User:Tjannaya/sandbox/Tjannaya UNCC100

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Nine Principles Of Catholic Social Thought

Catholic Social Thought was constructed by the Catholic Church to represent the ways in which we should live. CST focuses on issues related to poverty, wealth and justice. CST is made up of nine key principles.

1) Life dignity of the human person

The first principle of Catholic social thought is the life and dignity of all individuals, this principle asserts that individuals are deemed as equal no matter what social status, economic status, gender or age they are. Showing respect to all individuals is imperative, because it is linked to the the acknowledgement of the essential dignity individuals have from being made in God’s image. Life and dignity of the human person drives the dynamics of the individual self and his or her relationship with the wider community as everyone is seen as being equally apart of that community. Ethics that are not driven by this idea of respect and dignity of all individuals, means the structure of the community is imbalanced. The essential dignity of all human life is a vital concept for the self worth of individuals and contributes to an ordered and structured community.

2) Stewardship of Creation

As individuals of a community we are called to care for the environment which is given to us as a responsibility under God’s rule. Stewardship of creation allows us to use resources provided by nature but with respect towards those resources as coming from an often fragile environment. Humans are given these resources to provide everyday needs, there are many ways in which the concept of self and community can assist us as we relate to nature and maintain the environment for future generations. As we evolve, our planet’s needs change. Examples of this is recycling and Living sustainability, Education of individuals within the community about biodiversity, biodegradable products and sustainable living, are contemporary examples of stewardship in action.

3) Promotion of Peace

The promotion of peace is an essentially Christian concept that finds its basis in God’s character and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). Peacemakers are individuals who ensure the values of peace in the community are promoted in their everyday lives. These values include justice, human dignity and the liability of the common good. Individuals who relate to the wider community with these values generate greater social engagement, an understanding of other perspectives and better quality of life for everybody. If these values are understood and lived, the concept of peace becomes the practice of peace and every individual within both a subsidiary community and the wider community has potential to benefit. Promotion of peace relates to self and community, as those within the community must participate in the promotion of peace.

4) Universal Purpose of Goods

The concept of universal purpose of goods is understood as Earth’s resources meeting the needs of all individuals.Having access to resources allows individuals to flourish and live out their potential. (Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace [PCJP], 2004). Self and Community can relate to the Universal purpose of Goods, as humans have the right to equally access all resources. The fact that some people are born into wealth and others are born into poverty, simply means those with more should be mindful of their responsibility. The existence of wealth means God’s purpose is to use that wealth for the common good provided the wealthy person lives responsibly under God. An example includes companies such as “thank you” where all profits go towards the poor to allow access to resources.

5) Preferential Option For The Poor

There are individuals within our community who struggle financially and lack certain resources to ease the cost of living. Chris states “when we are talking about preferential option for the poor we are talking about creating a world that is more just.”(Jacobs-Vandegeer, 2013) Preferential Option for the Poor is the key concept of Christian charity throughout our community. A preferential option for the poor is driven by the teachings of the bible. As individuals relating to community we must be aware that the needs of the poor should come before the wants of wealthy individuals. As individuals within a community, we have the responsibility to come together and provide these resources to those with less. Direct action for individuals who give a preference to the poor include charity events within small communities and support for worldwide charities.

6) Common Good

The common Good is to work peacefully and respectfully with others within a society to provide a untroubled atmosphere. Having respect for all can help maintain a well balanced society. Individuals have the responsibly to pursue a common good for one another, and to put the needs of others before their own. The Golden Rule of Matthew 7 and Luke 6, perfectly captures the heart of the God who made us for his purposes: “Do unto to others as you would have them do unto you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” When individuals live like this, the desire to ensure the needs of other individuals are being met before the wants of another person.“Human beings only truly flourish in the context of a community.” (Peace, 2011) As individuals in a community we must help others to gain a greater quality of life through active participation in the common good.

7) Subsidiarity

Subsidiarity is a term that simply means the participation in the local community or organisations linking the web of local communities. Those who are affected by an issue should take part in solving the issues as it relates to them also. Action Institutes States, “a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order…” (Institute, 2016) As individuals within a community, we have the responsibly to make decisions when it comes to the maintenance of our local roads, schools, parks and public places. Local communities should, therefore, be supported by a regional government. Klaus Klipp states that Subsidiarity is “the idea that people take decision on their own lives themselves, that they are not treated as objects…”(BlogactivTV, 2010).

8) Global Solidarity

We have a responsibility to care for everyone no matter their race, gender, age or geographical location. Global Solidarity is recognised as all humans “belonging to one human family.”("Solidarity - Everyone has an obligation to promote the rights and development of all peoples across communities", 2016). Individuals within a community have the responsibility to have a deeper understanding of others and their rights, regardless of any differences. As individuals in a community, we can perform sustainable practices which include purchasing clothing at secondhand stores, buying Australian made products, or products and locally grown produce. The Fair Trade movement is also a good example of Global Solidarity to ensure growers are dealt with justly.

9) Participation

Participation is a vital principle of Catholic Social Thought as participation towards your own community helps build a stronger relationship and bond with everyone within that community, therefore, building a stronger community. Every human has the right to participate in decision making. Participation and subsidiarity come hand in hand, as without participation within their local community, subsidiarity as a principle cannot work. An organisation such as Caritas Australia, helps communities make better decisions for their needs. We as individuals within the community have the responsibility to participate and help maintain a great and strong society. Examples of activities that can help with participation, include joining local social organisations, being part of councils and local unions.

Interrelationship Between Self and Community

Flourishing

The concept of flourishing is for an individual to have met all their needs to sustain happiness and a positive wellbeing. These needs may include, a stable economical status, healthy relationships and a safe environment (CAFOD, 2010).The idea of human flourishing is to live a life that is meaningful and fulfilling rather than finding things that will provide us with only short-term happiness.

Principles of CST, Individuals and Community Flourishing

Human flourishing increases the relationships with all individuals within community, therefore, strengthening the communities flourishing. The “Golden Rule,” is the concept of treating everyone fairly which will increase human flourishing throughout the community. The Golden rule can be connected to all nine principles as we are focused on treating all with the same respect and dignity, and helping others to increase their wellbeing by coming together.(Witenberg, 2015) Through the CST we are strengthening relationships throughout our community.

References

BlogactivTV. (2010, June 16).What is subsidiarity and why is it important? [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFWKUzHO2UE&feature=youtu.be

CAFOD. (2010). Headline findings from a survey of the public conducted on behalf of CAFOD, Theos and Tearfund. Retrieved from http://catholicsocialteachingorg.uk

Institute, A. (2016). Subsidiarity and the Role of Mediating Institutions. Acton Institute. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from http://www.acton.org/public-policy/effective-compassion/catholic-social/subsidiarity

Jacobs-Vandegeer, C. (2013). Chris UNCC 100PROP. ACU.

Peace, C. (2011). Catholics In Coalition for Justice and Peace - About Catholic Social Teaching. Ccjpoz.org. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from http://www.ccjpoz.org/Home/About/About-Catholic-Social-Teaching

Pontifical Council For Justice And Peace. (2004) Compendium of the social doctrine of the church. Retrieved from http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio­ dott­soc_en.html#Origin and meaning

Smith, E. (2016). There's More to Life Than Being Happy. The Atlantic. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/01/theres-more-to-life-than-being-happy/266805/

Solidarity. (2016). Catholic Social Teaching. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from http://www.catholicsocialteaching.org.uk/themes/solidarity/

Solidarity - Everyone has an obligation to promote the rights and development of all peoples across communities. (2016). Caritas.org.au. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from http://www.caritas.org.au/learn/catholic-social-teaching/solidarity

Witenberg, R. (2015). A refugee, like me: why the Golden Rule matters in an era of mass migration. Theconversation.com. Retrieved 1 September 2016, from https://theconversation.com/a-refugee-like-me-why-the-golden-rule-matters-in-an-era-of-mass-migration-50957

Wolfe, N. (2013). UNCC100 STEWARDSHIP OF CREATION. ACU.

External links

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