Preferential Option for the Poor

Coming from Catholic social teaching, this concept expresses a special concern in distributive justice for poor and vulnerable persons. The "poor" includes but is not limited to those who are economically deprived. The principle is rooted in the biblical notion of justice, where God calls us to be advocates for the voiceless and the powerless among us (e.g., "the widows and the orphans"), and where right relationships are restored. Regardless of the reasons, those who are in any way deprived or who are particularly vulnerable have a special moral claim on the community (including its institutions and organizations, but particularly Catholic health care institutions, see Ethical and Religious Directives, n. 3). As a matter of both justice and charity, structures and systems must be in place to address and meet their special needs, so that they might participate more fully in the common good and thereby flourish more fully as human persons. [See: Busy Christian's Guide to Catholic Social Teaching.]

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