·       This principle is at the center of social justice

·       In the Catholic Social vision the human person is central

·       The clearest reflection of God is among us

·       Each person possesses a basic dignity that comes from God, not from any human quality, accomplishment, race, gender, age or economic status

·       The test of every institution or policy is whether it enhances or threatens human life and human dignity

·       Catholic Social teaching believes that people are more important than things

·       Every stage of life, from womb to tomb is precious and worthy of our respect and protection

·       This respect and protection must occur from conception until natural death

·       Life is to be protected for each stage and development of an individual’s life

·       We must always support a culture of life

·       The person is not only sacred, but social

·       We realize our dignity and rights include a relationship with others in the community

·       The family is at the center of community and is the basic cell of society; it is where we learn and act on our values. It needs to be supported, not undermined

·       We also have the right and responsibility to participate in and contribute to the broader communities in society (for example: voting)

·       A central test of political, legal and economic institutions is what they do to people, what they do for people and how people participate in them

·       Each person has basic rights and responsibilities

·       These include the right and freedom of conscience and religious liberty

·       To raise a family, to immigrate, to live free from unfair discrimination, to have a share of earthly goods sufficient for oneself and one’s family

·       People have a fundamental right to life and to those things which make life truly human – food, clothing, housing, health care, education, security, social services and employment

·       Along with these rights are duties and responsibilities – to one another, to family, and to a larger society

Common Good

·       Working towards the common good mean making choices that are most beneficial for all people involved

·       The Catholic Church teaches that the common good entails three essential elements:

1) Respect for the Person

2) Social Development and Well-being

3) Peace

·       Our government officials must take all of these into account for any moral or social decisions we make

·       The poor and vulnerable have a special place in Catholic Social teaching

·       A basic moral test of a society is how its most vulnerable members are faring

·       The Parable of the Last Judgment (Mt. 25) – our tradition calls us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first

·       We are called to respond to the needs of all our sisters and brothers, and those with the greatest need require the greatest response

·       Creative ways must be sought to expand the emphasis on every individual’s rights and freedoms by ensuring, through societal structures (i.e. government) that the basic requirements for life with dignity are accessible to all

Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

·       Work is more than a way to make a living, it is an expression of our dignity and a form of contributing participation in God’s creation

·       People have the right to decent and productive work, to decent and fair wages, to private property and to economic initiative

·       Workers have the strong support of the Church in forming and joining unions and worker associations of their choosing in the exercise of their dignity and rights

·       In Catholic teaching, the economy exists to serve the people; the people do not exist to serve the economy

·       We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic and ideological differences

·       We are our brother’s and sister’s keepers, no matter where they are in the world (“the global family”)

·       Violent conflict and the denial of dignity/rights of people anywhere on the globe diminish all of us

·       Pope John Paul II expresses the core of the Church’s concern for world peace, global development, environment and international human rights

·       We are called to protect the people and the planet; living in relationship with humanity and the earth

·       We are called to be environmentally aware of what is going on around us (i.e. our consumption and waste)

·       A steward is someone who handles affairs for someone else – God entrusted the earth to Adam and Eve and their offspring

·       We must take care of all of God’s creation and have an “attitude of gratitude” for our providing planet