What Is Catholic Social Teaching?
Catholic social teaching offers a set of guiding principles—Human Dignity, Solidarity, and Subsidiarity—to help us form our conscience and engage with the world in a way that upholds justice and the common good. Because every life has value and is sacred, society has a responsibility to protect and uphold human dignity. These teachings provide a moral framework for how we live, work, and contribute to our communities.
The resources below can help you explore key social issues through the lens of Catholic teaching. As you read, reflect on these topics in light of the Gospel and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance.
Minnesota Catholic Conference (the public voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota)
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
Letter from Pope Francis to the Bishops of the United States
Role of the Church in American Political Life
Catholic Social Teaching in Action
Catholic Relief Services (Foreign Aid Operations)
Catholic Teaching on Immigration
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Click here for the Minnesota Catholic Conference website that allows people to answer the question "Who Represents Me?".
Jason Adkins said that when a representative hears in writing from a constituent about an issue, they multiply that by 10 in estimating how many people care about the topic. For example, if they receive 10 letters about immigration, they assume 100 constituents are struggling with that issue and they direct their efforts toward those policy decisions.
“Conscience is “a judgment of reason” by which one determines whether an action is right or wrong (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1778). It does not allow us to justify doing whatever we want, nor is it a mere “feeling.” Conscience—properly formed according to God’s revelation and the teaching of the Church—is a means by which one listens to God and discerns how to act in accordance with the truth. The truth is something we receive, not something we make. We can only judge using the conscience we have, but our judgments do not make things true. ”