An Introduction to Catholic Social Teaching

In this first episode of our Compassion in Action series, Chenele Shaw and Maria Benes provide an overview of Catholic Social Teaching and its significance in the modern world. Maria sheds light on the key principles and values that guide these teachings.

About the Author

Maria Benes currently serves as co-director of the Before Gethsemane Initiative (BGI), a Catholic nonprofit for racial reconciliation.  She also serves as a project lead for the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage for Modern Catholic Pilgrim.  Maria is a political scientist and an award-winning college instructor who has taught classes in human rights, international relations, and public policy.  She is known for providing students with the tools to have civil and respectful conversations around controversial topics such as abortion, racism, and immigration policy.  She holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and an M.A. in international affairs with a concentration in conflict resolution from George Washington University.