Catholic social teaching

Catholic social teaching applies Gospel values such as love, peace, justice, compassion, reconciliation, service and community to modern social problems. It continually develops through observation, analysis, and action. It is intended to guide not just Catholics, but all people of goodwill in responding to social problems of our ever-changing world.

The core principles of Catholic social teaching that guide Caritas work are:

Human Dignity

Every person is created in the image of God and is therefore invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. The dignity of the person recognises that each person has rights that can’t be taken away – political, legal, cultural, social and economic rights.

Preferential Protection for the Poor and Vulnerable

Our Catholic tradition calls on us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first. Caritas works with communities who experience poverty, injustice and oppression regardless of their religious, political or cultural beliefs.

'The joys and the hopes, the grief and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the grief and anxieties of the followers of Christ.'
– Guadium et Spes (1)

Solidarity

Caritas stands alongside poor and marginalised communities in solidarity, uniting with them in prayer, making their causes our own, sharing our resources, supporting them in their advocacy and challenging the policies and systems that foster inequalities.

Subsidiarity

In places where we work, we seek to honour the autonomy of local communities, encouraging shared initiatives that allow people to direct their own development process.  Overseas, we will enter into local partnerships and strive to provide creative assistance for community identified needs.

Stewardship

We strive to be good stewards of all the resources entrusted to us. We work for the integrity of creation in ways which assist the world’s poorest communities to have access to a greater share of resources, encouraging sustainability and equity, while demonstrating a deep respect for the environment and acknowledging our interconnectedness with all created things.

More info

For an introduction to Catholic social teaching, visit faith doing justice – a website of the Australian Jesuits.

For a comprehensive guide to the full scope Catholic social doctrine, go to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church published in 2004 by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace at the Vatican.