Raymond Friel visited Gidea Park Catholic Church on 15th June 2024 and took as his theme ‘Catholic Social Teaching in an Election Year’. Raymond has extensive experience in education, and is at present CEO of Caritas Social Action Network. His most recent book is Catholic Social Teaching: an introduction, published by Redemptorist Publications. Catholic Social Teaching has developed extensively in modern times, but has its roots in the Hebrew Scriptures and in the New Testament. Essentially it is about establishing a ‘just social order’ and respecting the dignity of each human person so that each one can lead a ‘truly human life’ (Gaudium et Spes 26). The Popes, starting with Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum in 1891, present a developing teaching responding to developing times. The Compendium of Catholic Social Teaching (2004) presents four principles: the common good, solidarity, subsidiarity and human dignity. To this list should be added care for our common home. In considering the duty to vote we should heed the words of Pope Francis in Fratelli Tutti (2020) that we must ‘put human dignity back at the centre’ and develop ‘alternative social structures’ (n.168). Priority is to be given to those in the greatest need. Catholic Social Teaching shifts the dial from ‘compassion’ to ‘compassion with justice’. The teaching of Laudato si (2015) is a very important element. It urges us to acknowledge the ‘universal destination of the world’s goods’. Reflection and prayer are necessary as we make decisions about the future.