Objective:
The middle school youth will examine the Catholic social teaching about our preferential option for the poor and vulnerable.
Overview:
This may be one of the toughest sessions of the semester. Most of us realize that we are supposed to be charitable and to help those in need. This Catholic social teaching, however, calls us to put the needs of the poor and most vulnerable members of society first. John Paul II wrote: “By virtue of her own evangelical duty, the church feels called to take her stand beside the poor, to discern the justice of their requests and to help satisfy them” (On Social Concerns). The Church calls on all of us to embrace this preferential option for the poor and vulnerable, to embody it in our lives and to work to have it shape public policies and priorities. A basic moral test for any community is how the poor and vulnerable are treated. This is not only in reference to our willingness to provide for the needs of the poor, but also the protection of the vulnerable so that all people have access to a share in the common good.