The social teachings of the Catholic Church are a rich treasury of wisdom, guiding humanity to build a culture of life, love, justice, and compassion, and to seek the common good.
Developed over the last century through the writings of popes, the documents of the Second Vatican Council, and the statements of various bishops’ conferences, Catholic social thought illustrates that while the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not inherently political, it does have political, economic, social, and cultural implications.
Under the guidance of Dr. Chris McAtee, the diocese has opened the Office of the Life and Dignity of the Human Person.
This ministry will coordinate our many pro-life efforts, our new relationship with the Diocese of Jacmel in Haiti, our desire to mitigate human trafficking and homelessness, poverty and violence, as well as collaborate with Shawn Carney and Catholic Charities, and our rural life ministry led by Tom Nelson.
The seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching will guide the work of Dr. McAtee and this office.
Here are the seven:
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
The human person has an inherent dignity, created in the image and likeness of God, and called to holiness and eternal life. From the moment of conception to natural death, everyone has the right to life, freedom, food, housing, education, and work. The state does not confer this dignity or these rights; they belong to us by the fact of our human nature. Along with these rights are correlating responsibilities. We are obliged to serve the common good, to protect and nurture the lives of others, to make our contribution to society through our work, to defend freedom, to serve the poor and suffering. The dignity of the human person is a core teaching of our Catholic faith.
Solidarity
Solidarity speaks to our profound communion as brothers and sisters. Think of St. Paul’s image of the human body in his letter to the Corinthians which he uses to explicate the nature of the Church. If we are all members of one body, all parts suffer when one person suffers; all rejoice at the success of one member. This unity signifies that we embrace each other in a profound communion of love and respect, working to alleviate all injustice, suffering, and evil through actions of compassion and peace, as we realize that we are all bound together. The violence, poverty, and evil that others may endure find a resonance and a response in our hearts.
Preferential Option for the Poor
In opting for the poor, the Church echoes the call of the Old Testament prophets who boldly called Israel to covenant faithfulness by caring for the most vulnerable and marginalized in society. They insisted that the quality of their relationship with God was measured by how they loved and served the poor. Every political, economic, and cultural choice embraced by a society should be determined by how it affects those who are the least powerful and are the neediest. Jesus always had an eye and a heart for those on the fringe — the sick, the sinners, the hungry, those rejected and unnoticed.
Rights and Responsibilities
Subsidiarity holds that decisions should be made on the most local level possible, when possible. Another way to put it is: What individuals can accomplish by their own initiative and efforts should not be taken from them by a higher authority. Here we see the intrinsic efficacy of the family, the parish, the neighborhood, the local organization. People flourish best in free associations dedicated to some social good. Often, those on the ground, living in the daily reality of a particular situation, have insights and contributions borne of their particular experience.
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
The Church reveres marriage and family, both as a sacrament and as the basic cell of society. The marriage of a woman and a man, open to children, forming their family in faith, love, compassion, and wisdom, solidifies society by forming young people to be holy, generous, and good. We can plausibly trace many of our social ills to the breakdown of the family, which is due to the diminishment of marriage, which has been caused by the sexual revolution. Catholic teaching on marriage and family is rich, deep, and transformative.
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
Work is a gift, an opportunity for us to share in the creative power of God, as we utilize our talents and energy to contribute to society and serve others. Seen as a curse or punishment in Genesis, work has been redeemed and transformed by Christ who Himself lived as a worker. To work well and generously is a profound component of our Christian discipleship, as we seek to sanctify and make holy the world around us. When we consider work as a spiritual exercise, we approach it far differently, for we come to see it as a sacred opportunity to share in the very life of the Creator.
Care for God’s Creation
Care for the environment has become increasingly urgent. In the many debates on global warming, we can certainly all agree that we are called to nurture this beautiful world which God has created and entrusted to us. Mindful of global poverty and environmental damage, we are obliged to be prudent, resourceful, and sacrificial in our usage of resources. Food, water, energy, soil, and air are gifts that we all need to live and flourish. Changing our wasteful habits of consumption is a moral necessity.