Lesson 1
Catholic Social Teaching Principle: Life
is sacred, and the dignity of every human
person is to be respected.
World Realities: racism, prejudice,
ethnic hatred; capital punishment;
materialism, unrestrained commercialism and
consumerism; drug trafficking and abuse;
sexism; abuse of women and children.
Lesson 2
Catholic Social Teaching Principle: All
people are equal and have the right and duty
to participate fully in the life of their
community.
World Realities: individualism and lack
of participation in community; class and
economic divisions, stereotyping, and
disenfranchisement; gender discrimination;
ethnic, racial, and religious discrimination;
neglect of immigrants and refugees.
Lesson 3
Catholic Social Teaching Principle: All
people have human rights and also must be
challenged to live up to human
responsibilities.
World Realities: ethnic genocide,
imprisonment of political dissidents, abuse of
prisoners, denial of political and social
freedoms; denial of the human right to food,
to health care, to education, to proper
housing.
Lesson 4
Catholic Social Teaching Principle: We
are called to emulate God by showing a special
preference for those who are poor and weak.
World Realities. neglect of the poor,
elderly, women, and children; lack of
affordable housing and medical care; a growing
gap between impoverished and wealthy people,
and between the rich nations of the Global
North and the developing countries of the
Global South.
Lesson 5
Catholic Social Teaching Principle: We
work to continue the construction of God’s
reign on earth. Work is dignified when workers’
rights are protected and the economy serves
the needs of all people.
World Realities: displacement of people
from their land, widespread unemployment and
underemployment, unjust labor practices, low
wages, sweatshops, child labor; unregulated
business practices (Enron); global systems of
economic injustice such as unjust trade
policies and structures.
Lesson 6
Catholic Social Teaching Principle: We
belong to a global family and are challenged
to love our neighbor as ourselves and to be in
solidarity with our sisters and brothers
around the globe.
World Realities: nationalism and
economic competition, ethnic division,
persecution of minority populations, small-
and large-scale conflicts, gang violence; lack
of knowledge and caring about others’
problems and sufferings.
Lesson 7
Catholic Social Teaching Principle: We
share one planet; we are stewards of God’s
earth and all of creation.
World Realities: environmental
destruction, pollution, global warming, loss
of habitat for creatures and people,
unsustainable consumption of global resources.
