Assignment on Self and Community

Running head: SELF AND COMMUNITY
SELF AND COMMUNITY
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

SELF AND COMMUNITY1
The foundation of Catholic Social Thoughts was to help purify reason and help to
contribute to acknowledge and attain of the just things (Byron, 1999). I have always been
taught that Catholic Social Thoughts rests on “threefold cornerstones” which are solidarity,
human dignity and subsidiarity. Their doctrines have always endeavoured to find an
equilibrium between respect for the liberty of humans, their right to subsidiarity and private
property, and concern for the society as a whole that would include all individuals ranging
from the weakest and the poorest to the wealthiest and the most powerful (Stabile, 2006). The
Catholic Social Thought has nine principles which addresses the aims of tits doctrines; these
nine principles are: “The Dignity of the Human”, “the Common Good”, Subsidiarity,
“Preferential Option for the Poor”, Participation, Solidarity in the World, “Universal Purpose
of Goods”, “the Promotion of Peace” and the “Stewardship of Creation” (Bainbridge, 2004).
Catholic Social Thought’s principle of Human Dignity states that every individual tends
to possess the dignity of a human who is capable of self- possession, self-knowledge and is
also capable to freely give themselves an enter in communion with other people (Brady,
2017). The principle of common good and solidarity indicates the firm determination to
commit the self into the common good and not show just a vague compassion at the other’s
misfortune. Even in the Christian doctrine’s view, that I have been taught right from my
childhood states that solidarity is a fundamental trait that flows from faith and each human is
connect to one another and dependent on all of the humanity individually as well as
collectively (Boswell, McHugh, McHugh & Verstraeten, 2000). The principle of subsidiarity
is based upon the dignity and autonomy of human beings; it emphasizes on the significance
of small or medium sized institutions/ communities and more. The principle of charity is
from where all the responsibility and commitment is spelt out by Christian doctrines giving
real substance to an individual’s relationship with God. This principle was chosen to avoid a
degrade of the generation into a sentimentality void of love. Charity or the “preferential

SELF AND COMMUNITY2
action for the poor”, should be carried out with truth so that the concept of love is not lost and
also that it would be able to reflect the personal yet public dimension of faith.
The principle of “universal purpose of goods” is meant to be a reminder for the humans
that all the goods that are created are meant for the use of the whole humankind; this
principle also recognises an individual’s right to their private property. The principle of
promotion of peace can be carried out by following the social justice through positive
distributism of social and economic structures. The principle of Participation states that,
every individual has their own part to play in their communities that they have to recognise
and execute. Finally, the principle of “Stewardship of Creation” is meant to guide the people
and remind the that human beings are the ones who can take care of the world and are thus
responsible for doing so.
Catholic Social thoughts are basically the Catholic doctrines on subject of human
dignity and also the common good present in the society (Wishloff, 2004). The ideas in this
thought address the oppression, the state’s role, social organization, subsidiarity, concerns
about the social justice and also issues in terms of unequal wealth distribution (Waters, 1961).
The foundation of Catholic Social thoughts is assumed to be have been laid in an encyclical
letter in the year 1891 Rerum Novarum (Zamagni, 2010). This letter aimed to advocate the
distributism of the economy (Finn, 2010). For me, I think it is essential that the principles are
to be remembered by every person in the world to have a peaceful ambience all around with
faith and love at its centre. I participate in a virtual community, where I believe these
principles are evident and is utilised as a guide for executing responsibilities that every
individual is meant to be aware of. Basically, a virtual community is a kind of a social
network where individuals are connected through some specific platform of social media
which can be based on a local or limited geographical boundaries or cross the boundaries in
order to carry on some mutual goals or interests. I belong to a virtual community that is a