The Principles of Catholic Social Teaching

Catholic social teaching (CST) is a branch of moral theology that addresses contemporary issues within the social structures of society. The threefold cornerstone of CST contains the principles of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity. It is these teachings we follow in order to maintain a just society amongst all walks of life.

Image courtesy of Padré Serra Parish

Such social structures include cultural, political, and economic. It is a set of principles in which Catholics can refer to to evaluate the framework of society and navigate it in a just manner. It guide's one's conscience and helps them make sound judgements in their decision making (Wright, 2017).

Image Courtesy of Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board

Though my students may not carry political clout nor transformative power to better our social structures immediately, I figured I ought to start small and help them identify their own small contributions to address contemporary issues that society faces today .

Engage in open-ended inquiry, recording your insights with documented evidence

Yesterday, I conducted a religion lesson focused on teaching the Elements of the Common Good, which is a fundamental aspect of the principle of Human Dignity. To begin the lesson, I prompted the students to consider how these elements could be applied to their lives. Initially, their responses were quite generic, revolving around actions like donating unwanted items to charity, assisting elderly individuals across the street, or contributing non-perishable food items to the local food bank. However, I encouraged them to delve deeper, urging them to look beyond mere social formalities or expected behaviors.

I was looking for how they can make small differences in their lives, and how these simple actions can make a big difference and move society in a positive direction. I then drew a set of circles on the whiteboard.

Circle within circle smallest to largest, each ring contained a word that represented an individual or a group of individuals. They were the following:

• Self

• Family/Peers

• School/Parish

• Neighbourhood

• Recreation Centre/cultural community

• National Community

• Municipal Community

• Global Community
  

My illustration helped students grasp the concept of how their actions are interconnected with broader societal issues. Following this, I posed the question: "What happens when you throw a pebble into a still pond or lake?" Their response was, "There will be ripples." I then elaborated on how even a small pebble, though creating minor waves, can significantly impact its surroundings. I likened them to the pebble, emphasizing that their individual actions hold the potential for significant change: within their households, schools, parishes, neighborhoods, cities, provinces, and beyond. Encouraged by this perspective, the students brainstormed small-scale actions they could personally undertake to effect change on a larger scale. Examples included writing letters to their MPs, practicing recycling habits, joining advocacy groups addressing societal concerns, and initiating environmental clubs at school, among others.

The concept of the common good revolves around interconnected social systems that aim to benefit all individuals. It was at this juncture that the students experienced an "aha moment." They became increasingly conscious of their present and future actions, gaining a profound understanding of the Elements of the Common Good. While donating to a local food bank is commendable, they realized that effecting transformative change, regardless of its scale, brings them closer to the ideal of "enabling individuals to attain both communal and personal fulfillment" (Benedict XVI, 2008). For me, this realization represents the ultimate goal.

Oh. And the biggest lesson for me that day: Never use permanent marker on a white board. Never ever.

References

Benedict Pope., XVI 2008. Address to the participants in the 14th session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. May 3. https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/may/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080503_social-sciences.html. [Ref list]

Wright, K.S. (2017). The principles of Catholic social teaching: A guide for decision making from daily clinical encounters to national policy-making. The Linacre Quarterly, 84(1), 10-22. doi: 10.1080/00243639.2016.1274629