To be a Christian carries with it the obligation to care for the poor. This obligation comes directly from the teachings of Jesus. Our Catholic faith, based on Sacred Scripture and tradition, has consistently called us to care for the dignity and rights of all human beings – seeing that their basic needs are met and that social justice is ensured for all people.
Catholic Social Teaching is a phrase used by the Catholic Church for the past several decades to denote the principles which guide the Church’s moral theology and teachings on issues that affect the choices we make as individuals and societies.
Seven Themes of CST
- Life and Dignity of the Human Person
- Call to Family, Community, and Participation
- Rights and Responsibilities
- Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
- The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
- Solidarity
- Care for God’s Creation
USCCB CST videos
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is an excellent resource on Catholic Social Teaching. In Reflections of the U.S. Catholic Bishops – The Summary Report of the Task Force on Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Education, the bishops explain:
“Catholic social teaching is a central and essential element of our faith. Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets who announced God’s special love for the poor and called God’s people to a covenant of love and justice. It is a teaching founded on the life and words of Jesus Christ, who came ‘to bring glad tidings to the poor . . . liberty to captives . . . recovery of sight to the blind’ (Lk 4:18-19), and who identified himself with ‘the least of these,’ the hungry and the stranger (cf. Mt 25:45). Catholic social teaching is built on a commitment to the poor. The most urgent ecclesial task of our times is the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. A vital element of this new evangelization is sharing our social tradition with all Catholics so clearly that they may be engaged and challenged, encouraged and empowered to live their faith every day.”
Contact us!
If you would like more information on our parish’s efforts to learn about and embody Catholic Social Teaching, please contact the Christian Service Office at 248-656-8720 or christianservice@stirenaeus.org.
