Explain that today you will reflect on the Catholic social teaching principle Life and Dignity of the Human Person . This means that all people have God-given dignity, and are worthy of respect no matter who they are, where they live or what they have done .

Solidarity, the option for the poor, care for creation, economic justice, and the common good are examples of values that are vital to any society built upon the dignity of the human person.

Human dignity is the recognition that human beings possess a special value intrinsic to their humanity and as such are worthy of respect simply because they are human beings. Thus every human being, regardless of age, ability, status, gender, ethnicity, etc., is to be treated with respect.

Central to the principle of human dignity is the understanding that, every human being is created in the image of God, redeemed by Jesus Christ, destined for union with God, and therefore worthy of respect as a member of the human family.

Dignity is one of the most important things to the human spirit. It means being valued and respected for what you are, what you believe in, and how you live your live. Treating other people with dignity means treating them the way we’d like to be treated ourselves.

pride in oneself or a conscious sense of one’s own worth as a human being living a meaningful life, worthy of the respect of others.

How to treat others with dignity and respect

1. Acknowledge each person’s basic dignity.
2. Have empathy for every person’s life situation.
3. Listen to and encourage each other’s opinions and input.
4. Validate other people’s contributions.
5. Avoid gossip, teasing and other unprofessional behavior.

Dignity is one of the most important things to the human spirit. Only with dignity are people able to achieve things like being good in school, finding friends, leading a happy life, and maybe even making a difference in the world. Having dignity means being treated with respect AND treating others with respect.

Let’s take a look at 9 examples, all of which derive from the dignity factors listed above.

1. Let people choose their own clothing.
2. Involve them in decisions relating to their care.
3. Address the person properly.
4. Make food look and taste nice.
5. Respect personal space and possessions.
6. Handle hygiene activities sensitively.

The dignity of the human person, realized in community with others, is the criterion against which all aspects of economic life must be measured. 15. Modern Liberal Tradition Kant: Humans have dignity due to the fact that they are rational beings.

The value of human life is being threatened by increasing use of the death penalty. The dignity of life is undermined when the creation of human life is reduced to the manufacture of a product, as in human cloning or proposals for genetic engineering to create “perfect” human beings.

12. The Catholic Church The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This belief is the foundation of all the principles of our social teaching. In our society, human life is under direct attack from abortion and euthanasia.

15. Modern Liberal Tradition Kant: Humans have dignity due to the fact that they are rational beings. — According to Martha Nussbaum (“Kant and Stoic Cosmopolitanism,” Journal of Political Philosophy 5.1 (1997): 1-25), Kant appropriates this view from the Stoics (Cicero, Marcus) — the idea of human beings belonging to the ‘Kingdom of Ends.’