Which of the following is a core principle of Catholic Social Teaching?

• A. Dignity of the human person
• B. Preference for the poor and vulnerable
• C. The common good and solidarity
• D. Subsidiarity and care for creation

Answer: (B)

The option for the poor and vulnerable is a central ethical lens in Catholic social teaching. It claims that justice in society must be judged by how it treats those most in need, ensuring their rights are protected and their voices are heard. This priority flows from the inherent dignity of every person, but it makes the concrete shapes of policy—laws, economics, and social structures—answerable to the condition of the marginalized. It’s not about ignoring others; it’s about ensuring that the needs of the vulnerable guide how resources, power, and institutions are used, so that structural injustices are addressed and participation is opened to all. While dignity, the common good and solidarity, and subsidiarity and care for creation are all essential principles, the preferential option for the poor and vulnerable provides the decisive criterion that many CST formulations highlight as the distinguishing, guiding priority for action.