Catholic Social Teaching at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Primary
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.
There are nine principles of Catholic Social Teaching that we share with our children through all that we do - through the curriculum, special events and activities, and through our ordinary actions in school.
At St Mary Magdalene, Catholic Social Teaching is incorporated into our curriculum. Children are asked to put their faith into action and reflect on how their learning enables them to do so. Each collective worship refers to Catholic Social Teaching which helps make the worship relevant to our lives today.
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. 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, across the school.
st mary magdalene cst poster.pdf
Human Dignity – Everyone is Special
God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness.” Genesis 1:26
At St Mary Magdalene we recognise the human dignity of others by:
- being respectful
- treating people equally
- raising awareness of civil rights
- preferential option for the vulnerable
The Common Good– Taking Part in our Communities
All who were together and had all things in common; they would distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Acts 2: 44-45
At St Mary Magdalene we show we are part of a community by:
- working together
- working for the common good
- participating and engaging
- being active members of our community
Participation – The dignity of Work
When each separate part works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up through love. Ephesians 4:16
At St Mary Magdalene we recognise the dignity of work by:
- respecting all workers
- contributing to society
- making responsible economic choices
- supporting wellbeing and workers' rights
- sharing our talents with others
Subsidiarity– All people Should have a Say
Jethro said to Moses, "Let them bring every important case to you but decide every minor case themselves." Exodus 18:22
At St Mary Magdalene we acknowledge our rights and responsibilities by:
- recognising our duties as members of a community
- standing up for what is right
- following our school rules
Stewardship – Caring for God’s Creation and Gifts
The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it. Genesis 2:15
At St Mary Magdalene we show we care for creation by:
- taking responsibility for our environment
- making environmentally responsible choices
- having awe and wonder for the natural world
Solidarity – We are One Big Family
All of you are one in Christ. Galatians 3:28
At St Mary Magdalene we show solidarity by:
- raising awareness of social justice
- writing to our local leaders
- praying for others
- making connections
- making socially responsible choices
Option for the poor – Some People need Extra Help
Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow. Isaiah 1:17
At St Mary Magdalene we show a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable by:
- fundraising for charitable causes
- raising awareness
- treating others with dignity and respect
- thinking of the needs of others
Distributive Justice – Being Fair
A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge. Proverbs 29:7
At St Mary Magdalene we recognise the need to share the world's resources fairly by:
- providing for others who are less fortunate
- by sharing our resources and belongs
Promoting Peace – We can be God’s instruments of Peace
Those who promote peace will have joy. Proverbs 12:20
At St Mary Magdalene we show we are people of peace by:
- treating each other kindly
- turning away from conflict
- creating bonds between people
Catholic Social Teaching resources for children
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Catholic Social Teaching tells us how our Catholic faith guides our actions.
It comes from scripture; letters written by popes and holy people; and the examples set by Christians through history. Jesus tells us to love God and to love our neighbour… every neighbour!
By living out Catholic Social Teaching we can build a world of justice, love and peace, where everyone has what they need.
Pope Francis says “Each of us has a part to play,” and you are probably doing this in your life already!
There are many ways of living out Catholic Social Teaching. - Let’s take a look at these three: Human Dignity, the Common Good and Solidarity.
Human dignity means that everyone is special. We are each beautifully made in the image and likeness of God. Because everyone is special, we should treat every person the way we would like to be treated ourselves.
Common good means that we are called to work for the good of each and all. What we do affects everyone and when we make choices we should think about how it affects others.
Solidarity means that we show that we care for others. We can be better global neighbours by speaking out for justice and working actively for the good of all our sisters and brothers.
We are living out all of these principles of Catholic Social Teaching every day.
By looking after others and the world around us, speaking out for justice and putting Catholic Social Teaching into action we are building a brighter world together.
