Catholic Social Teaching

Family and Community 

We talked about what a community is and what communities we belong to. We talked about how when we came to our school we became part of the St James family. 

We made ourselves for the display board and joined our family together.

Our Class Family 

“You are not making a gift of your possessions to the poor person.  You are handing over to them what is theirs.” St Ambrose (340-397 AD)

Dignity of the Human Person

God made me and he loves me very much

We talked about this picture and what we liked about it.  We discussed that Jesus loves all the children because they are so important and special to him.

We then sat in a circle and each of us said a part of us that is beautiful. We added a picture of ourselves to a heart with the words God Loves me underneath. 

St Paul tells us that each person is a work of art, created by God and chosen for a unique purpose. Ephesians 2:10

Rights and Responsibilities

God gives me everything I need to be happy.

We talked about the things that God has given to us to be happy and looked at a series of pictures of children to see what makes them happy. 

In our books we drew and labelled the things that make us happy that God has given to us. 

Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right- Psalm 106:3

Fear not for I am with you. I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

We talked about what poor and vulnerable actually means. 

People in need of special care, support, sickness

or risk of being harmed.

We looked at pictures of people that are vulnerable and the problems they are facing. 

In our books we thought of 3 ways we can help the poor and vulnerable. 

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:35-40

Dignity of Work

We talked together about different ways we work.  How we work at school and how we work at home. 

Next we looked at parts of our body and the things that God has given to us to help us to carry out those jobs.  

Do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honour. (James 3:17)

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

Solidarity and the Common Good

Blessed Pope Paul VI taught that “If you want peace, work for justice”. The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers.