Key Principles
Catholic Social Teaching is made up of three elements: principles for
reflection; criteria for judgement; and guidelines for action.
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace’s Compendium of
the Social Doctrine of the Church identifies four principles of Catholic Social
Teaching that are valid always and everywhere. They are:
These principles are dynamically interrelated and a range of other principles
and criteria can be derived from them.
Click here for
a short introduction to Catholic Social Teaching.
Click here for
a brief explanation of each of the key principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Click here for
a discussion guide on the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity.
