Catholic Social Teaching

By: Lauren Judy

Global Warming
Global warming is an extremely controversial topic in
today’s society. Global warming is the temperature of
the Earth’s crust increasing rapidly over time. Earth’s
crust rises in temperature every year. Global warming is
caused by human activity. From burning fuels, pollution,
and more we are destroying the Earth’s surface, oceans
and atmosphere. Animals are becoming extinct and
habits are beginning to cease to exist.(Simmon,2010)
Why Climate Change is a Social Issue
Climate change is not just an environmental problem but and economic and social
issue as well. In order to keep climate change under control the best thing we can do
is eliminate the destructing factors. Humans are slowly killing our planet by burning
fossil fuels which releases greenhouse gases.( Ribeek, 2010) There are many people
who do not believe in global warming and do not want to put a stop to the actions
that are destroying the Earth.
Catholic Social Teaching
Catholic social teaching is the teaching of human dignity and the common good in
society. This relates to the social justice issues of global warming because people
want to end global warming for the common good of the world and the people.
Catholic social teaching insists that climate change is a grave moral issues that
threatens our commitments: to protect human, life, health, dignity, and security; to
exercise a preferential option for the poor; to promote the common good of which
the climate is part; to live in solidarity with future generations.
(CatholicCharities,2020)
Thomas Massaro Perspective
Thomas Massaro provides information of the environmental concern. Although care
for the earth is a theme that fits easily with the call to social responsibility within
Catholic social teaching, it is surprising how seldom ecological concerns are actually
mentioned in the encyclicals. Massaro mentions the how he thinks Catholic social
teaching is a gamble that is likely to help the environment in the best way. Local levels
of church leaders, groups, churches, and faith-based nonprofit organizations have
adopted programs to raise awareness of climate change to preserve our ecosystem.
(Massaro,1986)
Agreeing with Catholic Social Teaching
Catholic social teaching teaches us the we are created in the image of God. We are all
God’s children and we are all equal. God has intended that every human has the same
rights to live a life to their full potential. (Network, 202) I love that social justice is
such a huge part of Catholic social teaching, I feel very strongly about every human
being treated equally the way God intended. I agree that God would want us all to have
the same rights and opportunities. God is love and we were created to love as well as
spreading that love to each other. I agree that God's children are not born evil and
deserve dignity and respect.
Disagreeing with Catholic Social Teaching
I believe Catholic social teaching should take a wider account of knowledge
that is based on actually experience. I think they should reflect and look at
what actually works to help improve the world instead of falling into
temporary failure or problematic policy.
Catholic Social Teaching in my life
Growing up in a Catholic family and attending Catholic high school and bible school
my whole life and now attending a Catholic college, Catholic social teaching has been
a constant in my life. Caring for God's creations has been instilled in me from a young
age. I believe Catholic social teaching takes a lot of credit for the way I think and act
and obtain many of my morals. Catholic social teaching has made me appreciate the
world around me and never take what God has given me for granted.
Global Warming in my Life
Global warming is something I always heard about at a young age but it was not until I
was older did I understand what was happening to our ecosystem and the negative
effects humans have on our planet. I have always been passionate about keeping our
earth healthy, I believe doing something as little as recycling is making a difference. I
think it is important to keep myself educated as much as possible about climate
control. I have been apart of many community clean ups led by my church and school
to get pollution under control and I love spreading awareness about this topic.
Source Cited
“Global Warming.” NASA, NASA, earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/GlobalWarming.

Byrd, Rosaly, and Laurèn DeMates. “5 Reasons Why Climate Change Is A Social Issue, Not Just An
Environmental One.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 6 Dec. 2014,
www.huffpost.com/entry/climate-change-is-a-socia_b_5939186?guccounter=1.

“Catholic Social Justice.” NETWORK Advocates, 3 July 2020,

networkadvocates.org/advocacytoolbox/educate/catholicsocialjustice/.

“The Problem with Catholic Social Teaching.” The Problem with Catholic Social Teaching | Catholic
Culture, www.catholicculture.org/commentary/problem-with-catholic-social-teaching/.

https://catholiccharitiesswks.org/about-us/46-home/news/social-justice/819-catholic-social-teaching-101-cl
imate-change