Catholic Social Teaching

Catholic Social Teaching is based on the belief that God has a plan for creation, a plan to build his kingdom of peace, love and justice.

It holds that God has a special plan for every single one of us, whoever we are. Our part in this plan isn’t just limited to things ‘spiritual’, or times when we do “religious things.” It involves every aspect of our lives, from the things we pray about, to how we live as a responsible global citizen.

Our part in this story is a kind-of vocation for the common good, a call to treat everyone as our brothers and sisters. It is something that we all share.

The Catholic Church has seven principles of social teaching that we share with our children through all that we do, through the curriculum, special events and activity and through our ordinary actions in school.

Catholic Social Teaching underpins the essence of our daily school life. As members of the Catholic Church, we are all called upon to preserve the dignity of all human beings, to care for creation, and to reach out to our sisters and brothers in need.

Pope Francis emphasises that it is our duty to work together to bring about a more just and peaceful world: to put love into action. It is vital that our children can articulate the connection between Jesus' teaching and doing good deeds. We use the CAFOD Catholic Social Teaching resources and the animal mascots to support the children’s understanding of principles.

The animal mascots are used with EYFS, KS1 and Lower KS2. The keys are introduced in the resources for Upper Key Stage 2.

We are called to uphold the principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

Human Dignity – Everyone is Special

St Paul tells us that each person is a work of art, created by God and chosen for a unique purpose. Ephesians 2:10

At St Francis we recognise the human dignity of others by:

· being respectful

· treating people equally

· celebrating each person's unique gifts and talents

· showing kindness and compassion to everyone

The Common Good – Taking Part in our Communities

"You are not making a gift of your possessions to the poor person. You are handing over to them what is theirs." St Ambrose (340-397 AD)

At St Francis, we work for the common good by:

· working together

· being active members of our school community

· including everyone and valuing their contributions

· helping others to flourish and succeed

Participation – The Dignity of Work

Do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honour. (James 3:17)

At St Francis, we encourage participation by:

· respecting the views of others

· taking part in school life

· contributing to our community

· supporting each other to achieve our goals

· sharing our talents with others

Subsidiarity – All People Should Have a Say

Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right- Psalm 106:3

Fear not for I am with you. I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

At St Francis, we make sure everyone has a say by:

· listening to the voices of children

· involving pupils in decision-making

· encouraging independence and responsibility

· valuing everyone's contributions

Stewardship- Caring for God's Creationand Gifts

The ecological crisis is also a summons to profound interior conversion…Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience. Pope Francis - Laudato Si

At St Francis we care for God's gifts by:

· taking pride in our school environment

· reducing waste and recycling responsibly

· protecting and respecting the natural world

· making choices that help care for our planet

Solidarity – We are One Big Family

Blessed Pope Paul VI taught that "If you want peace, work for justice". The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers.

At St Francis we show solidarity by:

· supporting local and global charities

· welcoming everyone into our school family

· learning about the needs of others

· standing up for fairness and justice

Option for the poor – Some People Need Extra Help

‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Matthew 25:35-40

At St Francis we put the needs of the most vulnerable first by:

· fundraising for charitable causes

· raising awareness of local and global issues

· showing kindness and compassion to others

· sharing what we have with those in need

Distributive Justice – Being Fair

‘We are agreed today that the earth is essentially a shared inheritance, whose fruits are meant to benefit everyone.’ Pope Francis, Laudato Si’

At St Francis we share God's gifts fairly by:

· celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight

· learning about how trade can help communities around the world

· sharing our resources with others

· treating everyone fairly and with respect

Promoting Peace – We can be God's instruments of Peace

“Our common bonds of humanity demand that we live in harmony and that we promote what is good for one another. These ethical implications are the reason why solidarity is a basic key to peace.” St John Paul II

At St Francis we can build peace by:

· showing kindness and understanding to others

· resolving conflict peacefully

· building positive relationships with others

· bringing people together as one school family

Catholic Social Teaching in 3 minutes - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELyLdMlFdzA

Catholic Social Teaching Animation for children - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLHvosRUfQc