Catholic Social Teaching 101 Video Series: Rights and Responsibilities

At the Karima Primary School in Malinda, Kenya, students of the Peace Club participate in a skit about child rights and child protection. Photo by Philip Laubner/CRS

“We are required to have more than ... existence,” suggests George Mason University Professor Helen Alvaré at the start of Rights and Responsibilities, the fifth installment of CST 101, a series of videos from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services. “Jesus promises us the abundant life.”

“For us, rights and responsibilities are reciprocal,” adds Cardinal Séan O'Malley, archbishop of Boston. "We always have a responsibility to others, to the common good, and to see our work and resources as something that needs to be used to build up society and to share with those who are in need.”

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Professor Alvaré and Cardinal O'Malley are joined by CRS Vice President Bill O'Keefe in teaching us how fundamental to our being, to our relationship with one another this reciprocal relationship is, how the special dignity God has created us with compels us to recognize the sacredness of one another, to honor it with our work and respect and our advocacy for one another.

CST 101 is a collaborative 7-part video series presented by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services on Catholic social teaching.

“Human beings are wonderful creatures that have rights, but also that have agency and responsibility to shape their own destiny and the destinies of others in ways that reflect this basic dignity that God has given us.” — CRS Vice President Bill O'Keefe

The videos bring the themes of Catholic social teaching (the Church’s collective wisdom and teaching on the values and Christian vision of a just society) to life and inspire us to put our faith into action.

Some suggested uses include adult faith formation, incorporating into high school theology classes, sharing with parents of religious education students, integrating into lay ministry formation and using them to prepare groups for service trips. Or simply for our own reflection, to better understand how we and our families exist in society along with our fellow creatures among God’s creation, living and moving and bearing God’s word.

Featured in these videos is the wonderful artwork of Bro. Mickey O’Neill McGrath, OSFS, along with contributions from some of the most respected figures in contemporary Catholic thought:

The videos are being released on a rolling basis, and will shortly be followed by a discussion guide. We hope you enjoy, share, and discuss this installment, along with the whole series to follow, and hope that it will deepen your and that of your community.

https://youtu.be/OPB6sXj6Fwo

Previously introduced installments in the CST 101 series include

• Life and Dignity of the Human Person;
• Call to Family, Community, and Participation;
• Care for God’s Creation;
• Option for the Poor and Vulnerable.

Installments to follow include:

• The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; and
• Solidarity.

Please share with your communities, and watch this space for each installment to follow.

See all the Catholic Social Teaching 101 posts here.