Catholic Social Teaching Is Having a Moment

Heidi Schlumpf reports that Catholic social teaching is gaining increased attention within the United States Church, the Vatican, and broader culture. In a course at Loyola University Chicago, students apply Church principles to modern issues such as immigration, racism, economic justice, and global warming.

Schlumpf notes that students often express surprise that the Church addresses these contemporary topics. The curriculum includes studying Pope Leo’s encyclical Magnifica humanitas, which summarizes principles including human dignity, the common good, subsidiarity, solidarity, and the universal destination of goods. Schlumpf states that recent pronouncements from Pope Leo and Pope Francis have provided more material for classroom discussions. This shift in interest has also been observed in secular media, particularly following criticisms directed at Pope Leo by President Trump regarding his comments on war.