This document discusses Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and its principles for creating a more just world, as outlined in the biblical passage of Matthew 25:31-46 about the Last Judgment. Some of the key CST principles it outlines are preferential option for the poor, common good, universal destination of goods, solidarity, and subsidiarity. It emphasizes that the poor should be at the center of our thinking and are subjects, not objects, of change. The document concludes by stating the mission of Catholic Charities is to affirm human dignity, especially for the vulnerable, by developing effective responses to need and advocating for social justice.

1. Let Us
Dream
THE PATH TO A BETTER
FUTURE

2. Matthew 25: 31-46 –
The Last Judgment
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him, he will sit
upon his glorious throne, and all the
nations will be assembled before him. And
he will separate them one from another, as
a shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats.

3. Matthew 25: 31-46 –
The Last Judgment
He will place the sheep on his right and the
goats on his left. Then the king will say to
those on his right, ‘Come, you who are
blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom
prepared for you from the foundation of
the world. For I was hungry and you gave
me food, I was thirsty and you gave me
drink, a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me, ill and you
cared for me, in prison and you visited
me.’

4. Matthew 25: 31-46 –
The Last Judgment
Then the righteous will answer him and
say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry
and feed you, or thirsty and give you
drink? When did we see you a stranger
and welcome you, or naked and clothe
you? When did we see you ill or in prison,
and visit you?’

5. Matthew 25: 31-46 –
The Last Judgment
And the king will say to them in
reply, ‘Amen, I say to you,
whatever you did for one of these
least brothers of mine, you did for
me.’

6. Matthew 25: 31-46 –
The Last Judgment
Then he will say to those on his left,
‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the
eternal fire prepared for the devil and his
angels. For I was hungry and you gave me
no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no
drink, a stranger and you gave me no
welcome, naked and you gave me no
clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not
care for me.’

7. Matthew 25: 31-46 –
The Last Judgment
Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord,
when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and
not minister to your needs?’

8. Matthew 25: 31-46 –
The Last Judgment
He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say
to you, what you did not do for
one of these least ones, you did
not do for me.’And these will go
off to eternal punishment, but the
righteous to eternal life.”

9. Let Us Dream: The Path
to a Better Future
Reflecting on the Kingdom of God in
response to the way we live in the modern
world, the Church has developed a series
of principles for reflection, together with a
criteria for judgment that also offer
directives for action. It is known as
Catholic Social Teaching (CST).

10. Let Us Dream: The Path
to a Better Future
When the Church talks about the
preferential option for the poor, it means
that we need always to keep in mind how
any decision we make might impact the
poor. But it also means we need to put the
poor at the center of our thinking. By
means of that preferential option, the Lord
gives us a new perspective on value with
which to judge events.

11. Let Us Dream: The
Path to a Better Future
Similarly, when the Church speaks of the
common good it asks us to have regard for
the good of society as a whole… The
common good is the good we all share in,
the good of the people as a whole, as well
as the goods we hold in common and
should be for all. When we invest in the
common good, we amplify what is good
for all.

12. Let Us Dream: The
Path to a Better Future
Another principle of social teaching is the
universal destination of goods. God meant
the goods of the earth for all. Private
property is a right, but its use and
regulation need to keep in mind this key
principle… The early Church fathers made
clear that giving to the poor is just giving
back to them what is theirs, for God
intended the goods of the earth for all,
without excluding anyone.

13. Let Us Dream: The
Path to a Better Future
Two other CST principles also matter here:
solidarity and subsidiarity. Solidarity
acknowledges our interconnectedness: we
are creatures in relationship, with duties
toward each other, and all are called to
participate in society. That means
welcoming the stranger, forgiving debts,
giving a home to the disabled, and
allowing other people’s dreams and hopes
for a better life to become our own.

14. Let Us Dream: The
Path to a Better Future
But subsidiarity ensures that we do not
distort the idea of solidarity, which
involves recognizing and respecting the
autonomy of others as subjects of their
own destiny. The poor are not the objects
of our good intentions but the subjects of
change. We do not just act for the poor but
with them.”

15. Catholic Charities of
Brooklyn and Queens
In affirming the dignity and value of every
person, especially the most vulnerable
members of our diverse society. Catholic
Charities develops effective responses to
human need and joins with all people of
good will in advocating for a social order
that promotes justice and embraces human
development.