CSDC 580

The immediate purpose of the Church's social doctrine is to propose the principles and values that can sustain a society worthy of the human person. Among these principles, solidarity includes all the others in a certain way. It represents “one of the fundamental principles of the Christian view of social and political organization”¹²¹⁷ John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus, 10: AAS 83AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 83 (1991) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1991), 805-806.. Light is shed on this principle by the primacy of love, “the distinguishing mark of Christ's disciples (cf. Jn 13:35)”¹²¹⁸ John Paul II, Encyclical Letter Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, 40: AAS 80AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 80 (1988) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1988), 568.. Jesus teaches us that “the fundamental law of human perfection, and consequently of the transformation of the world, is the new commandment of love” (cf. Mt 22:40, Jn 15:12; Col 3:14; Jas 2:8)¹²¹⁹ Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, 38: AAS 58AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 58 (1966) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1966), 1055-1056; cf. Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 42: AAS 57AAS — Acta Apostolicae Sedis (official gazette of the Holy See)Volume 57 (1965) at vatican.va — scanned PDF (1965), 47-48; Catechism of the Catholic Church, 826.. Personal behaviour is fully human when it is born of love, manifests love and is ordered to love. This truth also applies in the social sphere; Christians must be deeply convinced witnesses of this, and they are to show by their lives how love is the only force (cf. 1 Cor 12:31-14:1) that can lead to personal and social perfection, allowing society to make progress towards the good.