Catholic Social Teaching
Catholic Social Teaching guides CCRGV’s commitment to human dignity and service.
Explore the seven principles
A faith rooted in love and justice.
Catholic Social Teaching is a central and essential element of our faith. Its roots are in the Hebrew prophets, who announced God’s special love for the poor and called God’s people to a covenant of love and justice. Our commitment to the poor arises from our experience of Christ in the Eucharist.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church calls us to recognize Christ in the poorest (no. 1397) and to share our gifts with those who need them, practicing generosity, kindness and the sharing of goods (no. 1937).
Human dignity is our foundation.
Every human being is created in the image of God and redeemed by Jesus Christ, and is therefore invaluable and worthy of respect as a member of the human family. From conception to natural death, every person has inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with that dignity. Human dignity comes from God, not from a human quality or accomplishment.
Our commitment to the Catholic social mission is rooted in and strengthened by our spiritual lives. In our relationship with God, we experience the conversion of heart needed to love one another as God has loved us.
A guide to living our faith.
Life and Dignity of the Human Person
The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. Human life is directly threatened by abortion, euthanasia and the death penalty. Every person is precious; people are more important than things. The measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.
Call to Family, Community, and Participation
The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize society—in economics and politics, in law and policy—directly affects human dignity and our ability to grow in community. Marriage and the family are central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. People have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking the common good and the well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.
Rights and Responsibilities
The Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity and a healthy community depend on protecting human rights and meeting our responsibilities. Every person has a fundamental right to life and to the things needed for a decent human life. These rights carry corresponding duties and responsibilities to one another, to our families and to the larger society.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
A basic moral test is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marked by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition recalls the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31–46) and calls us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first.
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers
The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a continuing participation in God’s creation. Protecting the dignity of work means respecting workers’ basic rights: productive work, decent and fair wages, the right to organize and join unions, private property and economic initiative.
Solidarity
We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic or ideological differences. We are responsible for our brothers and sisters wherever they may be. Loving our neighbor has global dimensions. The pursuit of justice and peace is at the heart of solidarity. Pope Paul VI taught that if you want peace, work for justice. The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers and to promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.
Care for God’s Creation
We show respect for the Creator through our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is a requirement of our faith, not simply an Earth Day slogan. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.
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