The Catholic Church has existed for thousands of years and has encouraged teachings of social justice. At the heart of her practices and beliefs, she emphasized the dignity of the human being. For this reason, the Catholic organization of St. Vincent de Paul has established a number of programs to help the fraction of our contemporary Australian society who are homeless and who, as a result, are treated unequally. Seven fundamental principles of Catholic social teaching Life and the dignity of the human being Person The Catholic Church declares that human life is very sacred and that for a moral vision of our society, the dignity of the human person must be the base. The inherent dignity of the human person and the sanctity of human life are believed to contain the premise of all the principles of our social teaching. Call to family, community and participation The human person is not only sacred, but also social. Human dignity can clearly be affected by the way we manage our society in political, economic and legal matters. A person's family is the social core that must be strengthened and supported and not weakened. The Church believes that every person has the duty and right to participate in society and to seek the collective welfare and good of all people, especially the vulnerable and the poor. Rights and Responsibilities Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be maintained and a nurturing community achieved only if responsibilities are met and human rights guaranteed. This means that every person fundamentally has the right to live as well as the right to the things necessary to be an etiquette human being. Responsibilities and duties towards our families, ...... middle of paper ......ion. In 2011, nearly 1,000 CEOs came together and showed their support, while raising more than $4.2 million. The seventh annual Sleep Out took place in 2012 in 8 capital cities and Wollongong. St Vincent De Paul CEO Sleep Out's goal is not only to raise funds, but also to raise awareness about homelessness in Australia. The uncomfortable nature of sleeping on Australia's streets is only a small part of the broader reality Vinnies hopes to impart to influential community leaders. In conclusion… Social justice teachings are the foundation on which the teachings of the Church are built, and St. Vincent De Paul is doing all he can to address one type of injustice, that of homelessness. Through their annual CEO Sleep out, St Vincent De Paul are able to raise the funds needed to help and hopefully end homelessness in Australia..