Catholic Social Teaching at Sacred Heart School
Catholic Social Teaching (CST) is based on a tradition of episcopal and papal writings on political, economic, and social issues facing our time. An essential part of the Catholic faith, the key values of Catholic Social Teaching, are found at the core of the Gospel. The key themes of CST are:
Human Dignity |
Community & Participation |
All people (regardless of gender, disability, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, sexual orientation, political or religious belief) are part of the human family. Here at Sacred Heart Catholic School, we celebrate diversity and the strength it gives us, as we come together and seek justice for all. Since we believe each person is made in the image and likeness of God and has inherent dignity, we support charities that we believe support human dignity and we endeavour to always treat each other with love and respect. We actively celebrate our diverse community (e.g., through prayer and involvement in assemblies) and we learn from our mistakes. In the classroom, we are respectful of the views of all learners. |
God made us to be part of communities, families, and countries, so all people can share and help each other. In the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul describes what community looks like: Disciples of Christ shared their food and possessions to make sure the neediest among them were taken care of (Acts 2:42–47). These members of the early Church modelled a society in which all members of a community care for one another. Here at Sacred Heart Catholic School, we recognise that marriage and family are foundational communities of society and, as such, we promote marriage and the family and consider the role of community. We support charities, as we believe that we are called to do so |
Care for Creation |
Dignity in Work |
Stewardship and caring for the earth are integral to our task of tackling climate change and caring for our common home. Here at Sacred Heart Catholic School, we work hard to raise awareness of the problem and look after our greener spaces around the school site. We also seek to keep the school site clean and tidy and seek opportunities to reduce, reuse, and recycle. |
The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected the right to productive work. Here at Sacred Heart Catholic School, we treat all workers in our school with respect, we listen to staff and follow instructions. We will endeavour to carry these values into our future place of work by becoming leaders of good influence. |
Option for the Poor |
Solidarity |
God wants us to help people who are poor, who don’t have enough food, a safe place to live, or a community; as such, we support charities that help the poor, we collect for the needy and at Christmas, we provide hampers for the local community. We endeavour to show compassion to others, to make generous contributions for fundraising and to give generously of our time. Free breakfast can be arranged for those identified as being in need by the pastoral team, parents have been reminded of how to apply for Free School Meals, and help is available for families in difficulty meeting educational costs including equipment, uniforms, the School library is open from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm offering a space for quiet study and supervised activities, Second-hand uniform is available and we hold footwear in a range of sizes for students identified as in need, we offer mending services to students and where families are in crisis can offer bursaries and financial support for new uniform, Girls can access period products via the red box, for parents struggling to negotiate services in the community, our student support lead can help liaise with agencies, write letters of support or give advice on services. |
God made everyone, so we are all brothers and sisters in God’s family. Wherever we live we are called to be part of The Body of Christ and be attentive to the needs of others. By coming together in hope as individuals, families, communities, organisations, and nations, we can achieve transformative change for the common good. At Sacred Heart Catholic School, we respond to the needs of others by coming together in our School Council to bring about change in the school. Our students come together, throughout the day and more formally, to pray for the needs of others and listen to positive messages. |
Rights and Responsibilities |
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All people have a fundamental right to life, faith, family, food, shelter, health care, education and employment, as well as a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Each person has a responsibility to respect and secure these rights for all people. Government has a responsibility to promote dignity, protect rights, and provide for the common good. At Sacred Heart Catholic School we recognise our duties as members of a community, stand up for what is right and strive to follow our school rules. |
In summary, Catholic Social Teaching plays a vital role in this Catholic community by shaping students into socially conscious, compassionate, and morally responsible individuals equipped to impact their communities and society positively.
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