A Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching: Fourth Edition

By Kevin E. McKenna

Book Overview

The essential guide to Catholic social teaching--clear, practical, and fully updated.

Looking for a reliable introduction to Catholic social teaching? Searching for pastoral tools to help integrate it into your personal life, parish, or school?

In this fourth edition of A Concise Guide to Catholic Social Teaching, Fr. Kevin E. McKenna offers clear and accessible explanations of the Church's teaching on justice, human dignity, the common good, social responsibilities, peace, and more. This is a practical introduction perfect for everyday Catholics.

With a foreword from Archbishop Nelson J. P rez of Philadelphia, this updated edition reflects developments in Catholic social teaching since the third edition was published in 2019. It includes key teachings and insights from the final years of Pope Francis and new contributions from Pope Leo XIV--including his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas--helping readers apply timeless principles to our contemporary lives and society.

Part I will help you learn the seven core themes of Catholic social teaching identified by the United States Catholic Bishops in 1998:

Life and Dignity of the Human PersonCall to Family, Community, and ParticipationRights and ResponsibilitiesOption for the Poor and VulnerableThe Dignity of Work and the Rights of WorkersSolidarityCare for God's Creation

In this Concise Guide, McKenna dedicates one of the seven chapters to each theme, drawing from the documents of the Second Vatican Council, papal encyclicals from Pope Leo XIII's 1981 Rerum Novarum through today, and magisterial teaching documents from the US bishops. McKenna provides probing questions for reflection and dialogue at the end of each chapter to help readers connect themes and apply key principles of the Church's social doctrines to contemporary life.

Key points are presented in chronological order within each chapter, helping readers understand how this body of Catholic thought has developed over time and continues to develop in its application to modern social issues and needs.

Part II offers six practical pastoral tools to help integrate social teaching into your personal life and that of your community. This book is perfect for catechumenal teams, those preparing for Baptism or reception into the Catholic Church, participants in ongoing adult faith formation, high school and college teachers and students, homilists, and other parish leaders, along with any individual seeking a straightforward, practical introduction to Catholic social teaching. The book is well sourced and fully indexed for easy use.

The six pastoral tools featured in Part II are also available as free downloads at www.avemariapress.com:

Preaching and Catechetical Message GuideSample Penance Service for Justice and PeaceChart of Historical MilestonesKey Papal biographiesList of Magisterial Documents and Key TermsAdditional Reading and Learning

Additional updates in this edition include

fresh interior and cover designs celebrating 135 years of Catholic social teaching;a revised and expanded introduction;additional texts cited in the table of contents;revised chapter openers;an updated biographical profile of Pope Francis and a new profile for Pope Leo XIV;new and revised discussion questions at the end of each chapter;an expanded and updated Chart of Historical Milestones incorporating significant US and global events related to the documents;an updated List of Encyclicals and Key Terms; andnewly added texts incorporated into the list of sources consulted.

With nearly thirty thousand copies of previous editions sold, this trusted guide continues to help readers understand, teach, and live Catholic social teaching in today's complex and ever-changing world. If you want to deepen your understanding of social justice, human dignity, and the common good, this book is the perfect place to start.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1646804643
• ISBN13: 9781646804641
• Release Date: October 2026
• Publisher: Ave Maria Press
• Length: 256 Pages

Customer Reviews

Very helpful books

Ordered books for our School of Leaders in the Cursillo Movement regarding the Social Justice teaching of the Catholic Church. This is just what we wanted. The service was fine, books arrived in tact (even the used one!). Thanks for this service.

Almost as "Concise as Love Your Neighbor"

This Book, Father McKenna's third, shows how wonderful a teacher he is. For this tome he has taken on the huge job of explaining Catholic Social Teaching. He does it well. The title says "Concise" but the more apt word may be "Uncomplicated". He takes the teaching, adds scripture references and papal encyclicals, all made easy in his fine way of exploring the topics such as economic justice, labor rights and responsibilities, and peace on earth. His references are truly excellent, but the treasure trove of this book are the "Reflection Questions" which follow every chapter. They draw you in to the issues and make you make intellectual choices necessary to understand and hopefully live your life according to your choices. As usual in Father McKenna's books, there are indexes, and a comprehensive glossary, and, biographies of the Popes who figured most prominently in the development of Catholic Social Teaching as we have it today. This book is a good solid, read, on a subject that should not be more complicated than love your neighbor. Add this book to your library, and you will value it for a very long time to come.