FIRST, READ THIS. 

Personalism, a philosophy which regards the freedom and dignity of each person as the basis, focus and goal of all metaphysics and morals. In following such wisdom, we move away from a self-centered individualism toward the good of the other. This is to be done by taking personal responsibility for changing conditions, rather than looking to the state or other institutions to provide impersonal charity. 

The philosophy of personalism is at the center of Catholic social teaching.  Personalism holds that human beings are created in the likeness of God and are endowed by God with a soul, an intellect, and a rational free will.  As the creatures of God, made in God's image and possessing these innate spiritual attributes, humans cannot be regarded merely as a means to a goal or reified as mere objects. Rather, every human being must be treated as a subject in and of himself. The philosophy of personalism thus affirms two basic human needs: the material physical need, and the need for dignified work. Addressing these necessities is a central requirement of a properly functioning social order. Humans are unique and alike, solitary and communal, autonomous and dependent, self-centered and other-centered, self-made and culture-bound. These characteristics reflect the presence of both individuality and social cognizance. The worker thus possesses the need to both belong to a social community within the workplace and strive for self-expression within it; a model achieved by the formation of social groups at one's place of work and individual contribution to those groups. Through the philosophy of personalism, "[w]ork affords a person[,] as an individual[,] an opportunity to produce a good or service by contributing skills and talents that are uniquely his/hers." This aids a person to realize his or her potential. 

In personalism, the individual is called to liberation and may only achieve it by conferring to others the freedom he or she seeks for him or herself. 

Personalism is closely related to the social organization principle of subsidiarity. ³⁵⁹ Subsidiarity emphasizes that local, community-centered organizations are the most efficacious, most conducive, and most responsive associations in existence for the fulfillment of social needs. It is to the principle of subsidiarity that we now turn.

This tenet was at the root of Dorothy Day's vision of political action and continues to vitalize the Catholic Workers' mission statement:

We advocate. . . [a] decentralized society in contrast to the present bigness of government, industry, education, health care and agriculture. We encourage efforts such as family farms, rural and urban land trusts, worker ownership and management of small factories, homesteading projects, food, housing and other cooperatives—any effort in which money can once more become merely a medium of exchange, and human beings are no longer commodities. 

The principle of subsidiarity transforms the attainment of human needs from an exclusively individual concern to one of an entire society, placing a responsibility on the larger social community only where human needs cannot be met through individual aspiration alone.

The principle of subsidiarity holds that government intervention in the economy is justified, and even necessary, when it provides help indispensable to the common good but beyond the competence of individuals or groups. It further holds that family, neighborhood, church, professional and labor groups all have a dynamic life of their own which government must respect. View More

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