Catholic Social Teaching (CTS) is embedded through scripture and formed by the wisdom of Church Leaders. It is our moral compass guiding us how to live out our faith in this world.
These are key principles that underpin CST:
- Human Dignity (everyone is special and should be treated equally)
- Solidarity (showing we care by our words and actions)
- Common Good (thinking of everyone, not just yourself)
- Subsidiarity (leaders should listen to the people who will be affected by their decisions)
- Participation (taking part)
- Preferential Option for the Poor (putting people in most need first)
- Stewardship (caring for God’s gifts)
- Promoting Peace (we are called to be peacemakers)
- Distributive Justice (sharing fairly)
Our faith envelopes us to love God and to love our neighbours, regardless of their situation, including our local/global family living in poverty. Following in Jesus’ footsteps, we hope to bring justice, love and peace of God, which will continue to strengthen our faith.
Modern Catholic Social Teaching is said to have originated in 1891 with the encyclical letter, Rerum Novarum. Since then, a wealth of teaching continues to give new life to the Scriptures and shape the Church’s response to our modern world. Pope Francis’ continues to add to Catholic Social Teaching with his own encyclicals including Laudato Si’ (2015) and Fratelli Tutti (2020).
To ensure our children understood the aspects of CST, we had lovely CAFOD volunteers come into school and do workshops with our children. To help us put our call into action of making the world the best possible place it can be, and as God intended it to be when He gave it to mankind as a gift, we often revisit the CAFOD themes of Catholic Social Teaching regularly.
Please find resources for Catholic Social Teaching below:
