The 7 Key Themes of Catholic Social Teaching: 2 - Family, Community, and the Call to Participation

From the Social Concerns Ministry.

As practicing Catholics, we are called to care especially for the dignity of the human person from conception to the end of natural life. We are called to tend to the poor, care for our environment, ensure just working conditions for all and to work towards a social and economic system that treats all people with dignity and equal justice. These key principles help form our consciences and are a guide for us whenever we make choices in our lives.

Starting in the month of April, the Social Concerns Ministry started sharing some background, reflections, and witnessing about these key principles; each month will feature one of these 7 themes until all are addressed. These principles are the foundation for all of the many ministries here at St. Thomas that address immediate needs of our community, as well as how we think about the many issues we face in our families, communities, and the world at large. We started with the foundational principle: Life and Dignity of the Human Person. For the month of May, we are focusing on the 2nd Principle: Family, Community, and the Call to Participation

According to the US Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB):

“The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society—in economics and politics, in law and policy—directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially the poor and vulnerable.

Please visit the Social Concerns Ministry page for the scriptural and Catholic traditions from which this principle flows, for a listing of the 7 Principles, and for more on this Theme.