Catholic Social Teachings

At St Joachims Catholic Primary School, Catholic Social Teaching is at the heart of our mission and underpins all aspects of school life. Rooted in Scripture and the teachings of the Catholic Church, it helps our children understand how to live out their faith by treating others with dignity, acting with compassion and working for the common good.

Catholic Social Teaching is taught explicitly through the Religious Education Directory (RED) and is woven throughout our wider curriculum. Through their learning in Religious Education and across all subjects, pupils are encouraged to reflect on their responsibilities towards others, care for God's creation, challenge injustice and become active citizens who make a positive difference in the world.

Catholic Social Teaching has seven principles;

Dignity
Solidarity
The Common Good
The Option for the Poor
Peace
Creation and environment
The Dignity of Work and Participation

We follow the nine strands from CAFOD to allow children to understand these principles.

Human Dignity
Common Good
Participation
Subsidiarity
Stewardship
Option for the Poor
Solidarity
Distributive Justice
Promoting Peace

Human Dignity

We all work together, regardless of gender, disability, age, race, ethnicity, nationality, culture, sexual orientation, political or religious belief. 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 work with those living in poverty to have access to food, water, housing and other basic amenities which many of us can often take for granted. We have many different charity collections throughout the year, including for CAFOD, BCCS and donate to our Local Foodbank

God said, ‘Let us make human-kind in our image, according to our likeness.’ Genesis 1:26

Common Good

We follow Jesus’ example of ensuring that all have a voice and are heard, so that a better world is achieved together. Ultimately, no one can truly flourish if another person is hungry, lost or abandoned, nor can humankind flourish while our common home is degraded and exploited. We have a school council and a wide variety of prefects who lead the way and discuss new ideas so that we can look after our common home.

All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would... distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.’ Acts 2:44-45

Participation

We can confront problems that we encounter by standing together to make a change. We listen to others, we help them to participate and speak-out boldly on their behalf when it is right to do so. Our prefects and school council helps us to address issues and make change.

“When each separate part works as it should, the whole body grows and builds itself up through love” Ephesians 4:16

Subsidiarity

We believe that individuals can influence changes to our school community’s policies and practices so that they benefit all. We follow Jesus’ example of ensuring that the perspectives of all are heard. Our School Council allows ideas to be shared with each other and with people who make decisions in school.

“Jethro said to Moses: Let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves” Exodus 18:22

Stewardship

Stewardship is all about caring for the gifts God has given to us. All living things are connected so we must use God’s gifts responsibly to meet the needs of everyone, now and in the future. We aim to live sustainably so we are caring for the earth. We have many school initiatives such as the Green Schools project and Zero Carbon Project which help towards promoting reducing, reusing and recycling.

‘The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.’ Genesis 2:15

Option for the Poor

By coming together as individuals, families and communities, we can achieve change for the common good. When we unite and make a stand for what we believe in, we can achieve remarkable things. At St. Joachims we have collected for our local food bank. We are also working with other local community charities and carrying out Carol Singing to raise money for charities that provide support and drive change for families in our community.

‘... all of you are one in Christ Jesus.’ Galatians 3:28

Solidarity

We work together to address issues that are affecting the people in our community and our global neighbours. We work with outside agencies to drive change for our families and support CAFOD to address wherever the need is greatest. We refuse to accept the suffering of our brothers and sisters.

‘Learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.’ Isaiah 1:17

Distributive Justice

We believe that it is our duty to live out God’s plan to share the goods of this world. This means that we do not want anyone to struggle to have the basic necessities of life, such as food, shelter or clothing. We regularly donate to our local food bank, to support others in our community and we collect pre-worn clothes and donate to charity.

“All who believed were together and had all things in common.” Acts 2:44-45

Promoting Peace

We believe that peace is part of God’s nature and is a value that we all seek to live out in our daily lives. We obtain peace from justice for others and love of all. Our support of CAFOD helps us to live out this value. Our Behaviour Policy promotes the need for us to go ‘above and beyond’ to help others in our community.

‘...those who promote peace have joy.’ Proverbs 12:20