“The work for justice requires that the mind and heart of Catholics be educated and formed to know and practice the whole faith.”
U.S. Catholic Bishops

Living according to the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching simply means to live according to the life and example of Jesus Christ. The ministry of Jesus was one of love and service; of peace and justice; and of reaching out to the marginalized, oppressed, and most vulnerable in society We are called to do no less. Jesus did not serve a select few but came for all. So, too, we are called to live with the love and compassion of Jesus not justfor a few but for all.

The foundation of Catholic Social Teaching is the dignity of the human being. By virtue of our creation by God, each of us is uniquely holy and worthy of respect regardless of our personal characteristics or circumstances. The poor, the disabled, the homeless, the elderly, the unborn, the ill, the imprisoned, and those on the fringes of any society are equally precious in the eyes of God and are worthy of dignity and respect. From this basic yet frequently overlooked principle, everything about what it means to be a Catholic Christian grows.

Catholic Social Teaching has Seven Primary Principles:

Life and Dignity of the Human Person: Basic to our Catholic faith is the belief that life is sacred from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. This belief is the foundation of all other principles of Catholic Social Teaching. We believe that every person is precious regardless of condition or circumstances and that the measure of any society or institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the persons within it.
Policies or actions (such as abortion, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, capital punishment, genocide, etc) that pose a direct attack on human life are always intrinsically wrong.

Call to Family, Community and Participation: As human beings, we are created by God for relationship – for community. We realize our full dignity and rights in relationship with others in community and gain the capacity to reach our full potential as God intended. The family is the primary and foundational unit of society and must be protected as such. Every person has a right and a duty to actively participate in shaping society and the well- being of all – particularly the most vulnerable.
Rights and Responsibilities: 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. Every human being has a fundamental right to life and to those things required to maintain that life and human decency – food, shelter, medical care, education, and employment. All people have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities – to one another, to our families, to society at large, and to the greater common good.

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable: A basic moral test of any society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. While the common good refers to all, the poor, the weak, the marginalized and oppressed have the most urgent claim on our consciences and resources. The option for the poor is an essential part of a society’s effort to achieve the common good. We have an obligation to evaluate social and economic policies from the viewpoint of the poor and powerless.

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers: Work is more than a way to make a living – it is a form of participation in God’s creation. People have a right to decent and productive work, fair wages, and to safe working conditions. The economy exists to serve the people – not the opposite.  If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must likewise be respected. People also have a right to economic initiative and private property, but these rights have limits. No one has a right to amass excessive wealth while others lack the basic necessities of life.

Solidarity: Catholic teaching proclaims that all human beings are members of one family – regardless of national, racial, economic, ethnic, or ideological differences. Loving our neighbors has global implications and requires us to welcome the stranger, promote peace and justice, and commit ourselves to working for the common good of all both at home and abroad.  Likewise, we are called to be peacemakers in our families, our places of work and recreation, and in all our interactions with others.

Care for God’s Creation: We show our respect for the Creator by being good stewards of all creation. Care for the earth and all its creatures is a duty of our faith. We are called to protect all inhabitants of the earth – human and non-human – and to live in right relationship with all those with whom we share the gift of this planet. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored. As stewards called by God to share the responsibility for the future of the earth and its inhabitants, we must work for a world in which all of creation is protected.

For more information on the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and their application, visit the resources listed in this bibliography: (The titles of articles are in quotation marks while the titles of the books or magazines in which they are found are written in italics).

Bachand, Sarah C. and Fourre, Connie. A Leader’s Guide for Primary Source Readings in Catholic Social Justice. (2007). Winona, MN: St. Mary’s Press.

Benestad, J. Brian. “Cardinal Bernadin and the Need for Catholic Social Teaching,” Center Journal 4:1. (Winter, 1984), p. 9-28.

Benestad, J. Brian.  “Virtue in Catholic Social Teaching.” James Finn, ed., Private Virtue and Public Policy: Catholic Thought and National Life. New Brunswisk: Transaction. (1990), p.29-47.

Bole, William. “The Legacy of Rerum Novarum: The Church’s Social Teachings Receive New Attention.” Columbia 71. (May, 1991), p. 8-9.

& Boyer, Mark G. “The Common Good Concept in Catholic Social Teaching.” Priest.  (May, 1992), p. 48-53.

Butler, John T., et al. From the Ground Up: Teaching Catholic Social Principles in Elementary Schools. (1999). Washington, DC: National Catholic Education Association.

Carrier, S.J., Herve. Gospel Message and Human Cultures: from Leo XIII to John Paul II. (1989),Pittsburgh:Dusquesne University Press.

Carrier, S.J., Herve. The Social Doctrine of the Church Revisited. (1990), Vatican City: Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Casey, IHM, Sr. Juliana.  “The Social Teachings of the Church.” Health Progress. (May, 1991), p. 37-39.

Charles, Roger. An Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching. (1999). University of California, Family Publications.

Clarke, Kevin. “On the Road to Social Justice: How Parishes Get the Word Out About Catholic Social Teaching.”  Salt. (Nov.-Dec., 1991), p. 29-35.

Coleman, S.J., John A. One Hundred Years of Catholic Social Thought: Celebration and Challenge. (1991),Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

Curran, Charles E. “A Century of Catholic Social Teaching.” Theology Today. (July, 1991), p.154-169.

Curran, Charles E. Catholic Social Teaching, 1891-Present: A Historical, Theological and Ethical Analysis. (2002).  Washington, DE: Georgetown University Press.

Dorr, Donal. Option for the Poor. (1983), Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

Dwyer, Judith A., ed. The New Dictionary of Catholic Social Thought. (1994). Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.

Edwards, Denis. “The Integrity of Creation: Catholic Social teaching for an Ecological Age.” Pacifica. (June, 1992), p. 182-203.

Himes, OFM, Kenneth R. Modern Catholic Social Teaching: Commentaries and Interpretations. (2005). Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.

Himes, OFM, Kenneth R. Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching. (2001). Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press.

Krietemeyer, Ronald. Leaven for the Modern World: Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Education. (2000). Washington, DC: National Catholic Education Association.

Massaro, SJ, Thomas J. amd Shannon, Thomas A, eds. American Catholic Social Teaching. (2002). Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.

McGinnis, Kathleen. Educating for a Just Society. St. Louis, MO: The Institute for Peace and Justice.

McKenna, Kevin E. A Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching. (2002). Notre Dame, IN: Ave Maria Press.

Merkle, Judith A. From the Heart of the Church: the Catholic Social Tradition. (2004). Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press.

Mich, Marvin L. Krier. Catholic Social Teaching and Movements.
(2004). Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications.

Nestor, Karen R. and Storz, Mark G. They Call Us to Justice: Responding to the Call of the Church and Our Students. (2007). Washington, DC: National Catholic Education Association.

Neuberger, Anne E. To Act Justly: Introducing Catholic Social Teaching to Children With Stories and Activities. (2002). Mystic, CT: Twenty-Third Publications.

Thompson, J. Milburn. Introducing Catholic Social Thought. (2010). Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.

USCCB. A Place at the Table: A Catholic Recommitment to Overcome Poverty and to Respect the Dignity of All God’s Children. (2002). Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Publications.

USCCB, Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish – Revised Edition. (2006). Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Publications.

USCCB. Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions. (1998), Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Publications.

Windley-Daoust, Jerry. Living Justice and Peace: Catholic Social Teaching in Practice.  (2008). Winona, MN: St. Mary’s Press.

Web Resources:

www.dor.org  - Catholic Social Teaching for Teachers
www.uscatholic.org/cstline/tline - The Busy Christian’s Guide to Catholic Social Teaching
www.osjspm.org – Office for Social Justice, Diocese of St. Paul, MN
www.archkck.org – Archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas
www.silk.net/RelEd/Justice - Resources for Catholic Teachers
www.usccb.org – US Conference of Catholic Bishops
www.educationforjustice.org