Education in Faith 

Catholic Social Teaching 1: 

Dignity of the Human Person

The foundation of all Catholic Social Teaching is the inherent dignity of the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God.

The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. We believe that every person is precious, that people are more important than things, and that the measure of every institution is how it enhances the life and dignity of the human person.

This dignity was seen in the life of Blessed Mary, the Mother of Jesus, through her life on earth.  Mary understood that it will not be power, success and money that will prevail, but service, humility and love as she saw this evident in the life of her Son, Jesus.

Last Monday, 15 August, the Church celebrated the Feast Day of the Assumption of Our Lady when according to our faith, the Holy Mother, “having completed her course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory”.

Although defined as an article of faith by Pope Pius XII just over half a century ago, the Assumption of Our Lady into heaven has been accepted from back to the earliest of Christian times.

The Assumption signals the end of Mary’s earthly life and marks her return to heaven to be reunited with Jesus. While the bodies of both Jesus and Mary are now in heaven, there is a difference between the Assumption and the Resurrection. Where Jesus arose from the tomb and ascended into heaven by his own power, Mary’s body was taken up to heaven by the power of her Son.

.......And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Luke 1: 39-56

Margaret Carlei

Faith Leader