Ten little-heard ideas from the Social Doctrine of the Church

In contemporary ecclesial discourse, a certain partial vision of the Social Doctrine of the Church (SDC) seems to have taken root: some of its principles are insistently emphasized while others, equally binding, are relegated to silence. Recovering them does not mean “ideologizing” the faith, but rather restoring its balance and internal coherence, indispensable for an honest analysis of social reality.

In the following, I propose ten fundamental ideas, firmly anchored in the Magisterium, which today rarely occupy a central place in the ecclesial debate.

1. Sovereignty and order in borders

Christian charity is universal, but the right to immigration is not absolute. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (n. 2241) reminds us that civil authorities can regulate this right for the common good of the host country. Order is not the enemy of acceptance; it is its condition of possibility. Helping the needy also requires recognizing the real difficulties of these processes and proposing responsible solutions that avoid counterproductive effects.

2. The right not to emigrate

The focus is often placed almost exclusively on the country of destination, while the responsibility of the governments of origin is ignored. True social justice means creating dignified conditions so that no one is forced to flee. As African bishops have denounced, encouraging the departure of the best educated people is a serious harm to poor countries and a disguised form of plunder.

3. Commutative justice as the basis of social justice.

To speak of social justice without insisting on commutative justice - honoring contracts, paying what is due, respecting agreements - is to build on sand. Without honesty in exchanges, no social peace is possible. Claiming debt cancellation without demanding reforms, responsibilities and structural improvements may condemn poor countries to future financial exclusion.

4. The immorality of structural public debt

The permanent indebtedness of the State to sustain present welfare is a heavy burden for future generations. The DSI reminds us that the financial system must be at the service of the person; mortgaging tomorrow to pay for today violates intergenerational justice and erodes political responsibility.

5. Demand and merit in education

Authentic education fosters personal responsibility and effort. Academic facism, which is increasingly widespread, impoverishes students, weakens their character and limits their ability to contribute their talents to the common good.

6. Entrepreneurship as a vocation

The figure of the entrepreneur and economic initiative are often viewed with suspicion in ecclesial discourse. However, creating wealth and employment is not greed, but a legitimate expression of human intelligence and freedom. Entrepreneurship strengthens the self-esteem of the worker and sustains the social fabric.

7. Criticism of the welfare state

The Social Doctrine of the Church clearly defends the principle of subsidiarity. A State that invades all spheres ends up annulling social initiative and turns the citizen into a dependent client of power, weakening community responsibility.

Work ethics

The Church is not only a defender of labor or union rights; she is also a defender of a job well done. Laziness, unjustified absenteeism, abuse of social benefits or lack of professionalism are as much a threat to the common good as exploitation of the worker.

9. Political identity without complexes

The participation of the laity in public life does not consist in diluting the faith in the dominant consensus. The political commitment of Catholics must be recognizable in the defense of life, the family and educational freedom, without any reduction or complexes.

10. Ecology with truth

In the face of catastrophist discourses that absolutize nature, the Church proposes an integral human ecology. Benedict XVI warned that the person cannot be subordinated to the environment and that ecological concern must be based on reason, not on ideological exaggerations that hinder the legitimate development of peoples.

It is time for the ecclesial narrative to recover the totality of its doctrinal treasure. A Church that repeats only the slogans of the world runs the risk of ceasing to be salt of the earth and becoming an irrelevant echo.