Principles of Catholic Social Thought

This essay discusses the principles of Catholic Social Thought (CST) including human dignity, global solidarity, and the common good. It explores how these principles relate to the individual and the community, and how CST can be useful in understanding the broader link between self and community.

Running head: PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL THOUGHT
Principles of Catholic Social Thought
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Catholic Social teaching (CST) deals with the catholic doctrines in relation to human
dignity and that of common good in society. It aims to find equilibrium between respect
pertaining to human liberty and consideration of whole society (Novak, 2017).This essay
throws light on the principles of CST called dignity of human person, global solidarity and
the common good. It throws light on how the principles are related to self along with that of
the community. It discusses vividly how CST can be useful in understanding the broader link
between self and community.
Three crucial principles pertaining to CST comprise of dignity of human person,
global solidarity and the common good. Human Dignity acts as the core in relation to CST
that states the fact that human beings has been created in image of God. It highlights on the
fact that every individual in the society is endowed with inherent dignity and that the human
life is sacred. It harps on the fact that all the individuals are equal in the eyes of God as it was
God who created the human beings. The people working together collectively can improve
condition of people in the society and it can be of benefit for the greater world. The
disadvantaged in the society should be provided with the personal possessions and the
resources that can work to the benefit of these communities in the society (Brady, 2017).The
collaboration that various sectors of the community have can help in promoting common
good within the social set up. Global solidarity puts more importance on value of the
individuals in the society and it states that the individuals within the framework of the society
cannot live in the independent manner. Human beings are interdependent things and
interdependence is a factor that should be propagated within the society (Thompson, 2015).
CST can pave the path for understanding oneself in a better light and it can be of great
help for an individual in realizing his identity in the society. An individual can rightly
contribute to social welfare by making use of his complete abilities. An individual can
understand the responsibility both towards his own self and that of the society with the help

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of teachings of CST. An individual takes up the role of brother or that of sister that can help
the society to flourish (Massaro, 2015). CST can enable individuals in recognizing the fact
that the human beings have dignity and their behaviour should be able to protect respect of
individuals in the social set up. Catholic Social Thought states that the individuals should be
capable of making sacrifices in the society that can come to be of great use for the
marginalised people within the society. The principles in relation to catholic social teaching
can provide strength to an individual who can then contribute to well-being of society (Sison,
Ferrero & Guitián, 2016).
Catholic Social Thought can help an individual in getting vivid picture of society and
it suggest that the strengthening of family can help in serving the interest of a large number of
people in the society. It brings to light the fact that family should never be undermined and an
individual should love his or her neighbour that can have greater implications on the society.
The way the society is organized has an effect on human dignity and it can aid in the personal
growth of an individual (Clark, 2014). The strengthening of the social institutions can be
facilitated with the help of CST and the people in the society can seek the common good by
taking recourse to CST. Offering help to other people in the society can help people in
realizing their identity in the society. Everyone should be sensitive to the cause of equality in
the society that can pave the path for a better world. Technology has been instrumental in
making connection and it can help in bringing the people together within the community
(Johnston, 2014).
Principles of CST can be of great use in understanding of deeper relation between
individual and that of the community. It can be seen that when an individual acts along moral
lines then it can pave the path for the prosperity of the entire society. Modern culture can be
said to be one that possesses intense egoism and principles can help in reminding people that
human beings are basically social by nature (Sapena et al., 2018). An individual has capacity

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for growing within the community and it can be sanctified by sharing of common goods. It
can help in the process of enhancing religious and that of sequential good within the
framework of the society. In the event of an individual acting in a responsible manner the
surrounding environment can also develop. Human beings should act as care taker of
universe that can improve the condition of living of people on the face of the earth. Social
justice is an arena of concern for that of the Catholic leaders. Social justice can come to be of
great help in understanding of interdependent relationship which the people have within the
social structure. There exists an African principle that goes like “I am, because we are”.
African philosophical discourse lays great importance on the concept that is called “Ubuntu”
(Sison, Ferrero & Guitián, 2016). It helps in promoting common good that prevails in society.
It brings out the fact that humanness can act as an important element in relation to human
growth. The culture of Africa puts emphasis on the aspect of community that helps in binding
the society together (Eze, 2014). The African culture sates that the individuals comprise to be
an integral part of society that lays emphasis on communalism sensitivity (Massaro, 2015).
The individuals in the social set up has dignity and human life can be said to be sacred
within the society. An individual can understand himself in a better light and it can help an
individual in realizing his complete self. It can help in bringing about improvement in the
society that can encourage individuals in utilizing complete ability. Principles of CST can
strengthen the individuals in working in a moral manner that can improve the condition of the
society.

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References:
Brady, B. V. (2017). Essential Catholic Social Thought 2nd edition. Orbis Books.
Clark, M. J. (2014). The vision of Catholic social thought: The virtue of solidarity and the
praxis of human rights. Fortress Press.
Eze, C. (2014). Rethinking African culture and identity: the Afropolitan model. Journal of
African Cultural Studies, 26(2), 234-247.
Johnston, L. (2014). Catholic Social Thought. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological
Society of America, 69.
Massaro, T. (2015). Living justice: Catholic social teaching in action. Rowman & Littlefield.
Novak, M. (2017). Catholic Social Thought and Liberal Institutions: Freedom with Justice.
Routledge.
Sapena, J., Almenar, V., Apetrei, A., Escrivá, M., & Gil, M. (2018). Some reflections on
poverty eradication, true development and sustainability within CST. Journal of
Innovation & Knowledge, 3(2), 90-92.
Sison, A. J. G., Ferrero, I., & Guitián, G. (2016). Human dignity and the dignity of work:
Insights from Catholic social teaching. Business Ethics Quarterly, 26(4), 503-528.
Thompson, J. M. (2015). Introducing catholic social thought. Orbis Books.