Social Justice at St. Mary Church

Seven Key Themes of Catholic Social Teaching:

 Life and Dignity of the Human Person—All social laws, practices, and institutions must protect, not undermine, human life and human dignity—from conception through natural death.

Call to Family, Community, and Participation—Government has the mission of protecting human life, promoting the common good of all persons, and defending the right and duty of all to participate in social life.

 Rights and Responsibilities—The right to life is fundamental and includes a right to food, clothing, shelter, rest, medical care, and essential social services.  Every person has the right to raise a family and the duty to support them.  Human dignity demands religious and political freedom and duty to exercise these rights for the common good of all persons.

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable—Giving priority concern to the poor and the vulnerable strengthens the health of the whole society.  The human life and dignity of the poor are most at risk.  The poor have the first claim on our personal and social resources.

The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers—Workers have rights to decent work, just wages, safe working conditions, unionization, disability protection, retirement security, and economic initiative.  The economy exists for the human person; the human person does not exist for the economy.  Labor has priority over capital.

 Solidarity—Solidarity recognizes that the fates of the peoples of the earth are linked.  Solidarity requires richer nations to aid poorer ones, commands respect for different cultures, demands justice in international relationships, and calls on all nations to live in peace with each other.

 Care for God’s Creation—Humans are part of creation itself, whatever we do to the earth we ultimately do to ourselves.  We must live in harmony with the rest of creation and preserve it for future generations.