Social Teaching has sometimes been called the Church's 'best kept secret'. The aim of this book is to make some of this teaching more widely known and to interest a wider group of readers than might normally pick up a book on such a topic. The book brings together authors from a variety of backgrounds, men and women, Jesuits and lay, to explore some aspects of Catholic Social Teaching. The articles are written in readily accessible language and reflect the interests of the contributors. Areas covered include: the Vision inspired by the notion of the dignity of the human person; Social Teaching and Education; Subsidiarity and the family; the father and the family; The Medellin document of 1968; Catholic Social Teaching as the real Third Way; Solidarity; Liberation etc.

These are areas of Social Teaching which have developed and may not be known by many people. Catholic Social Teaching is a rich source to be drawn on for many areas of life eg. Importance for personal and interpersonal, social and societal relationships, as well as relationships between nations and peoples. (One piece specifically concerns the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers, another makes a link with Islam in noting shared teaching on solidarity but points to the structural solidarity involved in Zakah.)

The Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice is a centre for social research and action which seeks to respond to situations of structural injustice. It is sponsored by the Irish Jesuits and activities include: Theological Reflection, research and publication, Social Analysis and Evaluation.