Untitled Flashcards Set

Unit 1: Overview of Catholic Social Teaching 

• Made in God’s divine image→ endowed with a human soul giving us two great powers: 

1.  Intellect

2. Free will 

Human Intellect- enables us to recognize and understand God's command to do good and avoid evil

Free Will- enables you to choose good with the guidance of your conscience and to obey God’s law of love 

Catholic Social Teaching: 

• The official documents written down by church leaders in response to various social, political, and economic issues 

• Embodies core themes 

• Responds to challenges facing humans in a complex and changing world 

3 Aspects of CST

1. CST gives principles for reflection

2. Provides criteria for judgment 

3. Provides guidelines for action

Dignity- the quality or state of being valued, respected or worthy 

• Every human possesses dignity because we are made in Gods image and likeness 

9 Principles of Catholic Social Teaching 

1) Dignity of the Human Person: 

• Every person is worthy of respect because we are made by God and in God’s image 

• NOT based on what we have or what we do 

• People are more important than things 

2) Respect for Human Life 

• Every stage of human life has dignity & it: 

• Is sacred 

• Is worthy of respect 

• Must be protected 

• Does it enhance or threaten human life & dignity? 

• Worrying about respect for human life comes first 

3) Call to Family, Community, and Participation

• By nature, humans are social 

• Grow and achieve fulfillment in a community 

• Must contribute & actively take part in it 

• Family is the central institution

• Must be supported and strengthened, not undermined

• “We are one body; when one suffers we all suffer” 

• The good of each individual is tied to the common good 

4) Rights and Responsibilities individual

• A healthy community is achieved only if: 

• Human rights protected 

• Responsibilities met 

• Every person has: 

• Fundamental right to life 

• Right to requirement for human decency: faith, food, shelter, education, employment, etc 

• All Rights have corresponding Responsibilities

• To one another, to family, to the larger society 

5) The Common Good 

• The ability of individuals & entire community to thrive because: 

• The way society is organized 

• When you get something as an individual that you want, AND  the community benefits as well 

• Provide means, access, & opportunities necessary 

• Essential elements: 

• Respect rights of all people 

• Social well-being and development of the group 

• Peace and Security

• Ex: the lt dan band performing for military 

6) The Option and Love for The Poor and Vulnerable 

• The “Poor and Vulnerable” → refers to the marginalized: unborn children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, etc. 

• Are our brothers and sisters

• Deserve respect 

• Deserve protection of their rights 

• Deprivation and powerlessness of these groups wounds the whole community 

• We’re called to respond to those with the greatest needs first 

• “Option” → A special commitment to enable 

• Find a way they can contribute 

• Becoming active participants in society 

• All persons share in and contribute to the common good 

• Finding ways for them to belong 

ex: bitty and Beau’s downtown Annapolis

7) Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers 

• Economy exists to serve the people, the people don’t exist to serve the economy

• Work is more than a way to make a living; it’s a form of 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

• The right to decent and fair wages 

• The right to organize and join unions

• The right to private property 

• The right to economic initiative→ An average worker should have the ability to affect change without being in upper management (don’t have to be in a leadership position in order to be heard)

8) Solidarity

Solidarity: A spirit of unity and mutual concern | The quality of justice that breaks down barriers between people

• We are one human family

• Despite the geographical distance, we’re “our brothers and sister’s keepers”

• Responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic and ideological differences 

• This is about people who are different than you, there is some kind of barrier 

9)Stewardship

Stewards: those who take on the responsibility God gave humans as caretakers, protectors, and guardians of the earth and everything in it. 

• We respect and show gratitude to our loving Creator by being good stewards of the earth 

• We’re called to: 

• Protect people and the planet by living in our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation 

• Assess how we live in harmony with God’s creation

• Examine what we pass on to future generations 

• Evaluate the use and share goods of the earth 

Rights- claims we make on each other/society to guarantee to attain certain basic conditions to live a truly human life 

Universal Rights- 

• Apply to all people 

• Exists in every individual 

• Can’t be taken away 

Inviolable Rights- 

• Untouchable because they come from God 

• Too sacred/too important to be broken 

Inalienable Rights- 

• Inherent- don’t need to be earned 

• Cant be handed over to someone else 

• Beyond challenge→ there is only one way to look at it (can’t challenge the claim)

Encyclical- 

• An official Papal letter 

• Sent to the entire church 

• Responds to current issues/real world events (important aspects of Church teaching)

Pacem in Terris → Peace on Earth 

What: important Social Justice Encyclical 

Who: Pope John XXIII

When: 1963

Why: focused on fundamental human rights 

• Identifies components for basis of peace: 

• Respect for people 

• A just social order 

• Affirms rights all people possess: the right to….

• Life, respect, to civil, political, social, and economic services, work for just wages in safe environment, hold private property, work freely for the common good, search for truth, express opinions and worship God, emigrate and immigrate.