Q’s from the Pews: How is Being My Brother’s Keeper Catholic? May 17, 2026

“I am my brother’s keeper” can sound as if we want to tell others how they should think or act. That doesn’t seem charitable—so how does Catholic Social Teaching (CST) view us as our brother’s keeper?

Human dignity is the foundation of CST, expressed through Integral Human Development: the belief that everything we do should support the full potential of every human being. Since we are body and soul, this development includes both physical and spiritual growth. Two key principles of CST—the call to community participation and the option for the poor—speak directly to being our brother’s keeper.

We have a duty to organize our communities—faith, town, state, and nation—so they provide opportunities for everyone’s development. Not equality in sameness, but equity: breaking down barriers that prevent people from reaching their potential. This is seen most clearly in the Church’s care for the poor and vulnerable. The poor in faith must be welcomed and guided to the Church; the hungry should not merely be fed but also given the means to feed themselves.

In this way, we live in what the Church terms solidarity and subsidiarity—responsible for my brother’s development – My brother’s keeper, indeed!

Please send all questions for future columns to Jim Gregory.