B.

PRINCIPLES OF THE SOCIAL

TEACHINGS OF THE CHURCH
B.1 HUMAN
DIGNITY

• The human person is at the

center of our talk about
social, political and economic
progress.
• In his original vocation, man,
placed at the center of God’s
creation, is ordered towards
serving the whole of creation
instead of abusing them.
B.2. COMMON GOOD

It is the “sum total of social

conditions which allow people
either as groups or as individuals
to reach their fulfillment more
fully and more easily”
(GS, 26 and CSDC, 164)

It is the Church’s response to both the

extremes of any form of totalitarianism
and of a kind of individualism.
 B.3. UNIVERSAL
DESTINATION
OF GOODS

This principle:
• Calls to facilitate the conditions
necessary for integral human
development
• Reminds us of our responsibility
to look after the decency of life
of other people and the
provision of their basic needs
• Reminds us of the legitimacy of
our private properties but only
as a means
 B.4. SUBSIDIARITY

• The Superior order must adopts

attitudes of HELP (support,
promotion, development) with
respect to lower-order societies.

• This is the Church’s alternative to

imperialism, totalitarianism, and
managerialism.
B.5. PARTICIPATION
It is a direct consequence of the principle of
subsidiarity and the practice of social inclusion.
B.6. SOLIDARITY
• Firm and persevering
determination to commit
oneself to the common good,
not a mere feeling of vague
compassion of shallow distress
(CSDC, 193)

• Church’s response to growing

culture of apathy and
indifference.
C. FUNDAMENTAL VALUES OF
SOCIAL LIFE
 C.1. TRUTH
Part of our Christian
vocation is to speak the
truth even during those
moments when being
truthful is inconvenient
and difficult.
We are called to
proclaim the
message of Christ
within a culture of
openness and
dialogue that
remains faithful
to the demands of
justice and truth.
C.2. FREEDOM
• Freedom is the highest sign in man of his being
made in the divine image and consequently, is a
sign of the sublime dignity of every human
person. CSDC, 199

• Christian freedom is aware

of its limitations and
responsibility.

• Its expression is limited by

the moral order.
C.4. JUSTICE AND LOVE

• Christian justice is
transformational and
liberative.
• Justice has to lead to the
CONVERSION of both the
victim and the
oppressor; but
CONVERSION is best
guaranteed by the act of
love.
C.4. JUSTICE AND LOVE

Following the social teachings of the

Church, we can affirm the following:

1. It is true that the world is not a

perfect place.
2. The Human Person is by nature good,
and such goodness could never be
totally corrupted.
3. There is the invitation to continuously
attempt to build a CIVILIZATION of
love and make our world a better
place to live in.