Following the dignity of the human person and the common good, we turn to the third pillar of Catholic social teaching — subsidiarity. This pillar can be difficult for some U.S. Catholics to grasp, given the particular understanding of the human person and of human nature that we have inherited from the political thought of our country’s founders (largely Protestants and Deists). This, once again, demonstrates the danger of making our chaotic and confused American politics — which are of... Read more

Last time, in this space, we mentioned that, while the Church condemns atheistic communism for, among other things, denial of the right of private property, it is also leery of the dangers of capitalism. Why? As G.K. Chesterton put it, because it produces too few capitalists and, instead of concentrating wealth and power in the hands of the state, tends to concentrate it in the hands of a tiny oligarchy. Original sin affects capitalists as well as communists. Here’s the... Read more

Last time, in this space, we looked at the first pillar of Catholic social teaching: the dignity of the human person. This is a concept that is easily familiar to many Catholics, particularly since it undergirds the pro-life movement. It lies at the root of the truth that human beings are human beings, not human doings; that their value does not depend on how much they can earn, nor on whether they are inside or outside the womb; nor on whether they... Read more

So here is Part 1 of a seven part series outlining the Four Pillars of Catholic Social Teaching.  Forget The Da Vinci Code or the Hidden Secrets of the Vatican or the other conspiratorial rubbish people run around looking for in the Church’s attic.  Here is the real Best Kept Secret in the Church: The Dignity of the Human Person Catholic social doctrine mystifies many people. Is it political or theological, spiritual or practical, left or right, modern or ancient?... Read more