n
light of this reflection on the Scriptures, Catholic Charities reaffirm their commitment to living out the great commandment of Love of God and Love of Neighbor, and as institutions, proudly proclaim their commitment to the
Principles
and
Values
of the Church, which are more fully explained in the sidebars, as well as in more complete form in Appendix A.
“The permanent principles of the Church’s social doctrine [341] constitute the very heart of Catholic social teaching. These are the principles of:
the dignity of the human person
…which is the foundation of all the other principles and content of the Church’s social doctrine;
the common good
[342];
subsidiarity
; and
solidarit
y” (
Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church
, 160).
“Besides the principles that must guide the building of a society… the Church’s social doctrine also indicates fundamental values.” The relationship between principles and values is undoubtedly one of reciprocity, in that social values are an expression of appreciation to be attributed to those specific aspects of moral good that these principles foster, serving as points of reference for the proper structuring and ordered leading of life in society. These values require, therefore, both the practice of the fundamental principles of social life and the personal exercise of virtue, hence of those moral attitudes that correspond to these very values [426]. “All social values are inherent in the dignity of the human person, whose authentic development they foster. Essentially, these values are: truth, freedom, justice, love” [427] ( Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church , 197).
II. Principles of Catholic
Social Teaching
“In fact, the roots of human rights are to be found in the dignity that belongs to each human being [305]. This dignity, inherent in human life and equal in every person, is perceived
and understood
first of all by reason”
(Compendium of the
Social Doctrine of the Church, 153).
A. Human Dignity
Catholic Charities affirm that each person is made in the image of God and has inherent dignity. Each person must be respected from conception to natural death. Each person is endowed with rights and duties. Catholic Charities affirm that each person served and engaged with our work will be held in great esteem and with great respect.
B. Common Good
Catholic Charities affirm that there is a universal destination of all created things, that all persons have the right to access all that they need in order to reach their fulfillment and that all persons have the concurrent obligation to work for the rights of others as well.
“Just as the moral
actions of an individual are accomplished in
doing what is good, so too the actions of a society attain their full stature when they bring about the common good” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, 164).
C. Subsidiarity
Catholic Charities affirm that decisions should be made at the lowest possible level, should involve those who are capable of participation in decision-making and who will be impacted by those decisions, and should empower those who are most in need. Concurrently, we commit to creating and renewing structures and institutions that
provide assistance and aid, as required, appropriate and necessary. Catholic Charities, as members of the civic society, affirm that we should actively
participate in the public discourse at both the national and local community level,
seeking justice for all, but especially for those who have no voice of their own. We
affirm that we should both advocate and serve, advocating both for individuals and for just social structures.
“The characteristic implication of subsidiarity is participation [402],
which is expressed
essentially in a series
of activities by means
of which the citizen,
either as an individual
or in association with
others, whether directly or through representation,
contributes to the
cultural, economic,
political and social life
of the civil community
to which he belongs”
[403] (Compendium of
the Social Doctrine of
the Church, 189).
C. Solidarity with the Poor
Catholic Charities affirm that the most poor and vulnerable persons and families have a special claim to our services and programs.
Catholic Charities affirm that our staff and boards should engage those served to have representative voice in decisions impacting policies and programs. Accordingly, we affirm the need to create structures and processes for obtaining appropriate input from stakeholders.
Catholic Charities commit ourselves to continue to be a voice with poor and vulnerable individuals and families in the public discourse.
“When we attend to the
needs of those in want,
we give them what is
theirs, not ours. More
than performing works
of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice” [392]
(Compendium of the
Social Doctrine of the
Church, 184).
I
