The document discusses Catholic social teaching and principles regarding child poverty. It outlines seven principles: 1) life and dignity, 2) family and participation, 3) rights and responsibilities, 4) option for the poor, 5) dignity of work, 6) solidarity, and 7) care for God's creation. It argues that Catholic teachings call on individuals and governments to support human dignity and basic needs for all, especially children in poverty who may lack food, shelter, education and other resources through no fault of their own.

1. PRINCIPLES OF CATHOLIC
SOCIAL TEACHING AND
CHILD POVERTY
By: Arin Davis and Matthew Claybrook
Created: May 8, 2016

2. Our Mandate
Young Americans living in poverty want to enjoy the “American Dream” of other
higher-paying Americans. Those living in poverty struggle to make ends meet
because they lack financial outlets that can help meet their basic needs: quality
education, personal transportation, food, and mortgage. For instance, unemployed
children and illegal immigrants do not qualify for the “safety net” of Earned Income
Tax Credit, which can financially raise them above the poverty line.
The children of this country are pivotal to the future success of the country, and
their families need the financial aid to support them. It is the duty of people of faith
to care and take action in this problem. If the faithful do not act now, they will delay
the future generation from pursuing careers that they need from quality education
that their families should afford but cannot. Their careers is pivotal to the future
success and welfare of this country.

3. Our Ethical Duty
A passage in the Bible that talks about the issue of poverty comes from the Book of Proverbs, which says,
“Open your mouth on behalf of the mute, and for the rights of the destitute; Open your mouth, judge justly,
defend the needy and the poor!” (Proverbs 31:8-9). This passage connects to the problem of poverty by
talking about those who cannot speak for themselves. People who are in poverty are seen as the lower class
of society, sometimes based off of situations that are beyond their control. The passage from scripture is
telling the reader that the poor are to be respected just as everyone else in society. The message in the
passage could be connected to how the government treats people in poverty. It is important for the
government to pass laws that help people in poverty, especially children who are often born into poverty, by
passing laws to aid them, such as federal student aid and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Signed into law by current President Barack Obama, this act details how to alleviate poverty in America.
Investments include a $20 million increase in food stamps and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants, and Children. There will be a $3.95 billion increase in summer jobs for young people as
well as tax credits for working families with three or more children through the Make Work Pay and Child
Tax Credits (“Poverty”).

4. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The issue of poverty is directly related to the hierarchy of needs because people who experience poverty do
not get the luxury of experiencing the 1st and 2nd levels of need. Unlike most children that we know, other
children in poverty do not always have basic needs, such as food, safety of resources, and safety of home.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris of 1948, this set of 30 articles sets a common
standard for human rights to be respected by all nations. Article 25 explicitly states that “Motherhood and
childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall
enjoy the same social protection” ("The Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations.").
Because infants cannot decide their family and their economic status, all children are to share the same
economic benefits of their parents. Parents who raise children especially those who fall at or below the
poverty line while raising children need access to extra assistance, such as the Child Tax Credit, which
reduces parents’ incomes by $1,000 per qualifying child, who must be a legal American resident or citizen,
must be 17 or under, and must be the dependent of their parents. Through filing their taxes as of 2015, any
families of legal status who are poor can qualify if married couples fall at of below $110,000, a single parent
falls at or below $75,000, or if a married single who files separately falls at or below $55,000 (Publication
972).

5. 1.First Principle of Catholic Social Teaching:
Right to Life and Dignity of the Human Person
The Catholic Church teaches that the individual, created by
God, is the fundamental, most moral unit of society. However,
the lives of humans are constantly being threatened by war,
euthanasia, abortion, and the death penalty. As a solution,
“nations must protect the right to life by finding increasingly
effective ways to prevent conflicts and resolve them by
peaceful means” (USCCB). This principle connects to the poor
because they are vulnerable to such health risks and physical
assault. According to the Alameda County Public Health
Department, “For a baby born in Castlemont today, the
average life expectancy is 74 years, 12 years less than a child
who is born in Piedmont.” Growing up around liquor stores
and fast-food restaurants leads to greater risk of obesity,
diabetes, asthma, and heart disease for the residents of
Castlemont like Melinda. Other factors also include physical
assault and less access to jobs, so the opportunity for
teenagers to graduate high school are slim (Schell).
Mom and kid

6. 2.Second Principle of Catholic Social Teaching:
Call to Family, Communion, and Participation
Our family is a sacred unit where we are nurtured and learn how to love.
Community starts with a loving family: “ Marriage and the family are the
central social institutions that must be supported and strengthened, not
undermined” (USCCB). However, people who live in poverty are often
left out of society and community. They are often alone, without a family
because of circumstances in their lives - if people in poverty have been
involved with crimes, alcohol, and drugs that lead them away from society
and even their own family. Luckily, the community often rallies together
to help people in poverty. There are various soup kitchens and community
breakfasts that can give the poor one of their basic needs, food. These
meals also give the poor a chance to be involved in community. The St.
Vincent de Paul Society, a Catholic lay foundation of almost a million
volunteers around the world, is the oldest and most effective charitable
foundation that directly serves the poor, more than 14 million each year,
through home visits, housing assistance, disaster relief, job training and
placement, food pantries, dining halls, clothing, transportation and utility
costs, care for the elderly and medicine (Who We Are). Loving Family

7. 3.Third Principle of Catholic Social Teaching:
Rights and Responsibilities
In order to live healthy lives, the fundamental rights to food,
clothing, shelter, and influence on governing, must be
protected along with the responsibility to lend oneself to one
another, families, and society. “Human dignity can be
protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if
human rights are protected and responsibilities are met”
(USCCB). The normal rights that are given to most people in
society do not always apply to people who live in poverty.
The rights of food, clothing, and poverty are not easy for
people in poverty to receive. This also makes it difficult for
people in poverty to fulfill their basic responsibilities, such as
raising a family. For the parents of a family of four living in
poverty, it is very difficult to raise a family. They usually
have to get multiple jobs to help pay their children’s education
and clothing, which are basic rights. For example, how can a
family of four that earns $20,000 annually afford college
education and other basic needs for the four of them?
Classroom full of children

8. 4.Fourth Principle of Catholic Social Teaching:
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable
This is obviously connected greatly to the issue of poor in society: “In
a society marred by deepening divisions between rich and poor, our
tradition recalls the story of the Last Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) and
instructs us to put the needs of the poor and vulnerable first”
(USCCB). It is the government’s job, as with the community, to take
care of those who live in poverty. The issue of poverty is so
important because of the immense distribution of wealth in our
country, and it is the job of those in charge, who have the most
wealth, to help the people who have the least amount of wealth.
Through the progressive income tax, Americans of higher incomes
pay more taxes than those of lesser incomes. As of 2001, federal tax
rates climbed from 15% to 39%. A portion of their taxes go to
Federal unemployment insurance, Medicare, and federal welfare
programs, such as Food Stamps, which help poor and temporarily
hard-pressed households make ends meet. Social Security is not a
welfare program (because workers pay a specific Social Security tax
for these benefits), but provide financial assistance to millions of
retirees and people unable to work (Wealth and Poverty). Workers helping the poor

9. 5.Fifth Principle of Catholic Social Teaching: The
Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers
The role of the economy is to serve the people.
“Work is more than a way to make a living; it is a
form of continuing participation in God’s creation”
(USCCB). This means that everyone must work
when they can, must work in conditions respectful to
their dignity, and must earn what they contribute - a
fair wage, must have the right to unionize and
purchase property. All these rights suffice to
physically care for a family and fulfill one’s
obligation. The right to work is connected to people
in poverty because of how difficult it is for people to
find jobs in the economy of the United States today.
For people in poverty, finding a job is more important
because of the need for money in order to provide for
themselves or a family.
Protest

10. 6.Sixth Principle of Catholic Social Teaching:
Solidarity
Despite differences in race, gender, religion, humans are part of
one big family. They care for their brothers and sisters. If care
for each other is a must in this principle, then the noble pursuit
of peace and justice are at its core: “Our love for all our sisters
and brothers demands that we promote peace in a world
surrounded by violence and conflict” (USCCB). Solidarity is
provided to the poor, through community service in food banks,
and organizations, such as St. Vincent De Paul. They provide
to people in poverty, such as providing them with a community
and the same basic needs talked about in the previous
principles, including food and shelter. These services also give
everyday people an ordinary job to play a big part of their
community by helping out people in need. The St. Vincent de
Paul Society directly serves the poor, more than 14 million
each year, through home visits, housing assistance, disaster
relief, job training and placement, food pantries, dining halls,
clothing, transportation and utility costs, care for the elderly
and medicine (Who We Are).
Teacher teaching kids

11. 7.Seventh Principle of Catholic Social Teaching:
Care for God’s Creation
Humans are part of God’s nature and it is
important for all humans to be treated as
equals. “We are called to protect people
and the planet, living our faith in
relationship with all of God’s creation”
(USCCB), which includes humans who
are financially impoverished. Each
individual in society needs to treat the
poor as we would treat everyone in
society, and try to help them whenever
we can.
Trees

12. Works Cited
Slide 3 (Our Ethical Duty):
"Poverty." The White House. The White House, 07 Jan. 2016. Web. 09 May 2016.
"Proverbs, Chapter 31." Scripture. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Slide 4 (Universal Declaration of Human Rights):
“Publication 972 (2015), Child Tax Credit." Publication 972 (2015), Child Tax Credit. IRS, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
"The Universal Declaration of Human Rights | United Nations." UN News Center. UN, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Slide 5 (CST #1):
"Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching." Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Schell, Brittany. "The Pulse of Oakland." The Pulse of Oakland. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Slide 6 (CST #2):
"Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching." Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
"Who We Are." Charitable Organization Free Dining Room St Vincent De Paul Society San Rafael Marin County. St Vincent De Paul Society, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Slide 7 (CST #3):
"Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching." Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Slide 8 (CST #4):
"Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching." Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Wealth and Poverty. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Slide 9 (CST #5):
"Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching." Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Slide 10 (CST#6):
"Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching." Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
"Who We Are." Charitable Organization Free Dining Room St Vincent De Paul Society San Rafael Marin County. St Vincent De Paul Society, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.
Slide 11 (CST #7):
"Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching." Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, n.d. Web. 09 May 2016.

13. Images Cited
Slide 5 (CST #1):
Crumb, Graham. People of Vanuatu. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., 09 Sept. 2012. Web. 9 May 2016.
Slide 6 (CST #2):
Branson, Bill. Family Drinking Juice. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. National Cancer Institute, 25 July 2007. Web. 9 May 2016.
Slide 7 (CST #3):
Children in Poverty Going to School. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 9 May 2016.
Slide 8 (CST #4):
Bailey, U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Nathan A.US Navy 071026-N-5658B-039 Operations Specialist 2nd Class Torian Parker, Assigned to the
Precommissioning Unit (PCU) George H. W. Bush (CVN 77), Serves Lunch at the Back Door Soup Kitchen. Digital image.Wikimedia Commons. N.p., 26 Oct. 2007. Web. 9 May 2016.
Slide 9 (CST #5):
Fast food strike and protest for a $15/hour minimum wage at the University of Minnesota. Digital image. Flickr, 15 Apr. 2015. Web. 9 May 2016.
Slide 10 (CST#6):
Latter-day Saint Charities. Wikimedia Commons. Web. 9 May 2016
Slide 11 (CST #7):
Two+two=4. Redwood Trees in Muir Woods National Monument, Just outside San Francisco, California. Digital image. Wikimedia Commons. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 May 2016.