Catholic Social Teaching:  Life and Dignity of the Human Person

We are created in God’s image! (Genesis 1:26-31) As we gathered at table with family and friends during the holidays, did we see the reflection of God in every person? So too with the family of God…from the unborn child to the frail elderly, from the prisoner on death row to those imprisoned by physical or emotional disabilities, from the hungry child in a war-torn country to the desperate immigrant searching for a new homeland, from neighbors needing rental assistance to the homeless on the street reaching out for a dollar.  Each person has inviolable dignity and is deserving of utmost respect. 

Life and Dignity of the Human Person is the principle which is the center of Catholic Social Teaching. It is the foundation for a moral vision for society. Pope Francis declares, “As a community, we have an obligation to ensure that every person lives with dignity and has sufficient opportunities for his or her integral development.” (Fratelli Tutti, no. 118)

Integral human development promotes the good of every person, addressing both immediate needs and working to end systemic injustices which perpetuate those needs.

This week, let us try to encounter the face of God in a neighbor who lives “on the margins” of our common humanity.  What would it take for this person to live with dignity, as God intended? 

Want to learn more about Catholic Social Teaching? Join the Peace and Justice Committee!
Contact Susan Buerkle 314-707-3227