Catholic Social Teaching

At Stella Maris, Catholic Social Teaching is fully embedded into our curriculum and through our Gospel Values and Mission Statement. We invite pupils, staff, parents and governors to use scripture to live out their faith in our school, in our parish, in our community and in our wider world.

Our faith inspires us to help build God's Kingdom (just like our Mission Statement), helping us to create a world full of peace, love and justice. At times it can be challenging, however with God at our side, we can find the strength to preserve and help to make our world a wonderful place.

The Catholic Church has seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching which we share with our children through our curriculum (all subjects and not just RE), daily reflection, assemblies, masses, celebrations and special events, being good models and in our everyday actions.

“Our greatest and yet most fragile treasure is our shared humanity as brothers and sisters, children of God. None of us can be saved alone.” Pope Francis

The Seven Principles of Catholic Social Teaching

Human Dignity

We can recognise the human dignity of others by treating others equally, treating every human and creature with respect, understanding that each and everyone of us is made in God's image, thinking about civil rights.

Solidarity

We can show solidarity by praying for others, making responsible social choices, standing alongside one another, especially those in poverty, writing to our world leaders, and making connections.

The Common Good

We can work as a community by working together, working for the common good, being active role models within our community, including everyone and by participating and engaging.

Protecting the Poor

We can help the poor and vulnerable by supporting charities, raising awareness, sharing with others, giving others the respect and dignity that they deserve and by thinking of the needs of others and not just ourselves.

Peace

We can bring peace by turning away from conflict, using our School Gospel Values, being kind to one another, following our School rules and building positive relationships with others.

Creation and Environment

We can care for our environment by all taking a responsibility in looking after our beautiful world, asking questions about the awe and wonder around us, making sensible choices about the environment and respecting all parts of God's creation.

Dignity of Work

We can recognise the dignity of work by sharing all of our wonderful attributes and gifts from God with others, respecting all workers, helping with wellbeing, contributing to society and making sensible economic choices.

Maggie from Cafod visits - December 2023

Maggie visited our school again, this time to share some information about World Gifts, and how we can help our Global Neighbours, just like Pope Francis has asked us to do. It was a great assembly and a great reminder about how we can help others, but also, the importance of taking some time to be thankful for what we have. During the assembly, Maggie asked the children what some of their favourite gifts were and the children made us so proud.....one child said "my brother and sister", another child said "the love I have from my family."

Cafod Visitors - Monday 13th March 2023

On Monday we welcomed Maggie and Leo from Cafod who came to talk to us in assembly. They shared some stories with us, told us all about the work of Cafod and also about Catholic Social Teaching. Each class then had a workshop with them, to develop the idea of Catholic Social Teaching even further. It was such a lovely day and we learnt lots about how Pope Francis wants us to help our neighbours and our world! We told Maggie and Leo all about our fundraising for Cafod.

We have looking out for wonderful stewards of creation, for those children who have been helping to look after God's world and have been thinking about the environment.

Creation and Enivornment at Stella Maris

In 2015 In 2015, Pope Francis wrote a letter called Laudato Si’ addressed to every person on the planet, asking us all to protect the earth. A lovely animated video can be found in the resources below.

‘Each of us can cooperate as instruments of God for the care of creation.’ Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ 14

The children in Eco Council and Gardening Club have been busy putting together a worm composter, encouraging the school to recycle glue sticks and making bird feeders!

The Common Good and Human Dignity at Stella Maris

Pope Francis has written a letter to everyone, asking us to reach out to our neighbours, no matter who they are or where they are from, helping to build a common home of all.

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbour as yourself." Luke 10:27