Catholic social teaching

• Catholic Social Teaching


  At the heart of Catholic social teaching is human dignity. Catholics believe that humans were created in the image and likeness of God, and that each

  human life is sacred. Peace and reconciliation are at the heart of the gospel. Catholic social teaching condemns the arms trade and supports those who

  refuse to take up arms on grounds of conscience. Catholic social teaching also means caring for the common good and inspires interfaith dialogue and

  Catholic charities.
• Interfaith Dialogue

  Catholics believe they have a duty to put across the Gospel message. They believe non-Christian religions have some truth, but only Christianity has the

  whole truth. Other religions should be respected. All people are created in the image of God. The Popes have spoken out about the importance of

  respect and tolerance between different faiths. The Vatican II Council stressed the importance of dialogue with Jews and Muslims.
• CAFOD was started by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales in 1962
• Promotes long-term development so that less-developed countries can support themselves
• CAFOD has a disaster fund to help natural disasters and refugees
• Emergency aid

  • Sending food
  • Sending medicines
  • Sending shelters
  • Sending blankets
  • Sending food to war refugees
• CAFOD's budget

  5 per cent is spent on educating the people and churches of England and Wales about the need for development and the ways in which Catholics can help less-developed countries
• CAFOD works for social justice challenging unfairness and tries to bring an end to poverty
• St Vincent de Paul Society

  An organisation of Catholics who try to help those in need in the UK
• Activities of St Vincent de Paul Society

  • Helping the lonely or bereaved and the housebound
  • Visiting individuals and families
  • Visiting the sick at home or in hospitals and hospices
  • Visiting residential homes and to offenders’ institutions
  • Visiting housebound elderly people to prevent them from feeling isolated
  • Organising children’s camps for children from poor or troubled homes
  • Holiday schemes to provide a break for family carers
  • Giving poor families a holiday or a break
  • Fundraising in schools with groups such as the mini-Vinnies