It’s as easy as CST
Catholic Social Teaching is at the heart of what CAFOD does and of who we are. Find out how our education resources will help your pupils understand Catholic Social Teaching and inspire them to find ways of responding locally, nationally and globally.
“If everyone put Catholic Social Teaching into action, it would transform the world!”
This call to action comes from CAFOD’s “CST in 3 minutes” animation, a fast paced, engaging film that introduces young people to the origins and principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Do we really believe it can transform the world?
Children and young people have a strong, innate sense of justice; building a pathway to a better world is hugely attractive to them, and confronted with the challenges of climate change, they’re leading the way.
Pope Francis himself recognises the specific dynamism of youth that thirsts for justice and transformation:
“Young people demand change. They wonder how anyone can claim to be building a better future without thinking of the environmental crisis and the sufferings of the excluded.”
Laudato Si’ 13
Catholic Social Teaching is at the heart of what CAFOD does and of who we are
Our own vision draws directly from Catholic Social Teaching – and Laudato Si’ in particular – working towards a world where “our common home is transformed to reflect God’s Kingdom, where all people, communities and the earth may flourish…” (CAFOD: Our Common Home – our vision of progress, our agenda for change, Sept 2020). It’s a huge challenge, but also an exciting and fulfilling journey that we undertake together as a Catholic community.
The name itself, “Catholic Social Teaching”, could be a little intimidating for teachers who are new to Catholic schools. Catholic Social Teaching shows how Catholic faith can guide our responses to modern day issues, offering a framework for putting love into action in our modern world. Catholic schools have always been places where faith is put into action and the Gospel message is lived out and witnessed, but it’s not always common knowledge that this is CST itself. Every prayer of solidarity in the classroom and the school hall… it’s CST! Every school admission policy that puts those most in need first… it’s CST. Every eco group that works to take care of our common home… it’s CST. Every act of solidarity for our global family, whether fundraising or campaigning… it’s CST!
From the body of teaching that makes up CST, a set of principles emerges, and while there are different expressions of these principles, the principle of the Dignity of the Human Person is described as “the foundation of all the other principles…” (Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church 2004). But how can we explain “human dignity” in a way that is accessible for even the youngest pupil in the reception class? How can we explicitly link this principle to the actions that are already lived out every day within school communities?
Help is at hand in the guise of nine loveable animals from every continent who are part of CAFOD’s CST resources for primary age children.
Through our free CST workshop programme offered by fully trained School Volunteers, pupils in Reception and Key Stage One can get to know the stories of these appealing animals, and from their stories, begin to understand not only what each CST principle means, but how to put it into practise too. For instance, Luc the Deer is a big fan of Human Dignity. He tells children that everyone is special, because God created and loves everyone, and therefore we should treat everyone with respect.
Using accessible language is vital to ensure children can begin to make links between CST principles and the way Catholic life and mission is lived out in school. Our workshops for pupils in Key Stage Two include illustrating CST principles as a set of keys that unlock the Church’s potential: “It’s as Easy as CST!”
Our free primary CST resources for teachers includes a wide range of resources such as prayers, teacher notes, and a set of display posters that provide a useful reference point for including the language of CST in classroom practice.
Catholic Social Teaching is an important focus of the new Religious Education Directory, from Early Years Foundation Stage to Sixth Form. Included in CAFOD’s CST resources for secondary age pupils are new animations to explore the four foundational principles of CST: human dignity, the common good, solidarity and subsidiarity. Each animation finishes with a question to explore further – for example, how are you living in solidarity with your global neighbours?
We know that for many children and young people, great joy and purpose comes from putting their faith into action in practical ways, showing compassion and solidarity. Our CAFOD clubs for primary schools and young leadership opportunities in secondary schools are a great way to support pupils in making the link between CST principles and living them out in school. What an exciting way to ensure that pupils can take a leading role in responding to the demands of CST, an important component of the Catholic Schools Inspection Framework.
Our CPD training for teachers, introducing Catholic Social Teaching and giving examples of how CST can be embedded into many areas of the curriculum and extra-curricular activities, gives teachers the confidence to know that they are supporting the Catholic life and mission of the school.