We often joke about Catholic social teaching (CST) being the Church's "best-kept secret." And it was for me as well, during most of my Catholic upbringing. I don't remember learning anything about "solidarity" or "the option for the poor" during my years of Catholic grade school and high school. We learned about the corporal works of mercy, we did our assigned service hours, we were taught about loving our neighbor. But I never once heard about the fact that our popes and bishops had been writing for years about the social call of the Gospel.
It was only in college, when I became involved with service-learning projects through campus ministry which sparked my interest in taking more theology courses, that I began to learn about CST. This awakening of faith, of what it meant to be a Catholic and to follow Christ, was a transformational experience that allowed me to accept as my own the faith in which I had been raised. I saw the face of Christ in the people with whom I served, and encounters as powerful as those cannot leave us unchanged.
But I know that many Catholics continue to be unfamiliar with the Church's social teaching, and often through no fault of their own, since they have never heard it proclaimed or taught to them. I once came across a great summary of why CST has continued to persist as a "best-kept secret" of the Church:
1. The documents usually seem to be rather abstract, dry in content, and not very attractive to pick up and read.
2. The topics frequently are quite challenging, dealing as they do with controversial social issues, and therefore they may disturb readers and make them uncomfortable.
3. A ‘papal encyclical’ is, at least in many people’s minds, almost immediately associated with On Human Life (Humanae Vitae, 1968) and all the debates, disputes, and dissent over the Church’s position on birth control.
4. In general, authoritative statements – whether from Church or government – have less attraction today than acts of authentic witness.
(from Catholic Social Teaching: Our Best Kept Secret, Edward P. DeBerri, James E. Hug, et al, 2003 Orbis Books– p.4)
Each of these points is perceptive, but in order to translate CST for a new generation of Catholics, I think each of these perceptions needs to be challenged.
1. CST for young adults needs to be concrete, relevant, and accessible. While the papal and episcopal documents may be long or challenging to read, the substance of the teachings is the heart of who we are as followers of Christ. So the key to teaching CST is engaging the spirit, energy, and vitality of these teachings from our church leaders to make them come alive for young Catholics or others who seek to know what our church teaches.
2. CST does touch on the most pressing social issues of our day. But the Church is called to be in dialogue with the world, and Christ himself never shied away from being controversial. When dealing with young adults, many of whom love to debate social and political questions, teaching CST does not means steering clear of controversial issues, but instead approaching the questions with compassion. Fostering an open, non-judgmental spirit of discussion is the key to inviting young adults of different spiritual and political persuasions to dialogue around the issues of our day.
3. I'm not sure that the connection between "papal encyclical" and "Humanae Vitae" applies to young adults today as it might for their parents. But the point raises two important issues. First, sharing CST with young adults must introduce them to the breadth of issues addressed by CST - from abortion to war, from the environment to poverty - and make clear that the Church’s position cannot be easily categorized as conservative/liberal, Republican/Democratic, relevant/irrelevant. Second, the connection with Humane Vitae reminds me of the importance of actually reading a papal or episcopal document rather than simply making assumptions based on others' interpretations. As with any Church teaching, CST cannot be understood in media sound bytes but must be approached with an open heart and mind, even willing to be converted by what we learn. The Church's teachings on family planning can be just as challenging as the option for the poor, but faith in Christ calls us always to change from hearts of stone to hearts of love.
4. The authors' final point, about today's preference for authentic witness over authoritative statements, resonates with an approach that I think is critical for any exploration of CST with young adults. These statements of faith from our church authorities must be illustrated by examples of authentic witness: stories of other young people who are living or have lived according to this message of the Church. As with so many things Catholic, this is not an "either-or" debate, but a "both-and" situation. We need witnesses and authority, peer support and church leadership.
What do you think? What was your experience of learning about Catholic social teaching - if at all? What challenges can be obstacles to sharing this teaching?
Family. A loaded word, if you consider everything packed therein. For some, "family" conjures up warm, loving memories - a happy childhood, holiday gatherings, supportive loved ones. For others, "family" sinks like a pit in the stomach - broken relationships, violence, neglect, abuse. But for better and for worse, we are all part of families, the essential unit of our society. 
