The Principles of Catholic Social Traditions

This article discusses the principles of Catholic Social Traditions and their impact on society. It covers participation, preferential option for the poor, promotion of peace, and stewardship of creation. The article also explores the interrelationship between self and community and how it affects the success of a society.

Running head: THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADITIONS 1
The Principles of Catholic Social Traditions
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THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADITIONS 2
Introduction
Catholic Social Thought (CST) principles are based on the fact that human beings have been
created as social beings and are always depending and relating with one another (Sayadat &
International Islamic University Malaysia,2016). These principles are said to have been derived
from documents written by the pope, conciliar documents and other reports from conferences
that took place in the past. It is vital to note that these principles can only be understood best by
studying the foundations of the principles in bible scriptures and from lives of people in the
Christian religion. Consequently, these principles have continued to develop both theoretically
and practically over the years (Sharkey, 2012). According to research, catholic agencies serve
people from all races and religion equitably and their mission is founded on the principles
discussed below;
1) Participation.
A human being is both sacred and social. This principle states that the manner in
which the society is organized in economics, politics, laws and policies has a direct
impact of human beings and their ability to grow and advance in the society (Massaro,
2008). Subsequently, the institutions of marriage and family play a central role and must
therefore be strengthened and not destabilized. Strong families help to build strong
societies.
It is also vital to note that the catholic agencies believe that human beings have a
right and obligation to be involved in activities in the society and seek the welfare of all
people with an emphasis on the underprivileged and the susceptible (Alford & Naughton,
2001). This teaching is against collectivism tactics such as communism while at the same
rejecting unlimited policies and the free market policy

THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADITIONS 3
2) Preferential option for the poor.
The catholic teachings state that understanding and knowing how the most
vulnerable members in the society are faring on is the basic moral test (Klein & Laczniak,
2009). In a society where there are divisions between the poor and rich calls for
reevaluation since its likened to the story of the last judgment in Mathew 25:32-46. The
story instructs all people in the society to care for the needs of the poor first.
3) Promotion of peace.
Peace is regarded as a positive oriented concept. According to Pope John Paul II,
peace is not just the absence of war but it involves aspects of confidence among people
and nations and also mutual respect. The catholic teaching indicates that peace and justice
are intertwined since peace involves both collaborations and binding agreements. Peace is
also considered the fruit of justice.
4. Stewardship of creation
It is a command from God to take care of the environment. The catholic tradition
states that human beings are to show respect and reverence for God by being good
stewards of His creation as this is a requirement of faith (Congress, Luks, & Petit, 2017).
As a result, human beings are required to live harmoniously with the entire creation. This
is an essential moral obligation that should be observed by all people.
Interrelationship between self and community
It is evident that the relationship between individuals and the society is described in the
catholic social tradition principles. This relationship is common all over the world. Ubuntu is an
African word that explains the significance of being in a community (DeBerri, Hug, Henriot &

THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADITIONS 4
Schultheis, 2003). The word is explained as, “I am because we are.” All the CST principles
indirectly emphasize that a human being is required to be in a community for personal benefits
and that of others. The success of a community is an integral part of individual development in
that human behavior has a direct impact on the overall structure and behavior of the society.
Research states that without authentic and appropriate integration of individuals into the society,
creating a trustworthy, meaningful and collaborative society becomes difficult (Sharkey, 2012).
The principle of participation explains that each person has a personal responsibility to
support family and marriage institutions. This is because they have an impact on the
psychological, emotional, spiritual and social aspect of human beings and in turn affect their
behaviors (Curran, 2002). Additionally, this principle underscores that a society is made up of
individual human beings and therefore; for society activities to be successful, human
participation is inevitable. It is also vital to note that it is individuals who pair up to form
marriages and therefore are required to accommodate each other to ensure the well being of other
people in the society.
The value of humans proclaims that the rights of people need to be protected. This is to
mean that the violation of one person’s rights is equivalent to the violation of societal rights
(Curran, 2002). This is because all human beings are equal and are both formed in the image of
God. It is evident that when individual people have a right to ownership of property, it is
beneficial to the society. For example, when an individual owns a hospital or a school, it
becomes beneficial as a social amenity.
The principle of promotion of peace is vital in ensuring growth and expansion of the
society at large. This principle is interrelated to every individual in that mutual respect and honor
in society promotes a positive impact on productivity and harmony (DeBerri, Hug, Henriot &

THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADITIONS 5
Schultheis, 2003). For example, people living in the same society can improve their welfare if
there is peace among them. This is because each individual has values for others in the society.
Conclusion
The catholic tradition has successfully developed answers to challenging problem around
the world. This has created a relationship between individuals and the society. This has ensured
that each entity takes care of the other because of the interdependence that emanates from them.
It is therefore evident that the success of a society depends on the success of the people.

THE PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TRADITIONS 6
References
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DeBerri, E. P., Hug, J. E., Henriot, P. J., & Schultheis, M. J. (2003). Catholic social teaching:
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