Catholic Social Teaching

Catholic Social Teaching is based on the belief that God has a plan for creation, a plan to build his kingdom of peace, love and justice. Catholic Social Teaching is founded in Scripture and includes statements and letters written by Church leaders, such as the Pope's Encyclicals. It offers wisdom and insights on living the Gospel in today’s world. Jesus tells us to love God and to love our neighbours, especially our sisters and brothers living in poverty. 

It holds that God has a special plan for every single one of us, whoever we are. Our part in this plan isn’t just limited to things ‘spiritual’, or times when we do “religious things.” It involves every aspect of our lives, from the things we pray about, to how we live as a responsible global citizen.

Our part in this story is a vocation for the common good, a call to treat everyone as our brothers and sisters.  It is something that we all share.

The Catholic Church has seven principles of social teaching that we share with our children through all that we do, through the curriculum, special events and activity and through our ordinary actions in school. We have chosen to specifically link four of the Catholic Social Teaching principles to our Mission, thinking about how we 'love, care, share'. (Please see our Mission statement for further details).

At St Joseph’s, these Catholic Social Teaching principles are  incorporated into our curriculum. Children are asked to put their faith into action and reflect on how their learning enables them to do so. Throughout the year, collective worship refers to Catholic Social Teaching which helps make the worship relevant to our lives today. We can link our Virtues, SCARF lessons, RE lessons and RSE lessons all to Catholic Social Teaching.

Catholic Social Teaching underpins the essence of our daily school life. As members of the Catholic Church, we are all called upon to preserve the dignity of all human beings, to care for creation, and to reach out to our sisters and brothers in need. Pope Francis emphasises that it is our duty to work together to bring about a more just and peaceful world: to put love into action. It is vital that our children can articulate the connection between Jesus' teaching and doing good deeds. We use the CAFOD Catholic Social Teaching resources and the animal mascots to support the children’s understanding of the principles.

The principles of Catholic Social Teaching:

LOVE

Human Dignity – Everyone is Special

"God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.“ Genesis 1:26

St Paul tells us that each person "is a work of art, created by God and chosen for a unique purpose".  Ephesians 2:10

Every person is valuable and important just because they are human.

The Catholic Church teaches that each person is made in the image of God. This belief comes from the Bible (Genesis 1:27). Because of this:

·Every life matters — from before birth to natural death

·Everyone deserves respect

·No one should be treated as less important because of race, age, gender, disability, wealth, or background

·People should never be used or treated like objects

Human dignity is the foundation of Catholic Social Teaching. Documents like Rerum Novarum by Pope Leo XIII explain that society should protect workers, the poor, and vulnerable people because of their human dignity.

At St Joseph’s we recognise the human dignity of others by:

• following our motto of 'love, care, share' in all of our interactions with others
• seeing God in everyone we meet
• being respectful
• treating every single person equally, no matter their age, beliefs, gender, orientation or race
• raising awareness of justice
• preferential option for the vulnerable

Every single person matters.
You matter.
Everyone deserves respect and care — no exceptions.

 Solidarity – We are One Big Global Family

"... all of you are one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

"We are a single family dwelling in a common home.” Pope Francis, Fratelli Tutti, 17

We are all connected, and we should care about and help one another.

Solidarity teaches us that we are one human family. So when someone is suffering — whether they are nearby or far away — we shouldn’t ignore it. We should stand with them and try to help.

At St Joseph’s we show solidarity by:

• raising awareness of social justice
• praying for others
• making socially responsible choices
• charitable giving
• Caring about others, not just yourself
• Standing up for people who are treated unfairly
• Helping the poor and vulnerable
• Working together to make the world more just

  Pope John Paul II described solidarity as a firm commitment to the good of all people — not just feeling sorry for others, but actually taking action.

  We’re in this together.
  When someone hurts, we don’t look away — we stand with them and help.

CARE

Stewardship – Caring for God’s Creation and Gifts

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.” Genesis 2:15

"...the world we have received also belongs to those who will follow us.” Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ 

We are responsible for taking care of what God has given us.

This includes:

·The Earth (nature, animals, water, air)

·Other people

·Our talents and abilities

·Money and resources

The Church teaches that the world is a gift from God, and we are caretakers — not owners who can do whatever we want. So we should use things wisely, avoid waste, and protect the environment for future generations.

Pope Francis spoke about caring for “our common home” in his letter Laudato Si', which focuses on protecting the environment and caring for the poor. 

At St Joseph’s we show we care for creation by:

• encouraging recycling and using resources wisely and thoughtfully
• taking responsibility for our environment
• making environmentally responsible choices
• having awe and wonder for the natural world

 Take care of the world.
Take care of people.
Use what you have wisely — don’t waste or destroy it. 

SHARE

Option for the poor –putting the needs of the most vulnerable first

‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Matthew 25:35-40

We should care about and help poor and vulnerable people first.

It doesn’t mean loving them more than others.
It means paying special attention to people who are struggling, because they need the most help.

The Church teaches that when making decisions — in government, schools, businesses, or our own lives — we should ask:

·How will this affect the poor?

·Does this help people who are struggling?

·Are we ignoring those who need support the most?

Pope Francis often spoke about putting the poor at the centre of society and not forgetting people on the “margins.”

At St Joseph’s we show a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable by:

• fundraising for charitable causes
• raising awareness
• treating others with dignity and respect
• thinking of the needs of others
• following our motto of 'love, care, share' in all of our interactions with others
• praying for others, especially those in the most need

If someone is falling behind or being left out, we help them first.
We don’t ignore people who are struggling — we make sure they are cared for.