About Us

The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred, and the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. We believe every person is precious, people are more important than things, and the measure of every institution is whether it threatens or enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

The person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society in economics and politics, in law and policy directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Marriage and the family are the central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not undermined. We believe people have a right and a duty to participate in society, seeking together the common good and well-being of all, especially poor and vulnerable people.

The Catholic tradition teaches us to protect human dignity and achieve a healthy community through protecting human rights and meeting our responsibilities to one another. Every person has a fundamental right to life, a right to those things required for human decency, and a responsibility to one another, our families, and the larger society.

A basic moral test of society is how our most vulnerable members are faring. In a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our tradition instructs us to put the needs of poor and vulnerable people first.

The economy must serve people, not the other way around. Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. If the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers to access productive work, earn decent and fair wages, organize and join unions, keep private property, and foster economic initiatives must be respected.

We are one human family, regardless of our national, racial, ethnic, and ideological differences. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, wherever they may be throughout the world. At the core of the virtue of solidarity is the pursuit of justice and peace. Pope Paul IV taught, “If you want peace, work for justice.” The Gospel calls us to be peacemakers. Our love for all our sisters and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world surrounded by violence and conflict.

We show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is a requirement of the Catholic faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in a relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical implications we cannot ignore.