Day 249: The Person in Society (2025)

In this episode of the "Catechism in a Year" podcast, Fr. Mike Schmitz delves into the concept of community as it relates to human dignity and God's plan for salvation, referencing paragraphs 1877-1885 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. He emphasizes that while individual human dignity is paramount, human beings are inherently communal and made in the image of God, who is a communion of persons. Fr. Mike discusses the necessity of society for human development, referencing the principle of subsidiarity, which dictates that issues should be handled at the most local level possible, and he touches on the dangers of excessive state intervention, as well as forms of collectivism like communism and socialism. He underscores the importance of family as the core building block of society and sets the stage for exploring participation in social life, authority, the common good, social justice, equality, and human solidarity in upcoming episodes.