220)

“For by his innermost nature man is a social being, and unless he  relates himself to others he can neither live nor develop his potential." (Second Vatican Council, The Church in the Modern World [Gaudium et Spes], no. 12)

We are accordingly responsible for actively “being a part” of the political and social reality of our country.  (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 187)

Approaching, speaking, listening, looking at, coming to know and understand one another, and to find common ground: all these things are summed up in the one word “dialogue”. If we want to encounter and help one another, we have to dialogue. [Fratelli Tutti] 198. 

Kindness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Kindness facilitates the quest for consensus; it opens new paths where hostility and conflict would burn all bridges. [Fratelli Tutti] 223-224.

REFLECT: How can we improve our society by encountering others with different viewpoints in a spirit of active listening, real dialogue instead of debate, and kindness?

Watch this 3 to 4 minute Video: Call to Family, Community, and Participation

Rights and Responsibilities

The 3rd of the 7 themes of Catholic Social Teaching is “Rights and Responsibilities.”

• Leviticus 25:35  When someone is reduced to poverty, we have an obligation to help.
• Tobit 4:5-11   Give from what you have received and do not turn away from the poor.
• Jeremiah 22:13-16   A legitimate government upholds the rights of the poor and vulnerable.   

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. Rights and Responsibilities provides that every person, no matter where they are living or their circumstance, deserves access to food, water, shelter, and other things that guarantee a person can live with decency and dignity. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities—to one another, to our families, and to the larger society. (USCCB, 7 Themes of Catholic Social Teaching) 

"In human society one man's natural right gives rise to a corresponding duty in other men; the duty, that is, of recognizing and respecting that right. Hence, to claim one's rights and ignore one's duties, or only half fulfill them, is like building a house with one hand and tearing it down with the other."  St. John XXIII,  Peace on Earth [Pacem in Terris] (April, 11 1963) 

• Therefore, a human being also has the right to security in cases of sickness, inability to work, widowhood, old age, unemployment, or in any other case in which he is deprived of the means of subsistence through no fault of his own. St. John XXIII, Peace on Earth,  [Pacem in Terris] , #11.

For more information about Rights and Responsibilities click here.

Watch this 3 to 4 minute Video:  Rights and Responsibilities

Rights and Responsibilities–RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND OTHERS. 

Love for neighbor- What makes you happy is always right in front of you because what makes you happy is love. Love is willing the good of the other, opening yourself to the world around you. Love is not a feeling; it’s an act of will. It is the great act of dispossession and letting go.

Here are a few words from Scripture to guide our path:

• John 13:34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
• Matthew 7:12.  In everything …treat people the same way you want them to treat you, … this is the law and the prophets.
• John 15:13. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Right relationship with God and others is enhanced by the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. See, Penance and Reconciliation: Reconciled to Right Relationship, Called to Heal and Restore: https://www.usccb.org/about/justice-peace-and-human-development/upload/Penance-and-Reconciliation.pdf

OPTION FOR THE POOR AND VULNERABLE

The 4th theme of Catholic social Teaching is Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46) and instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.

Option for the Poor–THE COMMON GOOD

In 2007, Cardinal Bergoglio (now Pope Francis) summarized the findings of Latin American bishops in Brazil, at Aparecida, to put the Gospels ahead of canon law.  Aparecida states that the measure of the common good is the lived life and dignity of the poor. 

The poor of whom the Gospels speak are not only those without money. They are those on the peripheries of society — the ignored, powerless, oppressed, discriminated against, immigrants and refugees, racial minorities, the imprisoned, the elderly, the sick, those not yet born and even abused creation itself. 

Pope Francis speaks of Matthew 25 (“What you did for the least of my brethern, you did for me”) and the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12), as the "twin pillars of Christianity." The Beatitudes remind us that true happiness resides in putting God first by being merciful, meek, humble, poor in spirit, clean of heart, peacemakers, mourning without rebelling and hungering for righteousness.

The task of creating a good life for all members of society-the common good- is never perfectly realized. Because of the pervasive temptations of individualism and self-interest, one of the most pressing demands of the common good is the persistent conversion of hearts in the realization that we do not exist for ourselves.

Watch this 3 to 4 minute Video: Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

Option for the Poor–-CHARITY AND JUSTICE

Charity and social justice are integral parts of Catholic social teaching. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops uses the display of “Two Feet of Love in Action“ to demonstrate how charity and justice differ. This display describes how charity addresses immediate needs to aid individuals, while social justice includes removing root causes of the problems and improving social structures to better serve the “Common Good.”  This includes expanding access to affordable housing, improving the educational system, supporting living wages, protecting the unborn, supporting environmental protection laws, promoting peace and providing international assistance. There is a need for both charity and justice, and as we seek to follow Christ, we are called to do both.

The 5th theme of Catholic Social Teaching is “The Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers.”  It is presented in 4 parts.

THE DIGNITY OF WORK AND THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS Part 1

In an article entitled The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers, which reviews Catholic teaching relating to workers and the economy, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) state:

“The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to  make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in 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.” (p. 1)

The Bishops quoted these Scriptural passages:

Deuteronomy  5:13-15  The Sabbath is for everyone—all are allowed to  rest from their work.

Deuteronomy  14:28-29  The Lord blesses our work  so that we may share its fruits with others.

Jeremiah 22:13   Woe to him who treats his workers unjustly.

Matthew 20:1-16   All workers should be paid a just and living  wage.

Luke 3:10-1   Practice integrity in your work.

James 5:1-6  Those who become rich by abusing their workers  have sinned against God.

What can we do to support workers and the “dignity of work” in our own community?

• Value those who do an honest day’s work. 
• Give fair and just wages if we are in positions to do so as business owners or managers of places of employment.
• Thank those who work for us or serve us, especially as attendants, clerks, drivers, protectors (police, fire, military).
• Tip when appropriate to those who count on it for a livable wage.

THE DIGNITY OF WORK AND THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS -PART 2

In the 2004 Vatican document  Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, it states that work is “an obligation, that is to say, a duty on the part of man” (No. 264), and a moral obligation that the worker owes to himself in terms of self fulfillment, owes to one's neighbor and society, and to future generations. (No. 274).  Work is an essential expression of human dignity, and work is a sacred space for flourishing. The Church’s primary interest is people and their well-being. The Compendium describes work as a fundamental right and that workers have certain rights. These include: the right to a just wage, to rest, to a safe work environment, to unemployment assistance, to senior pensions, to health care, to disability insurance, to parental leave and benefits, to organize and to strike (Nos. 301, 302, 304). The U. S. Bishops are in accord. (USCCB, The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers).

“These rights carry with them implications for how society should be structured, as well as what the church advocates for in the public square. The principles of Catholic social teaching not only describe how individuals, businesses, governments and religious institutions can live in balance, but also challenge everyone, individually and systemically, to work toward the common good in solidarity with one another.” (Don Clemmer, Catholic News Service).

What can we do?

• Treat our own work as holy, and perform it conscientiously and with gratitude.
• Encourage young people to work toward goals, achieve them, and set new ones.
• Educate and train those in need of skills to find or maintain self-supporting work.

The Right to an Equitable distribution of Income and a Living Wage - Dignity and Rights of Workers - Part 3

Since the dawn of the industrial age to the present, the Vatican has supported the rights of workers and the poor to share  in a fair or equitable distribution of wealth and income. In 1891, Pope Leo XIII, in Rerum Novarum, advocated for a living wage, humane working conditions and the right to form “workingman’s unions” (43, 45).  In 1931, Pope Pius XI, in Quadragesimo Anno, reaffirmed and elaborated on Rerum Novarum and expressed continuing concern about the unjust distribution of wealth, and stated that this “huge disparity between the few exceedingly rich and the unnumbered propertyless … must be effectively called back to and brought into conformity with the norms of the common good, that is, social justice (58).” 

The 2004 Vatican Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church supports the right of private economic initiative (No. 336), the legitimate pursuit of profit (340), and guarantees of individual freedom and private property (352). Yet, the Compendium also calls for “an equitable distribution of income” and “suitable social policies for the redistribution of income which…look at merit as well as at the need of each citizen.” (No. 303). “Tax revenues and public spending” should be directed to establish the “State as the guarantor of systems of social insurance and protection that are designed above all to protect the weakest members of society”. (No. 355). Public spending must also observe the principles of solidarity and be directed to the common good. (No. 355).

What can we do to support workers and the “dignity of work” in our own community?

• Offer up our daily toiling to God and pray for others in need of employment.
• Support programs that help the poor or those who cannot work to support themselves.
• Support church programs or groups that aid those in need (Helping Hands, food pantry).

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers - Part 4

On May 9, 2014, Pope Francis renewed his call on global leaders to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor. Railing against an “economy of exclusion,” Francis called for a state-led global initiative to close the widening gap between rich and poor through redistribution. On 1/31/2022, Pope Francis noted the role of taxation in such redistribution, and said that done well, taxation “is a sign of legality and justice,” and to achieve the common good, taxation “must favor the redistribution of wealth, looking out for the dignity of the poorest who risk always ending up crushed by the powerful.” 

In 1986, America’s Catholic Bishops issued a Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy noting that although “Catholic social teaching does not require absolute equality in the distribution of income and wealth,” it entails “a strong presumption against extreme inequality of income and wealth as long as there are poor, hungry, and homeless people in our midst (185).” The Bishops also stated here that the Church should be “exemplary” in terms of providing a living wage with social benefits to all its many branches of employees.

“Income inequality, a reality that has worsened precipitously in recent decades, has drawn criticism from church leaders.” (Don Clemmer, Catholic News Service”). Noting the “rising economic inequality”, the U.S. Bishops’ 2013 Labor Day Statement said that current imbalances “demand boldness in promoting a just economy … by creating jobs that pay a living wage and share with workers some profits of the company.” 

What can we do to support workers? 

• Use your God-given gifts to “work” as a volunteer to aid others (church, community, schools, nursing homes, jails).
• Vote for people and programs which are in solidarity with the poor and support the common good. 
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Watch this 3 to 4 minute Video:  The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers

SOLIDARITY

The 6th theme of Catholic Social Teaching as described by the U.S. Catholic Bishops [uccsb.org] is Solidarity.

One element of Social Justice is Solidarity. Warning: This is a difficult concept to embrace and practice for it asks us to focus on ‘not just sporadic acts of generosity but to think and act as a community’ [Pope Francis].  Solidarity was key for St. John Paul II as it was also the name of a workers movement in his native Poland that achieved social justice under the leadership of Lech Walesa. Solidarity asks us to be in communion with all of God’s children as one human family. 

Pope Paul VI taught, “If you want peace, work for justice.”  Psalm 72 teaches that living in right relationship with others brings peace. 1 Corinthians 12 cites that “If one member of Christ’s body suffers, all suffer.”  Solidarity requires a personal recognition of the inclusiveness of the Body Of Christ so that Justice for all is achieved. 

Jesus was asked, “Who is my Neighbor?”  We know His response as the parable of The Good Samaritan. Who acted as Neighbor? The one who showed compassion/mercy without any boundaries of tribe, faith or social standing. That’s Solidarity.

Solidarity and Subsidiarity

Catholic social teaching on “Subsidiarity”

"Subsidiarity respects personal dignity by recognizing in the person a subject who is always capable of giving something to others."  (Pope Benedict XVI, Charity in Truth [Caritas in Veritate], no. 57)

  "The primary norm for determining the scope and limits of governmental intervention is the 'principle of subsidiarity’.... This principle states that, in order to protect basic justice, government should undertake only those initiatives which exceed the capacities of individuals or private groups acting  independently. Government should not replace or destroy smaller communities and individual initiative. Rather it should help them contribute more effectively to social well-being and supplement their activity when the demands of justice exceed their capacities. This does not mean, however, that the government that governs least, governs best. Rather, it defines good government intervention as that which truly 'helps' other social groups contribute to the “common good” by directing, urging, restraining, and regulating economic activity as  'the occasion requires and necessity demands.'"  (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Economic Justice for All, no. 124, citing Quadragesimo Anno, 80)

“The principle of subsidiarity must remain closely linked to the principle of solidarity and vice versa.”  (Caritas in Veritate 58) Why? “[T]he former without the latter gives way to social privatism, while the latter without the former gives way to paternalist social assistance that is demeaning to those in need.” (Caritas in Veritate, 58)

See also subsidiarity excerpts in the Vatican issued Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, nos. 187, 246, 308, 309, 351.

Watch this 3 to 4 minute Video:  Solidarity

Care for God's Creation

The 7th and last USCCB theme of Catholic Social teaching requires our respect for and stewardship of the environment and all of God’s creation as a requirement of our faith. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.

As people of faith, we are convinced that "the earth is the Lord’s and all it holds."  (Ps 24:1)  Our Creator has given us the gift of creation: the air we breathe, the water that sustains life, the fruits of the land that nourish us, and the entire web of life without which human life cannot flourish. All of this God created and found "very good.” (Gen 1:31)  Every creature and the material world say something of God, and nature is a continuing revelation of the Divine.

Human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbor, and with the earth itself. The human environment and the natural environment deteriorate together; and the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest. Justice is served when we hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor. [Laudato Si’ pp 33-35]

Once we lose our humility, and become enthralled with the possibility of limitless mastery over everything, we end up harming society and the environment. The human person grows more, matures more, and is sanctified more to the extent that he or she enters into relationships, going out from themselves to live in communion with God, with others, and with all creation. [Laudato Si’]

We’re All Part of God’s Plan(et) https://godsplanet.us/ is a national Laudato Si’ awareness and engagement campaign for U.S. Catholics to care for creation and participate in the Vatican’s Laudato Si’ Action Platform. Learn what the Church is doing in these seven sectors and how you can be a part of God’s plan, since we are all part of God’s planet.

Click below for 3 to 4 minute Video on the theme of Care for God’s Creation

The St. Columba Service & Justice Committee has a continuing mandate to share Catholic Social Teaching (CST) articles with parishioners, so keep tuned for CST articles in the Spotlight.

Act justly, love mercifully, walk humbly with God. (Micah 6:8)