FAITH MATTERS

Catholic Social Teaching is a rich source of wisdom that has been described as one of the greatest gifts the tradition has to offer modern society. While it is based on a tradition that goes back for centuries, Catholic Social Teaching is incredibly relevant for us in 2022. 

Catholic Social Teaching is strongly rooted in belief in the dignity of the human person, a dignity that exists because humanity is created in the image and likeness of  God. This means that every person is unique, equally valued and equally important and should therefore be treated as such. Indeed the measure of any community or organisation is how it upholds the dignity of the human person. In our school community we can translate this into how we treat each other, whether we treasure each person in our school or whether we disregard them through what we say or what we do, or by ignoring them and excluding them. 

Sometimes we might have trouble seeing and acknowledging the dignity of those around us because we think they are different from us. Perhaps we don’t know them, or we don’t understand them, or worse, because we think we know all about them and judge them. Judgements can be based on fear, on stereotypes or misinformation, on ignorance or jealousy or be driven by a desire to ‘fit in’ to what we think is expected. 

If we, as part of a faith community such as St Mary MacKillop College, acknowledge however that each and every member of our school is created in the image and likeness of God, then we must accept that we are all equal. This then sets out very clearly that any form of discrimination or exclusion, whether it be on racial, gender, language, social conditions or an abilities basis, has no place in our community. Our Vision and Mission articulates this beautifully through the expression that “We respect the unique dignity, faith and gifts of each person.” Not only does this indicate that discrimination of any kind has no place in our school, it also promotes the open acceptance and welcome of everyone as people who have something to offer our community through their individual gifts and existence. It proclaims that each and every one of us has a unique dignity, we are all precious. We are valued because we are, not because we can do something. 

Each student and each staff member at St Mary MacKillop College has been created in the image and likeness of God - we are all “beautiful and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139). We need to put this into practice every day. We need to speak kindly, to include others. We need to be the person who rejects discrimination and exclusion. We can make the decision not to  spread rumours or gossip, or talk behind people’s backs. We don’t have to text nasty comments to others, or make fun of people on Snapchat. All of this leads to members of our community feeling excluded and lonely, isolated and harrassed. It diminishes us and makes us small. Instead we can all be people who recognise the dignity of every person around us. We can be the one who invites someone to join in, who gives someone a pat on the back. We can be the one who smiles and says hello, who helps out without expecting to be thanked for it. We can choose to encourage each other, to compliment each other, to enjoy each other's company and embrace our individual strengths and gifts. We can recognise and protect the dignity of others, and by doing so we are upholding our own dignity.