Knowra Preferential option for the poor Preferential option for the poor The moral principle that decisions and social arrangements should give special priority to the needs and rights of people living in poverty, without denying the dignity of others.
Medellín Conference : A 1968 gathering of Latin American bishops that addressed poverty, social injustice, and the Church’s role in the region. Its call to solidarity with the poor helped shape the principle’s emergence in Latin American Catholicism.
Social justice : The fair ordering of social institutions, opportunities, rights, and resources. The principle applies social justice by giving priority to people most disadvantaged by existing arrangements.
Preferential option for the poor in Catholic social teaching : The Catholic social teaching principle that social and economic decisions should prioritize the poor and vulnerable. This formulation shows how the general moral principle is expressed within official Catholic teaching.
Universal destination of goods : The Catholic teaching that the goods of creation are intended to serve all people. It states the universal claim about goods that the option applies with special urgency to the poor.
Puebla Conference : A 1979 gathering of Latin American bishops whose document reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to the poor. Its teaching gave the option for the poor a prominent place in Latin American Catholic doctrine.
Distributive justice : The branch of justice concerned with how benefits and burdens are allocated among people. Priority for the poor shapes how a just distribution evaluates unequal need and disadvantage.
Pope Francis : The head of the Catholic Church since 2013, known for emphasizing poverty, social exclusion, and care for creation. His papacy has repeatedly applied the principle to economic exclusion and the Church’s mission.
Equality of opportunity : The principle that people should have fair access to opportunities regardless of social background. It emphasizes fair access generally, while the option gives added weight to severe deprivation.
Gustavo Gutiérrez : A Peruvian Catholic priest and theologian widely regarded as a founder of liberation theology. His theology helped develop the option for the poor as a central Christian commitment.
Human dignity : The inherent worth of every human person, independent of status, ability, or social position. The option rests on the equal dignity of people whose worth poverty can obscure.
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