The Common Good

12 SICT (2022)
Analyse how one Catholic organisation applies Catholic
Social Teachings in their pursuit of the Common Good
(Select ONE of the Catholic organisations from the list)

Part 1 - Outline what the terms ‘Catholic Social Teaching’ and ‘The Common Good’ mean. (150
words)

Part 2 - Describe what Matthew 25:31-46 OR Gaudium et Spes teaches Catholics about ONE
Catholic Social Teaching. (150 words)

Part 3 - Outline the work of ONE Catholic organisation which applies this teaching. (150 words)

Part 4 - Analyse how the Catholic organisation applies this principle of Catholic Social Teaching
to pursue the common good. (250 words)
Part 1 - Outline Catholic Social Teachings and The
Common Good
Definition of Catholic Social Teaching (ACBC Office for Social Justice, 2020)
Catholic Social Teaching is the part of Catholic teaching that addresses matters of
social, economic and ecological justice in the world. It is mainly concerned with
inter-group or social relationships rather than interpersonal relationships. Like
other parts of Church teaching, it is grounded in Scripture, tradition, reason and
experience. It develops through time by placing these sources in dialogue with the
signs of the times.

You can directly ‘quote’ or paraphrase, as long as you cite the author
Part 1 - Outline Catholic Social Teachings and The
Common Good
Catholic Social Teaching (Caritas Australia, 2022)
● The Common Good
The common good is reached when we work together to improve the
wellbeing of people in our society and the wider world. The rights of the
individual to personal possessions and community resources must be
balanced with the needs of the disadvantaged and dispossessed.
● Preferential Option for the Poor
Caring for those who are less well off is everyone’s responsibility. Preferential
care should be shown to vulnerable and marginalised people, whose needs
and rights are given special attention in God’s eyes.
Part 1 - Outline Catholic Social Teachings and The
Common Good
Catholic Social Teaching (Caritas Australia, 2022)
● Dignity of the Human Person
The dignity of every person, independent of ethnicity, creed, gender, sexuality,
age or ability, is the foundation of Catholic Social Teaching. No human being
should have their dignity or freedom compromised. Poverty, hunger,
oppression and injustice make it impossible to live a life commensurate with
this dignity.
● Care for Our Common Home
The earth and all life on it are part of God’s creation. We are called to respect
this gift. We are responsible for taking care of the world we live in and for
sharing all the wonders and resources the earth gives us.
Part 1 - Outline Catholic Social Teachings and The
Common Good
Catholic Social Teaching (Caritas Australia, 2022)
● Subsidiarity and Participation
All people have the right to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
Subsidiarity requires that decisions are made by the people closest and most
affected by the issues and concerns of the community.
● Solidarity
Everyone belongs to one human family, regardless of their national, religious,
ethnic, economic, political and ideological differences. Everyone has an
obligation to promote the rights and development of all peoples across
communities, nations, and the world, irrespective of national boundaries.
Part 1 - Outline Catholic Social Teachings and The
Common Good
See-Judge-Act Process (Catholic Social Services Australia, 2020)
● SEE - Looking at the social justice issues as they affect society
● JUDGE - Understanding what is happening and why it is happening
● ACT - Discerning the actions needed to respond
Part 1 - Outline Catholic Social Teachings and The
Common Good
Paragraph Structure (150 words)
1. Definition of Catholic Social Teaching (Define in your own words, then use a
quote)
2. The Principles of CST
a. Begin with the definition of The Common Good (Define in your own words, then use a quote)
b. List the rest of the principles (eg. Preferential Option for the Poor, Solidarity, etc.)
3. CST encourages the SEE-JUDGE-ACT process to address social justice
issues - Outline the process
Part 1 - Outline Catholic Social Teachings and The
Common Good
Bibliography
● Caritas Australia. (2022). Catholic Social Teaching [Internet]. Available from:
https://www.caritas.org.au/learn/cst-toolkit/
[Accessed 6 March, 2023]
● ACBC Office for Social Justice. (2020). Catholic Social Teaching FAQs [Internet]. Available from:
https://socialjustice.catholic.org.au/catholic-social-teaching/catholic-social-teaching-faqs/ [Accessed 6
March, 2023]
● Catholic Social Services Australia. (2020). Catholc Social Teaching [Internet]
Available from: https://cssa.org.au/catholic-social-teaching/ [Accessed 6 March, 2023]
Part 2 - Describe how Matthew 25:31-46 or Gaudium et
Spes teaches about ONE Catholic Social Teaching
Recap - Catholic Social Teaching:
● The Common Good - Goodness is for everyone
● Preferential Option for the Poor - Extra care needs to be given to the poor
● Dignity of the Human Person - All humans deserve respect
● Care for Our Common Home - Take care of the environment and the
communities that depend on it
● Subsidiarity and Participation - Everyone needs to have a say
● Solidarity - Everyone works together to ensure the Common Good
Part 2 - Describe how Matthew 25:31-46 or Gaudium et
Spes teaches about ONE Catholic Social Teaching
Structure (150 words)
● Matthew 25:31-46
a. Summarise the passage
b. Use 1-2 quotes from the the passage and relate it to the Common Good
c. You can also relate another Catholic Social Teaching (eg. Preferential Option for the Poor,
Subsidiarity, etc.)
OR
● Gaudium et Spes
a. Mention how it is a church document from the Second Vatican Council in 1965, where it
addresses how the Catholic Church should live in the modern world.
b. Select a quote from Notable Quotes from Gaudium et Spes and relate it to the Common
Good.
c. You can also relate another Catholic Social Teaching (eg. Preferential Option for the Poor,
Subsidiarity, etc.)
Part 2 - Describe how Matthew 25:31-46 or Gaudium et
Spes teaches about ONE Catholic Social Teaching
Bibliography
● The Bible. Matthew 25:31-46. Good News Translation (1992). Available from:
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A31-46&version=GNT&interface=print
[Accessed 6 March, 2023]
● Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis. (2022). Gaudium et Spes Notable Quotations [Internet].
Available from:
https://www.cctwincities.org/education-advocacy/catholic-social-teaching/major-documents/gaudium-et-spes
/gaudium-et-spes-notable-quotations/ [Accessed 6 March, 2023]
● Vatican Council. (1998). Pastoral constitution on the Church in the modern world: Gaudium et spes ;
promulgated by His Holiness Pope Paul VI on December 7, 1965. Available from
https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19651207_gaudium-
et-spes_en.html [Accessed 6 March, 2023]
Part 3 - Outline the work of ONE Catholic individual
which applies this teaching.
Structure (150 words)
1. Describe your chosen individual - background and what they are known for
2. Outline 1-2 initiatives/projects that your chosen individual did in their life
a. Give details about the initiatives - evidence with statistics and quotes

Your own research - remember to include the sources in your bibliography

(Harvard Style Referencing)
Part 4 - Analyse how the Catholic organisation applies this
principle of Catholic Social Teaching to pursue the common
good.
Structure (250 words)
1. Relate your chosen individual’s actions to the common good - how does it pursue
the common good?
a. Integrate parts of the quote about the Common Good
b. You can also relate another Catholic Social Teaching (eg. Preferential Option for the Poor, etc.)
c. Relate a quote or two from Matthew 25:31-46
2. Outline a specific initiative from your chosen individual and show how it pursues
the common good and ONE other CST Principle
a. Use quotes from your organisation’s website as evidence
b. Integrate parts of the quote about the Common Good
c. You can relate another Catholic Social Teaching (eg. Preferential Option for the Poor, etc.)
Explain in your own words and then relate a quote from Caritas Australia (see Slides 4-6)
d. Relate a quote or two from Matthew 25:31-46 and how it applies to your chosen organisation’s project