Develop a practical project to integrate Catholic social teaching into your teaching and programming.

Here are two examples:

• Utilize “The ART of Catholic Social Teaching: Act – Reflect – Transform” process that we used in this module with your group. Select a social issue that resonates with your group, analyze it, and then develop strategies for justice and for service. There are lots of resources available for addressing social issues with practical action projects.
• Make one of the seven principles of Catholic social teaching a focus each month during your program year. Develop a plan that incorporates analysis of the issue, reflection on scripture, reflection on Catholic social teaching, and actions that your group can take to address the issue. You can connect the CST principle with the calendar and seasons of the year.

  For example:

  • Poverty Awareness Month (January)
  • National Black History Month (February)
  • International Day of Peace – September 21
  • Labor Day and Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers (September)
  • Respect Life Month and Life and Dignity of the Human Person (October)
  • Thanksgiving and Option for the Poor (World Day of the Poor) (November)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. and Rights and Responsibilities (January)
  • Lent with CRS Rice Bowl and Solidarity (February – March)
  • Earth Day and Care for Creation (April)
  • Mother’s Day / Father’s Day and Call to Family, Community, and Participation (May – June)
  • Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – December 12 

• Understanding wants versus needs as it pertains to Rights and Responsibilities and Care of Creation – Have your students take an inventory of what is in their closets so they can ask themselves if they have more than they need to live a good life. Help students to discern what is needed versus what is wanted and what action can be taken with this discovery.

• Newspaper – have students go through newspaper clippings – find stories that affirm the themes of Catholic social teaching. Can assign a group of students 1 theme. Or ask students what does Church teaching have to say about this article?

• Read How to Make Service Truly Transformational and create a service project.