Catholic Social Teaching: Foundations, History, and Application

Posted on Nov 8, 2025 in Religion

What is Catholic Social Teaching (CST)?

Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is a set of reflections in modern times embracing different aspects of social life. It emerged in 1891 with the encyclical Rerum Novarum by Pope Leo XIII. It is a teaching also addressed to non-believers.

Doctrine and Texts

CST has two realities:

  • Doctrine: The set of teachings that the Church reflects upon.
  • Texts: Written documents that religious institutions create to spread the Word (the Gospel and Church teachings).

Sources of Catholic Social Teaching

CST draws its sources from:

  1. Revelation (Tradition): Sacred Scripture and the continuous teaching of the Church.
  2. Reason: Philosophical reflection on human nature and society.
  3. Social Science: Utilizing anthropological developments based on Catholic foundations. (The Church uses the development of thought and, through faith, incorporates the theological dimension.)

Note that individuals are not sources of CST. While personal opinions are valid, the Church maintains its authoritative teaching.

The Magisterium: How the Church Teaches

The Magisterium is the way the Church teaches. There are three levels:

Levels of Magisterial Teaching

  1. First Level: An infallible definition of the Pope. Believers must accept these teachings (Dogmas of Faith) with blind faith, particularly in areas related to the Church’s core mission.
  2. Second Level: The teaching of the Episcopal Magisterium in communion with the Pope (e.g., Episcopal Conferences).
  3. Third Level: The ordinary Magisterium of the Pope, which is the way the Pope communicates regularly with the believers.

What CST Is Not

Catholic Social Teaching is not:

  • An ideology.
  • An attempt to reach utopian situations.
  • Merely an accumulation of documents.

History and Periods of CST

The Leonian Period (1878–1922)

This period is named after Pope Leo XIII, though the roots of CST extend from the New Testament through the 19th century, involving theologians such as Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Albert the Great.

Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903) and Rerum Novarum

Historical Context: The Industrial Revolution, the French Revolution, and the rise of new economic systems (Socialism, Communism).

Pope Leo XIII wrote Rerum Novarum (1891) seeking to offer a reflection on the social issues of his time, driven by a sense of responsibility for the suffering of others. The encyclical is not a program of action but an appeal to conscience. It includes an introduction, a section dedicated to stating the dramatic situation in the world of work, and a part condemning Socialism.

Key Principles in Rerum Novarum:

  • Subsidiarity
  • Solidarity
  • Common Good
  • The concept of social life
  • Anthropological principle

In addition, Leo XIII defended the right of association and the right of private property.

Saint Pius X and Benedict XV (1903–1922)

  • Saint Pius X (1903–1914)
  • Benedict XV (1914–1922): Context included the First World War (FWW). He wrote Pacem Dei Munus (1920) on the Christian restoration of peace, following the Treaty of Versailles (1919).

The Pian Period (1922–1958)

Pius XI (1922–1939)

Historical Context: The 1929 economic crisis, social disorder after FWW, the emergence of totalitarian ideologies, and hostility toward the divine. He denounced the silence of the press regarding the horrors of Soviet Communism.

Main Messages: Quadragesimo Anno (1931) and Mit Brenender Sorge (1937).

Pius XII (1939–1958)

Context: Second World War (SWW). His main messages commemorated the 50th anniversary of Rerum Novarum, called for action, and included radio messages, such as those delivered at Christmas.

The Pauline Period (1958–Present)

Context: Scientific progress, issues concerning the Third World (developing nations), and the arms race.

Main Messages:

  • Mater et Magistra (1961): Defended a fair salary and the right of private property, commemorating the 70th anniversary of Rerum Novarum.
  • Pacem in Terris (1963): Explained the importance of women in society.

Judgment Criteria and Action Guidelines

The Purpose of CST: Objective Judgment

The purpose of CST is to promote the social action of Catholics. One of the essential functions of CST is to facilitate, and above all to guarantee, objective judgment. Judgment criteria are always valid norms used to judge systems, structures, institutions, and specific social situations.

The Church also judges in the field of morality and politics, for example, appealing to those with responsibilities, as well as to believers and non-believers, regarding contemporary conflicts (e.g., the Russian war).

The Church’s Duty to Judge

The Church has a duty to make judgments, specifically regarding moral issues within the political order. The Church cannot be neutral in the field of morality, nor can it practice abstention or silence. However, the Church does not judge people; it always asks what is adequate for man and his development and what is not.

“The purpose of the Catholic Social Teaching is to communicate knowledge that is not only theoretical but also practical and guides pastoral action. This is why, in addition to the permanent principles of reflection, it also offers judgment criteria on the situations, structures and institutions, economic, social, political, cultural, technological life, and on the social systems themselves. In this regard, there is no doubt that speaking about the human conditions of people, about the ethical value of social, economic, political and cultural structures and systems, in relation to the demands of justice social, is part of the evangelizing mission of the Church” (OR 47).

Examples of Judgment Criteria: Rerum Novarum deals with workers, socialism, and liberalism, while the Vatican Council addresses the role of men in the modern world.

Four Essential Judgment Criteria

There are four essential criteria for making a judgment:

  1. Certain knowledge of the object or social situation: We need to know the history behind the situation.
  2. Professional capacity and corresponding experience.
  3. The correct formation of the social conscience: This must be done in the light of the Gospel and the documents of the Magisterium.
  4. Vigilance and caution: Avoiding both immovable attachment to the past and blind passion for the new. (For example, historically, Catholics could not participate in politics; now they can.)

These four criteria, combined with discernment (a subjective human capacity to judge), allow for sound judgment. Discernment can be developed by listening to others and reading texts; it is like a seed that must be watered and cared for in order to grow.

Guidelines for Action

CST also provides guidelines for action:

  1. Respect for Man.
  2. The Dialogue Exercise: This dialogue is often hindered by systems and institutions that deny an objective moral order.
  3. The Fight for Justice: This requires avoiding both cowardice (fought with strength of spirit) and the excessive impulse for justice (favoring evolution and not revolution). Everyone, believer and non-believer, should fight for justice while avoiding these two extremes. Systems sometimes deny dialogue because they want to impose their opinions.
  4. The Experience of Life: Specifically directed to the laity, this includes: A) professional experience (daily work), and B) religious experience (interior life), which sometimes requires solitude and silence.
  5. The Political Commitment of the Christian: This is an obligation for the believer. The Church can and must judge in the field of morality. Immediate political commitment is the duty of the laity, thanks to Baptism and Confirmation. Pastors and clergymen should generally stay out of immediate political engagement, as this is not their primary sphere.