Catholic Social Teaching
I. The Catholic Church has always taught that the human person, being made in the image and likeness of God, has inherent dignity, value and worth which ought to be recognized, respected, and defended. This is what lies at the heart of the respect we owe one another as persons.
II. The Church has always taught that life is sacred, from the moment of conception, to natural death, and at every stage in between. It is why the Church fights for the rights of the unborn, the elderly, the sick, the poor, immigrants, the hungry, homeless, and those in prison. The Church has always taught that the command to "master" creation in Genesis is a task to be "stewards", "caretakers" & "caring shepherds" of creation, not "owners" - because only God "owns" the world. Our care for the earth is rooted in this mission to be God's helpers.
IV. This is why the Church encourages all Catholics, laity and clergy alike, to be actively involved in the social, economic and political life of their society. It is about sharing the values, principles and ideals rooted in the teachings of Christ in the Gospel.
V. At the heart of the Church's teaching on the "preferential option for the poor" is the conviction that love, generosity, compassion, and justice are values dearest to God's heart, and also our own, and that life truly finds fulfillment and meaning when we share our blessings.
VI. The Church has always challenged believers to make choices that will promote and protect the common good. It encourages us to "have a care" for the good of all and to show compassion, solicitude and concern for each human person, but most especially the most vulnerable among us.
VII. The Church has always taught that the command to "master" creation in Genesis is a task to be "stewards", "caretakers" & "caring shepherds" of creation, not "owners" - because only God "owns" the world. Our care for the earth is rooted in this mission to be God's helpers.
VIII. This principle puts a proper limit on government by insisting that no higher level of organization should do what can be handled efficiently & effectively at a lower level by human persons who, individually or in groups, are closer to the problems and closer to the ground.
IX. Treating equals equally is a way of defining justice, understood as "rendering to each his due." Underlying this principle is the simple idea of fairness. One of the earliest ethical stirrings felt in the maturation of a person is a sense of what's "fair" and what isn't.
X. The Church has always championed the dignity of man and his right to pursue the best, not just for himself but for others. This is what the Common Good seeks to secure: that everyone shares, not just in the responsibility of building a better society, but in its many blessings.
