An Analysis of Principles of Catholic Social Thought (CST) Concepts

This report provides an overview of the principles of Catholic Social Thought (CST), focusing on key concepts such as the common good, human dignity, and subsidiarity. The analysis explores the interrelation between self and community, emphasizing the importance of individual contributions to societal well-being. The report examines how these principles promote social justice, equality, and the fulfillment of human needs within a community. It also discusses the significance of human dignity in addressing life-related issues and the importance of respecting the rights and responsibilities of every individual within the context of CST. The document highlights the role of subsidiarity in empowering individuals to participate in decision-making processes that affect their lives and emphasizes the importance of collaboration for achieving a shared vision. The report also references several books and journals that provide additional context and support for the principles discussed.

Principles of Catholic Social Thought
(CST)

Table of Contents
ARTICLE.........................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

ARTICLE
Catholic Social Thought means the teachings related with common good and dignity in the
society. It always focuses on creating an equilibrium between subsidiarity and human liberty
and for the interest of whole society (Thomas Massaro, 2015).
Concept of self refers to self-perspective, self-identity. It can be described as a combination of
beliefs about oneself. The term self-concept is different from self-awareness and self esteem. It
is a descriptive concept about one self. Whereas, community refers to the group of people that
are having common religion, norms, customs, values etc. The concept of self and community
are interrelated with each other. Individual is having the power to change norms and culture of
the society according to the behaviour. Community does not exists without individuals.
Dignity of human is something that cannot be taken away by anyone. According to Catholic
Social Teachings, every individual has own value and they must be autonomous from slavery
and exploitation. Catholic Social Thought is based on the idea that people are created in the
picture of god and they inherent the value and distinction. In my view, the dignity of human
beings plays an important role in the issues that relates with start and end of the life.
I also thought that, men, children and women are mostly open to injustice and poverty to and
they should not be encumbered from from living the life with dignity.
The common good refers to all those conditions that allows individuals and groups to attain
their fulfilment easily. Common good does not include sum total of goods related with every
subject of social entity. Belongingness to every person remains common because common good
is indivisible because it can be achieved only in a group. I thought that, common good can be
understood in terms of two dimensions of moral good that are social and community etc. In my
view, individual cannot find satisfaction in himself because human exists with others and for
others. Common good is an essential element for every existing form of social life (Sison,
Ferrero and Guitián, 2016). It means that no form of social life can escape form the thought of
social life such as social groups, associations, family, regions and cities etc. I also believe that,
human beings experience the life with the help of maintaining relationship with others. To work
for achieving common good of people, commitment from every individual is required for

respecting the responsibilities and rights of every one.
Subsidiarity can be described as the rights of every one to participate in various types of
decisions that can impact their lives. These decisions should be taken at proper level by the
individual which will be affected by those decisions. It can also be described as those people
that are having authority are having the responsibility to listen voice of everyone and then take
decision on the basis of common good. In my opinion, collaboration among different groups,
partnerships at different levels including government etc. have to work for achieving shared
vision of the community (Jachtenfuchs and Krisch, 2016).
The dignity of human person helps in understanding oneself as according to this principle every
human being is different and every human being should understand that they are unrepeatable
and inviolable unique. As per this principles, every person is precious therefore individual
should respect themselves as well as other too and should be free from any type of slavery or
exploitation. Secondly it states that individual are not only sacred but also they are social. The
way in which individual organise society in political, legal, economic way directly creates an
impact on human dignity. Therefore it highly depend upon that how the people of society is
creating community. This principles make us aware that individual should participate in society
and should create common good and well being of others especially should for poor and
vulnerable. Lastly subsidiarity helps us to understand that an individual belong to human family
regardless of their economic, racial and ideological differences. An individual should
understand that all humans are brother and sisters keeper (Novak, 2017). Thus individual should
understand that this is our responsibility to love our neighbours and in return understand that we
should also be respected.
5 Catholic social thoughts principles helps to understand community-
The common good, this principle is closely interrelated with human dignity, according to this
principle, each and every person in community have rights to fulfil their needs. Some people do
not satisfied themselves and try to find out the another source of satisfaction like social good.
Subsidiarity, according to this principles, in community all the people have equal rights they
can take participate in group decision and share their feeling and thoughts with other person
effectively. It defines the importance of people in community and its participation in decision
making procedure.
The dignity of human person, according to this principle of catholic social thoughts, each and

every people in community or group is unique and have its own important. All of them is equal
and get the fair treatment without any discrimination.
These principles helps in understanding that there is a direct relationship between self and
community. The reason behind this is that a group of individuals make a community therefore,
as per the human dignity if every individual knows that how their role can impact on society
than it will result the overall society will be impacted. Therefore as individual should contribute
to make better society. Similarly as per common good, these goods are indivisible and are
meant for all therefore individual find satisfaction in living in society which shows that there is
direct relation between community and individual. Lastly subsidiarity shows that it is highly
required by an individual to understand their role in making decision in practices which impacts
society which is possible by group decision therefore it can be said that there is a interrelation
between self and community (Ward, 2018).

REFERENCES
Books and Journals -
Jachtenfuchs, M. and Krisch, N., 2016. Subsidiarity in global governance. Law & Contemp.
Probs.. 79. p.1.
Novak, M., 2017. Catholic social thought and liberal institutions: freedom with justice.
Routledge.
Sison, A.J.G., Ferrero, I. and Guitián, G., 2016. Human dignity and the dignity of work: Insights
from Catholic social teaching. Business Ethics Quarterly. 26(4). pp.503-528.
Thomas Massaro, S.J., 2015. Living justice: Catholic social teaching in action. Rowman &
Littlefield.
Ward, K., 2018. Catholic Social Thought. Proceedings of the Catholic Theological Society of
America, 73.