Exploring Catholic Social Teaching

The Citizen and Government
LESSON 10
Suggested Grade Levels
ӹ 5th–8th grade
Learning Goals
Connection to the
Catechism of the
Catholic Church
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All people have equal rights.
ӹ CCC 672
ӹ CCC 1920-
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Our rights flow from our dignity as persons
created in the image and likeness of God.
Authority is the quality of exercising power
over others and expecting obedience from
them.
All authority comes from God.
Every community needs an authority to
govern it.
Authority is exercised legitimately only when
it seeks the common good of the group
concerned and if it employs morally licit
means to attain it (CCC 1903).
ӹ CCC 1700
ӹ CCC 1706
ӹ CCC 1738
ӹ CCC 1890
ӹ CCC 1892
ӹ CCC 1895
ӹ CCC 1905-
1909
Vocabulary
ӹ Citizenship
1927
ӹ CCC 2242
ӹ CCC 2253-
2257
ӹ CCC 2309
ӹ CCC 2321-
2325
ӹ Natural Law
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Because of the inherent dignity of the human
person as made in the image of God that the
human person must be at the center of society
Authority breaks down when governments
enact unjust laws or take measures contrary
the moral order.
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Golden Rule
Government
Just
Hierarchy of
Values
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Precepts of
the Church
Right
Sacramental
Society
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Citizens are not bound to obey
unjust laws.
BIBLICAL TOUCHSTONES
[A]nd he said: “LORD, God of our ancestors, are
you not God in heaven, and do you not rule over
all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand is
power and might, and no one can withstand you.
2 CHRONICLES 20:6
Let every person be subordinate to the higher
authorities, for there is no authority except from
God, and those that exist have been established
by God.
ROMANS 13:1
EXPLORING CATHOLIC SOCIAL TEACHING, lesson 10
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