Catholic Social Teaching & Its Key Principles: Sandie Cornish

Catholic Social Teaching & Its
Key Principles
SANDIE CORNISH
WWW.SOCIAL-SPIRITUALITY.NET
Outline
 What is Catholic Social  3 Elements

Teaching?  Principles for Reflection
 Criteria for Judgment
 4 Sources  Guidelines for Action
 Scripture
 Reason  4 Key Principles
 Tradition  Human Dignity
 Experience  The Common Good

 Subsidiarity
 Solidarity
www.social-spirituality.net www.facebook.com/socialspirituality
What is Catholic Social Teaching?
 Catholic Social Teaching:

 Sums up the teaching of the Church on social
justice issues.
 Brings the light of Gospel to bear on the social
dimension of life.
 Is part of the field of applied moral theology.
 A formal body of modern social teachings

developed during 19th & 20th centuries.
4 Sources
SCRIPTURE
REASON
TRADITION
EXPERIENCE
Scripture
 The roots of Catholic Social Teaching’s vision

of a just society can be found in the Bible.
 Catholics do not read the Scriptures literally,
looking for detailed rules to regulate our
behavior.
 Since Vatican II, Scripture has played a more
prominent role in Catholic Social Teaching.
Reason
 Natural law thinking holds that God’s will can be

discerned by using our reason to examine the
world.
 The philosophical language associated with
natural law thinking has become less prominent
in the post Vatican II teachings.
 Reason continues to play an important role in
Catholic ethics.
Tradition
 Tradition refers to the Church’s previous reflection &

teaching on social issues. It includes:
 Teaching documents by Popes, the Pope in Council,
Bishops, and groups of Bishops (these are known as
the social magisterium)
 The lived witness and writings of the saints, Doctors
of the Church, and great leaders of the Early Church
 Wisdom gathered from the experience of ordinary
Christian communities as they have struggled to
witness to the Gospel in their own times and places.
Experience
 We draw on experience because we believe

that God continues to communicate with us
through the people, places and events of
history.
 We examine social issues by collecting
information using the social sciences and any
other relevant sources of human wisdom.
 Experience is closely connected with both
tradition and reason.
3 Elements
PRINCIPLES FOR REFLECTION

CRITERIA FOR JUDGMENT
GUIDELINES FOR ACTION
Principles for Reflection
 Perennial principles apply in all times and

places.
 International Church documents identify four
perennial principles. Other principles and
criteria may be derived from these key
principles.
 Principles operate at a high level of generality.
 They are the most authoritative element of the
teachings.
Criteria for Judgment
 The criteria for judgment provide ‘middle

axioms’ that relate the principles and
actual social issues.
 They develop from the dialogue of the
principles with reflection on the
experience of different times, places and
issues.
 They are less authoritative than the
principles, but more authoritative than
the guidelines for action.
Guidelines for Action
 These vary for different times and places.
 They involve practical judgments about

socio-economic and political matters.
 Local teachings may give more specific
guidelines for action while the international
teachings tend to be more general.
 This element of the teachings is the least
authoritative, & least binding on consciences.
4 Key Principles
HUMAN DIGNITY
THE COMMON GOOD
SUBSIDIARITY
SOLIDARITY
Human Dignity
 Each person is made in the image and

likeness of God and has an inalienable and
transcendent human dignity which gives rise
to human rights.
 People are always more important than
things. People are never a means or an
instrument to be used for the benefit of
another.
 Each person is equal in dignity and rights, and
every human community, every race and
culture is equal in dignity and rights. We are
one human family because we are all children
of the one God.
Human Dignity
Related Themes Quote

“Respect for the human person
 Unity of the human family entails respect for the rights
that flow from his [sic]
 Defense of life dignity as a creature. These
 Human rights rights are prior to society
and must be recognized by
 Non discrimination it. They are the basis of the
moral legitimacy of every
 Priority of labour over authority; by flouting them,
capital or refusing to recognize
them in its positive
 Integral human legislation, a society
development undermines its own moral
legitimacy ...”
Catechism of the Catholic Church, n 1930
Human Dignity
“People are less important

than the things that give
profit to those who have
political, social, economic
Key Question: power? What point have we
What is happening to come to? To the point that
people? we are not aware of this
dignity of the person …”
Pope Francis, Homily 1 May 2013,
Feast of Joseph the Worker
The Common Good
 We are all really responsible for each other and

must work for social conditions which ensure that
every person and every group in society is able to
meet their needs and realize their full potential.
 Every group in society must take into account the
rights and aspirations of other groups, and of the
well being of the whole human family.
 God intended the goods of creation for the use of
all, and so everyone has a right to access the
goods of creation to meet their needs.
The Common Good
“The dignity of the human

• The universal person requires the
destination of goods pursuit of the common
• Option for the poor good. Everyone should be
• Integrity of creation concerned to create and
• Role of the state support institutions that
• Promotion of peace improve the conditions of
human life.”
Catechism of the Catholic Church, n 1926
The Common Good
“… the Church always works

for the integral development of
every person ... the common
good should not be simply an
Key Questions: extra … tacked onto political
Is every group able to programs. The Church
share in the benefits of encourages those in power to
life in society? be truly at the service of the
Are some groups common good of their peoples
excluded? ... to take account of ethics and
solidarity.”
Pope Francis, address for the New
Non-Resident Ambassadors to the Holy
See,16 May 2013.
Subsidiarity
 Everyone and every group has something to

contribute.
 Responsibility should be kept as close as possible
to the grassroots. The people or groups most
directly affected by a decision or policy should
have a key decision making role.
 More encompassing groups should only intervene
to support smaller, more local groups in case of
need, and where this is necessary in order to
coordinate their activities with those of other
groups in order to promote the common good.
Subsidiarity
“... the principle of subsidiarity

 Participation must be respected: a
 The role of the State community of a higher order
should not interfere in the
 International community internal life of a community
of a lower order, depriving
the later of its functions, but
rather should support it in
case of need and help to
coordinate its activity with
the activities of the rest of
society, always with a view
to the common good.”
John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, n 48
Subsidiarity
“We are speaking about a group

of consultants … a gesture of
great relevance that means to
signal the modality in which the
Key Questions: Holy Father intends to carry out
Who is making the his ministry. We must not forget
decisions? that the first task assigned to the
Can everyone group of eight cardinals is to
participate? assist the Pontiff in the
governance of the Universal
Church.”
Archbishop Angelo Becciu, Substitute of
the Secretariat of State, 1 May 2013.
Solidarity
 Human beings are social by nature – we are made

for relationships.
 We can not survive without others and can only
grow and achieve our potential in relationship
with others.
 Our salvation is bound up with that of each other.
 Solidarity is a firm and persevering determination
to commit oneself to the common good.
Solidarity
 Role of the economy “Today we can say that economic

life must be understood as a
 Integral human multi-layered phenomenon: in
every one of these layers, to
development varying degrees and in ways
 Option for the poor specifically suited to each, the
aspect of fraternal reciprocity
must be present…
Solidarity is first and foremost a
sense of responsibility on the
part of everyone with regard to
everyone and it cannot therefore
be merely delegated to the State.”
Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, n 38
Solidarity
“The Pope loves everyone,

rich and poor alike, but the
Pope has the duty, in Christ’s
name, to remind the rich to
help the poor, to respect
Key Questions: them, to promote them. The
Who do we really care Pope appeals for
about? disinterested solidarity and for
Would we like this to a return to person-centred
happen to us? ethics in the world of finance
and economics.”
Pope Francis, address for the New
Non-Resident Ambassadors to the
Holy See,16 May 2013.
CST Helps Us to Promote Justice by …
 Engaging with the data of human experience.
 Analyzing issues and situations by drawing on

reason and other sources of human wisdom,
such as the social sciences.
 Providing principles and criteria by which to
judge issues and situations and discern
alternative responses.
 Calling us to act for justice and peace.
FOR REFLECTION For each key principle, think of
an example where:
• The principle was
respected or put into
action?
• The principle was not
respected or put into
action?
How might these principles be

better integrated into decision
making in your family, workplace
or community life?

Catholic Social Teaching & Its Key Principles: Sandie Cornish

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Catholic Social Teaching & Its

 What is Catholic Social  3 Elements

 Experience  The Common Good

 Catholic Social Teaching:

 A formal body of modern social teachings

 The roots of Catholic Social Teaching’s vision

 Natural law thinking holds that God’s will can be

 Tradition refers to the Church’s previous reflection &

 We draw on experience because we believe

PRINCIPLES FOR REFLECTION

 Perennial principles apply in all times and

 The criteria for judgment provide ‘middle

 These vary for different times and places.

 They involve practical judgments about

 Each person is made in the image and

Related Themes Quote

“People are less important

 We are all really responsible for each other and

Related Themes Quote

“The dignity of the human

“… the Church always works

 Everyone and every group has something to

Related Themes Quote

“... the principle of subsidiarity

“We are speaking about a group

 Human beings are social by nature – we are made

Related Themes Quote

 Role of the economy “Today we can say that economic

“The Pope loves everyone,

 Engaging with the data of human experience.

 Analyzing issues and situations by drawing on

How might these principles be

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