Millennium Development Goals and Catholic Social Teaching: Ongoing Responsibility and Response

Abstract

This paper begins by making a case for the congruence between core ideals of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which aim to confront global poverty in a multifaceted approach and were entered into by a vast majority of the international community at the beginning of this millennium.  Then the paper goes on to argue that given the current danger of falling short of the Goals’ 2015 deadline and because the MDGs so clearly forward key aspects of CST, the Catholic Bishops and the Vatican need to redouble efforts to increase the commitment of both developed and developing nations.  Finally, the author concludes that failing to do so is morally unacceptable.