Home

The African Forum for Catholic Social Teaching

What is Catholic Social Teaching (CST)?
A growing body of social wisdom about human beings in society, about the structures, cultures, systems and processes of society that help us to enable all human beings to grow to their fullness. This teaching offers guidelines, questions and possible directions to follow when dealing with human challenges.

  • This wisdom comes from
  • Scripture
  • Writings of theologians
  • Church documents
  • witnesses of just persons and communities
  • Church and faith tradition 

  • Values of CST

  • “Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world fully appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the gospel” Justice in the World, 1971

     

  • Dignity of the Human Person

    Every human person is created in God’s image and is worthy of respect regardless of race, tribe, sex, age, religion, sexual orientation, employment, economic status, health, intelligence, or any other distinguishing characteristics.

     

  • Participation
    People have a right and a duty to participate in society in order to search, in collaboration with others, for the common good and well-being of everyone, especially the poor and marginalized.

     

  • Promotion of Common Good
    We must promote the common good — those conditions which make it possible for all people to fully achieve their natural potential by growing physically, emotionally, intellectually and socially.
  • Solidarity 
  • We all belong to one human family. Thus, to be in solidarity with others is  to be moved by their suffering and to be  uplifted by their happiness.

A homepage section

Mission

We are an African Forum for Catholic Social Teaching (CST) that strives to popularize and contextualize this teaching by supporting and strengthening the capacity of those involved in developing and implementing it at all levels of the Church and society.

Vision

A more just, peaceful and humane African society that is guided by Catholic Social Teaching and where Gospel values are promoted and celebrated.

AFCAST focuses its activities in the Eastern and Southern regions of Africa, working closely with already existing church structures such as IMBISA, AMECEA, local Bishops’ Conferences and Catholic Commissions for Justice and Peace, among others. AFCAST also shares experiences with other parts of Africa and the world.

About

AFCAST focuses its activities in the Eastern and Southern regions of Africa, working closely with already existing church structures such as IMBISA, AMECEA, local Bishops’ Conferences and Catholic Commissions for Justice and Peace, among others. AFCAST also shares experiences with other parts of Africa and the world.

values

Guiding Principles

Respect for human dignity
Promotion of integral human development at all levels of church and society
Respect for life and all creation
Renewal and contextualization of scripture and CST as they relate to African values and experience
Vigilance to the signs of the times
Openness to dialogue and partnership with others working in the field of CST and development
Recognition of the vital role of peace and reconciliation to our mission
Keen ethical sense, public conscience and commitment.

Inculturate the African Voice in CST
Twice annually AFCAST coordinates a workshop in a host country in East or Southern African to facilitate dialogue on an overarching social reality in Africa in light of CST. Recent workshops include: Prophetic Witness in Africa; Constitution-making and Human dignity; Women and violence; Good governance; and integrity of creation. We also facilitate local research and evaluate current and past theories and activities of CST in Africa

DOCUMENT, produce and distribute CST MATERIALS
AFCAST archives and shares materials on CST via our website, newsletter and documentation center located in the Arrupe Jesuit University Library. We publish booklets and popular education materials on CST, while encouraging the republication, translation and simplification of the socials teachings. We also create materials, guidelines and syllabi for teaching and popularizing CST in the African context.

INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY
AFCAST links with bishops’ conferences, church organizations, lobby and advocate groups, institutions and regional bodies to influence economic, political and social policies from the perspective of the social teaching.

Blog