Catholic Social Teaching Flashcards

Which papal encyclical, issued by Pope Leo XIII in 1891, is widely considered the foundational document of modern Catholic Social Teaching?

Answer: Rerum Novarum

Rerum Novarum ('On the Condition of Labor') addressed workers' rights, just wages, and the proper relationship between labor and capital in industrialized society.

What is the principle of 'subsidiarity' in Catholic Social Teaching?

Answer: Decisions should be made at the lowest competent level of authority closest to the people affected

Subsidiarity holds that social and political issues should be dealt with at the most immediate, local level consistent with their resolution.

What does the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the 'universal destination of goods' teach?

Answer: The goods of creation are intended for all humanity, not just those who possess them

This principle holds that while private property is legitimate, the goods of the earth are ultimately destined for the benefit of all people.

Which principle of Catholic Social Teaching emphasizes that human dignity must be at the center of all social, economic, and political life?

Answer: Human Dignity

Human Dignity is the foundational principle of Catholic Social Teaching, holding that every person is made in the image and likeness of God and deserves respect.

What does Catholic Social Teaching mean by 'solidarity'?

Answer: A firm commitment to the common good and to the welfare of all, especially the poor

Solidarity expresses the social nature of humanity and the moral obligation to work for justice and the integral development of all people.

In Catholic Social Teaching, what is meant by the 'preferential option for the poor'?

Answer: Social and moral decisions should give priority to the needs and perspective of those who are poor and vulnerable

The preferential option for the poor calls Catholics to evaluate social decisions by their impact on the most vulnerable, not as exclusive focus but as moral priority.