SYNOPSIS OF PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING

    Dignity of the Human Person.  All people are a reflection of the image of God, and thus all human life, at all stages from conception through death, is sacred.  The basic didnity that each person possesses comes from God; therefore all discrimination is wrong.  People take precedence over things and structures.  Systems are meant to serve people, not vice versa.

    Community and the Common Good.  The mystery of the trinity involves the relationship of complete love amount the three divine persons -Father, Son and Holy Spirit- in one God.  As persons made in God's image, we must model God's self-giving love.  Hence the human person is both sacred and fundamentally social.  In community we realize the fulfillment of our dignity and rights in relationship with and to others.

    Rights and Responsibilities.  People have basic rights and responsibilities because of their human dignity that reflects the fact that they have been created in God's image.  Catholic teaching emphasizes that people have a right to life and to the basic necessities that provide quality to life: food, shelter, health care, education, and employment.  We are called to respect the rights of others and to seek the common good.

    Option for and with the Poor.  The gospel calls Christians to put the needs of the poor first.  A common moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable people.  Wherever there is structural injustice, Christians are called to oppose it.  Those With the greatest need require the greatest response. 

    Dignity of Work.  Work is an expression of our dignity and of our involvement in God's creation.  People have a right to decent work, fair wages, and private property.  The economy exists to serve people, not vice versa.

    Solidarity.  We are all one human family in the world.  Because we realize our dignity, rights, and responsibilities, in relationship with others we need to continue to build a community that empowers people to attain their full human potential.  By working for justice, we fulfill our mandate to build the body of Christ.