The Catholic social thought (CST) comprises of principles that portray a society that embraces justice and at the same time offers an approach that will lead to achieving a just society in the long run. These principles outline the measures needed in making prudent judgments and giving appropriate directions for the existing course of action. This paper will analyze the basic principles of Catholic social thoughts while explaining the meaning and there significant. These CST principles include promotion of vulnerable, participation and subsidiary, rights and responsibilities, human dignity and community as well as the common good. I this article I will analyze human dignity, solidarity, the common Good and subsidiarity principles.
Key words: CST, subsidiarity, dignity, solidarity
Catholic Social Thoughts
Human Dignity
The current world is filled with people who are more concerned with material things and have no respect for human life; the Catholic is fighting aggressively to restore back a society that considers human life as sacred. The human dignity is the primary foundation of a morally upright society. The Catholic Church believes that human life is sacred, and the intrinsic dignity is the basis of their teachings. Practices such as abortion and euthanasia that are gaining acceptance in our society are putting human life at risk. Death penalty and some scientific innovations like cloning and embryonic stem cell research have set the value of human life in jeopardy.
The church reminds us of our role in protecting human life and in maintaining peace all the time. Human dignity principle teaches us that every individual is valuable and every institution has a duty of ensuring that it is enhancing the dignity and life of human beings. “The social doctrine of the church recognizes the sacred dignity of human beings and hold to the notion that each human person in spite of age, citizenship, race, religion, sex,” (Sharkey, 2012) economic status, achievement and other characteristics that might be causing difference has dignity and it must be respected unconditionally. It is only through recognizing of the transcendent dignity that the vision of achieving a just society can become a reality.
The holy bible states that God created man in his image and in each human being there is an image of a living God. From this belief, we get two notions the notion of equality and that of relationship. The human dignity requires equal treatment since in God's creation what matters is human nature and not other human attributes, and therefore no one should feel more superior to the other (Tablan, 2014). The notion of relationship, on the other hand, emphasizes the significance of people living in a community. Although individuals have dignity, the idea of relationship discourages people from perpetuating individualism but instead embrace the spirit of living as a community. From a Christian point of view, God is a Trinitarian and loves communion.
Common Good
The principle is fundamental in the Catholic social thought as it involves the advancement and recognition of the dignity of the humans. According to Gaudium et Spes, it refers to "the total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily" (Childs & Forell, 2013). In promoting this principle CST requires that every human institution must aim at promoting the dignity of human person, bodily integrity, the basic rights to life, and appropriate development of human life.
The goodness of a person is directly related to the well being of other people. Human beings will only prosper in a perspective of a community. The good of each person is experienced when everybody in the community is also flourishing. While the government must protect the common good, human beings also have an obligation of contributing to the common good and ensure life will prosper smoothly. "This is the notion that God destined the earth and all it contains for humans and intended that all created things will be shared fairly by all" (Hobgood, 1991). The Catholic social thoughts prohibit exclusion of any individual or group from getting the common good necessary to joining in the life of a community.
Subsidiarity
In 1931 the Pope Pius expressed the principle as among the major themes of social teachings of the Catholic Church that were permanent. This principle states that no society or state has a right to substitute for the responsibilities and initiatives of people or the immediate communities or prevent them from enjoying their freedom. The principle of subsidiarity prefers addressing individuals' social needs efficiently and at the lowest organizational level possible. Subsidiarity suggests that for the government to perform its functions efficiently it need to carry out these functions at the lowest level possible. In finding solutions to the current problems in the community, it is essential to utilize entities that are nongovernmental such as voluntary associations, family, church or community groups.
This principle also recognizes the relationship that exists between self and community; Catholic social thoughts identify participation as an attribute of subsidiarity. Participation is a simple form of empowering people to take part in the life of their community. The role of the society is to ease the development of individuals and at the same time help them to achieve their aspirations. Pope John the XXIII emphasized this when he warned governments against interfering with the development of individuals' personalities. He instead encouraged the government to aim at enhancing individual development and freedom but should facilitate it while urging them to actively take part in the process of putting their lives in order. The empowerment of individuals is essential not only for a human person but also for a healthy society.
Solidarity
This principle recognizes importance of interdependence and relationship in the existence of human. According to the Catholic teachings whatever ethnic, national, ideological or racial difference we have we are still one human family. The culture of loving our neighbors has a far-reaching impact in an independent world. Solidarity is significant in shaping an individual's character hence transforming interdependence into an obligation of achieving a common good. Solidarity makes it possible for people to be committed to the common good of all. The Catholic social teachings demand us to promote peace as it is the best way of caring and showing love for our brothers and sisters.
Conclusion
The Catholic social teaching recognizes that individual and community are interdependent and by pursuing common good for all a just community can be achieved. The human dignity requires equal treatment since in God's creation all that matters is human nature, not other attributes hence the attitude of some people feeling superior to others should not be tolerated. The teaching in the principle of subsidiarity encourages participation which enhances mutual co-existence in the community. Empowerment is significant not only for individual development but also for the development of a healthy society.
References
Childs, J., & Forell, G. (2013). Christian Social Teachings. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.
Hobgood, M. (1991). Catholic Social Teaching and Economic Theory. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Sharkey, S. (2012). Sociology and Catholic Social Teaching. Lanham: Scarecrow Press.
Tablan, F. (2014). Catholic Social Teachings: Toward a Meaningful Work. Journal of Business Ethics, 128(2), 291-303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10551-014-2104-0
