Catholic Social Teaching and Political Resistance: A Conversational Guide
Why Christians Have Resisted Unjust Power
Catholic Social Teaching and Political Resistance: A Conversational Guide
Why Christians Have Resisted Unjust Power
Throughout history, Catholic social teaching has inspired people to stand up whenever governments or systems violate basic human dignity, harm the common good, or turn their backs on the poor. There’s actually a straightforward framework for this called See–Judge–Act that helps move from faith-based reflection to real-world action.
At the heart of this resistance are some core principles: human dignity, the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity, and the preferential option for people experiencing poverty. (You’ll also hear about rights, participation, and conscience.) These aren’t just abstract ideas—they give us both the moral compass and the positive vision we need when it’s time to say “no” through noncooperation, civil disobedience, or political organizing.
Understanding See–Judge–Act
Let me break down this three-step method, because it’s convenient:
See/Observe means taking a hard, honest look at what’s actually happening in a situation—mainly how it affects workers, the poor, migrants, and other vulnerable people. The key here is listening to those who are living through it, not starting with some predetermined ideology or theory.
Judge/Discern means taking what you’ve observed and examining it through the lens of the Gospel and Catholic social teaching principles, such as human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity. This is where papal encyclicals and statements from bishops often serve as reference points.
Act means choosing concrete actions—both personal and collective—that actually promote justice, peace, and structural change. We’re not just talking about charity here. This can include nonviolent resistance, conscientious objection, organizing communities, and pushing for real policy reform.
Looking Back: Catholics Under Nazism
The 20th century taught us some hard lessons. Under Nazi rule, sadly, many Catholic leaders failed or compromised. But others didn’t. Some preached boldly against racist ideology. Others protested euthanasia policies, sheltered people being hunted down, and ended up in prison or worse for opposing the regime.
A significant minority of German Catholic clergy faced reprisals for their resistance. Hundreds of priests, religious sisters, and brothers were thrown into concentration camps like Dachau, where there was actually a special barracks just for clergy.
In occupied countries across Europe, individual Catholics and small networks helped Jews escape, joined underground movements, and used whatever authority they had to denounce the horrors—even when the official Church response was more cautious or limited. These brave actions embodied Catholic social teaching’s emphasis on the right to life, conscience, and the defense of the vulnerable against totalitarian power.
The Catholic Resistance Continues
Fast forward to the Vietnam era, and we see a “Catholic Left” or “Catholic Resistance” emerging in the United States and elsewhere. These activists raided draft boards, practiced civil disobedience, and created public witness against the war and nuclear weapons. They weren’t acting randomly—they grounded their resistance in Catholic teaching on just-war limits, peacebuilding, and the supremacy of individual conscience.
Since the 1960s, See–Judge–Act and similar approaches have shaped Christian involvement in movements for land reform, labor rights, anti-racism, and solidarity with migrants—especially in Latin America and parts of Europe. Lay movements inspired by Joseph Cardijn (like the Young Christian Workers and Young Christian Students) became training grounds where Catholics learned to analyze unjust social structures and engage in democratic political struggle.
Core Principles That Drive Resistance
Solidarity and Standing with the Poor
Solidarity isn’t just a nice feeling—it’s a firm, unwavering commitment to the good of everyone, especially those who are suffering or pushed to the margins. It pushes Catholics to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with workers, racialized communities, people under occupation, or refugees, and to accept the real costs of resisting unjust structures alongside them.
The preferential option for people with low incomes means precisely what it sounds like: when judging any policy, we first ask how it affects those with the least power and protection. This perspective drives resistance to austerity measures, predatory lending, land grabs, or harsh immigration crackdowns that dump the heaviest burdens on those least able to carry them.
Subsidiarity and Keeping Power in Check
Subsidiarity is the principle that decisions should be made at the lowest competent level possible. Higher authorities exist to support local communities and associations, not to absorb or crush them. When regimes suppress unions, civic groups, or local self-government, subsidiarity provides a strong reason to organize opposition to such power grabs.
Here’s something crucial: because certain rights flow from human dignity itself, Catholic social teaching insists that “no individual, group, or even nation can violate them—not even the majority.” That means democracy itself can and should be resisted when it becomes purely majoritarian, ignoring the rule of law, human rights, and the protection of minorities.
Conscience, Religious Freedom, and Peace
Catholic social teaching frames political engagement as a “call to conscience.” It insists you can’t worship God authentically while turning away from the struggle against oppression and injustice. This grounds conscientious objection to unjust wars, discriminatory laws, or participation in seriously sinful systems.
The just war tradition, the pursuit of peace, and the defense of human rights mean Catholics may need to resist militarism, state terror, or policies that deliberately harm civilians. Nonviolent resistance, peace movements, and disarmament advocacy aren’t just optional political opinions—they’re direct expressions of core Catholic teaching.
Putting See–Judge–Act into Practice
So how do Catholics actually use this today? Here’s a practical approach:
Small groups gather to investigate a local injustice—maybe it’s harsh anti-immigrant policies, predatory housing practices, or the erosion of worker protections. They carefully observe what’s happening (See). Then they read that reality through the lens of Catholic social teaching (Judge). Finally, they choose specific actions, such as accompaniment of affected people, community organizing, or public advocacy (Act).
This process keeps political resistance rooted in prayer, shared discernment, and a consistent ethic of life—rather than in partisan identity alone.
The method also builds in ongoing evaluation. After acting, communities “see” again—what’s changed? Then they “judge” whether their actions truly aligned with the Gospel and Catholic social teaching, and they adjust their strategy accordingly.
In this way, See–Judge–Act functions as a spiritual discipline of resistance. It continually forms conscience as it engages with real, messy political conflicts. It’s not about being perfect—it’s about staying faithful to the call to justice while learning and growing along the way.
Catholic social teaching links rights and responsibilities so tightly that both shape how Catholics resist injustice: resistance is justified when fundamental rights are denied, and it is required as a responsibility when ordinary political means fail to protect those rights and the common good. This logic has informed strategies ranging from conscientious objection and civil disobedience to organized participation in political life and advocacy for structural reform.
Your Call to Action Today
So what does this mean for you, right now? Here’s the thing: Catholic social teaching isn’t meant to stay in books or Sunday homilies. It’s meant to be lived out in the real world, in your community, today.
Start small, but start:
See/Observe what’s happening around you. Look around your own community with fresh eyes. Who’s struggling? Maybe it’s families facing eviction, workers being exploited, immigrants living in fear, or elderly neighbors isolated and forgotten. Don’t rely on what the news tells you—talk to real people. Listen to their stories. What injustices are hiding in plain sight?
Judge/Discern what you’re seeing through the lens of faith. Get together with a few other Catholics—maybe after Mass, in a living room, or over coffee. Ask yourselves: How does this situation measure up against human dignity? Against solidarity? Against the preferential option for people with low incomes? What would Jesus say about this? What does Catholic social teaching tell us?
Act with courage and creativity. Once you’ve discerned together, choose one concrete action. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Maybe you:
Accompany an immigrant family to a legal appointment
Organize a tenants’ meeting to address housing injustice
Join or support a workers’ union drive
Show up at a city council meeting to advocate for the vulnerable
Practice conscientious objection to an unjust policy
Build a mutual aid network in your parish or neighborhood
Remember: You don’t have to fix everything. The early Christians, you remember those early followers of Jesus, didn’t wait for perfect conditions or complete consensus. They simply asked, “What does love require of us right now?” and then they acted. You don’t have to do this alone. And you don’t need permission from anyone except your own informed conscience.
That same question is waiting for your answer today. What does love require of you right now? Who needs you to stand with them? What injustice is God calling you to resist?
The world is waiting. Your community is waiting. The most vulnerable among us are waiting.
What will you see? What will you judge? What will you do?