Catholic Social Teaching
Catholic Social Teaching at St Alphonsus RC primary School
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) tells us how our faith guides our actions, based on the belief that God has a plan for creation, a plan to build his kingdom of peace, love and justice. It is rooted in scripture and comes from letters written by popes and holy people and examples set by people throughout history. Jesus instructed us to:
‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
Mark 12: 30-31
This is at the very heart of how Catholics believe they should participate in their community and the wider world. These principles serve as a moral compass for building a just, loving and peaceful society.
Every day, at St Alphonsus RC Primary school, Catholic Social Teaching underpins the work of our school and these core principles are interwoven within our curriculum and all aspects of school life, guiding our Christian community in promoting justice, love, peace and the common good of all people by living out our faith through our daily actions and by living out our Mission Statement:
‘God lives in me, I am His Witness… ‘
Our Catholic Social Teaching naturally aligns with the five British values outlined by the UK government and provide a civic framework that mirrors the core principles of CST, particularly in promoting the Common Good, dignity and care for the vulnerable.
The school uses student leadership groups to lead these values, helping children put their faith into action through community support, environmental stewardship, praying and charitable work. We aim to cultivate lifelong disciples of Christ who recognise their obligation to share their blessings with the marginalised and build a more just society.
As members of the Catholic Church, we are all called upon to preserve the dignity of all human beings, particularly the poor and those who are most vulnerable, to care for creation and to reach out to our sisters and brothers in need. Pope Francis emphasises that it is our duty to work to bring about a more just and peaceful world and Pope Leo XIV teaches that Catholic Social Teaching is a practical call to love. It is vital that our children can articulate the connection between Jesus’ teaching and doing good deeds. Along with our Religious Education, SRE and PSHCE curriculum, we use the CAFOD, Mission Together, and Caritas Catholic Social Teaching resources to support our children’s understanding of these principles.
The core themes of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) are as follows:
- Life and Dignity of the Human Person- Life and Dignity of the Human Person is our belief that every individual is made in the image and likeness of God. Every life is precious and sacred regardless of religion, culture, nationality, orientation or economic standing.
‘So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.’
Genesis 1:27
At St Alphonsus we recognise the human dignity of others by: being respectful; treating people equally; making everyone feel that they belong; valuing others by celebrating our diversity and uniqueness every day, knowing that we are all made in the image and likeness of Christ.
- Call to Family, Community, and Participation- We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and wellbeing of all, especially the poor and vulnerable. We must help each other to grow in our communities.
‘And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.’
John 4:19
St Alphonsus school emphasises the importance of community, encouraging pupils to actively participate in the life of the church, their local Old Trafford and Manchester community, and the wider world. We carry out: local litter picking; sing at a local nursing home; pray together as a school and parish community and actively participate in charitable work to donate to our brothers and sisters locally and globally who are in need.
- Rights and Responsibilities- The Catholic tradition teaches us that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected. With human rights come human responsibilities.
‘Faith without works is nothing.’ James 2:1
At St Alphonsus we acknowledge our rights and responsibilities by: recognising our duties as members of a community to protect the vulnerable and those in need; our work with HMPS Manchester, children are taught to use their voices to stand up for what is right and act responsibly.
- Preferential Option for the Poor- A moral call for us to put the needs of the poor, marginalised, and vulnerable first, as Jesus did.
‘The spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted. He has sent me…to let the oppressed go free.’ Luke 4:18
At St Alphonsus, we show a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable by: fundraising for charitable causes; participating in local food initiatives to help those in need, both locally and globally; treating others with dignity and respect; welcoming all people from their starting points and thinking about the needs of others,
- Solidarity and the common good- The recognition that we are one human family in Christ, regardless of national, racial, ethnic, economic, or ideological differences. We are our brothers' and sisters' keepers. We must work together to bring about the Kingdom of God. Peace is the cornerstone of our faith and we must strive for a peaceful world that unites us all.
‘In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers [or sisters] of mine, you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:40
The common good means that the fruits of the earth belong to everyone. No one should be excluded from the gifts of creation.
‘Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.’
Philippians 2:4
‘You are not making a gift of your possessions to the poor person. You are handing over to them what is theirs.’
Saint Ambrose (340-397AD)
St Alphonsus encourages pupils to stand with their sisters and brothers everywhere, promoting equality, peace, and mutual support. We are peacemakers by: sharing mutual love respect and forgiving others; living out our school mission statement each day; raising awareness of social justice and praying for others. We show solidarity by liaising with our neighbouring Muslim School and High school to work together on social action projects; making socially responsible choices, sharing food we have grown in school with the community; turning away from conflict and following school rules to climb our trophy wall.
- The dignity of work- Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of participation in God’s creation. Workers have the right to safe working conditions, fair wages, and the right to join unions.
‘Faith without works is nothing.’ James 2:1
St Alphonsus teaches the value of hard work, fairness, and treating everyone's contributions with equal respect. We learn about how we can contribute to society by making sensible economic choices.
- Creation and environment- We believe Christ is the redeemer of all creation. It is our responsibility to care for the earth and protect the environment, building a sustainable world for the future and acting as stewards of God's gift of creation- protecting the planet and all who live in it.
"The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it"
Psalm 24:1
At St Alphonsus, we show we care for creation by: - taking responsibility for our environment; making environmentally responsible choices; having awe and wonder for the natural world, carrying out environmental challenges, working with Martin Mere projects by becoming ‘Guardians of the wild’ and RHS Bridgewater ‘planting for the planet.’
The Mini Vinnies, Eco Reds, Student Council and Service Squad are just some of our school’s social action leadership groups that are responsible and active in promoting the Seven strands of Catholic Social Teaching. Made up of pupil volunteers across Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and guided by their faith, they ensure that our Catholic school is putting their faith into action by caring for others in our local and global communities and caring for the world around us. They participate in initiatives and carefully plan and deliver a range of projects and assemblies in order to be agents of change who work for the dignity and common good of all.