<I think we have to acknowledge that Catholic Social Teaching has not been well explained by our leaders or well received by the people.>
I think that's right -- but it is not a case of benign, or even malignant, neglect; it is a case of affirmatively undermining Catholic Social Teaching. The teaching was better known, at least in the United States, in the 1930s, 40s and 50s than it is today. In the 1980s, the bishops of the United States embarked on several efforts to make CST better known and to apply it to contemporary issues. (cf. the pastoral letters, 'The Challenge of Peace' and 'Economic Justice for All.') Unfortunately, their efforts ran up against Pope John Paul's campaign to water down Vatican II's teaching about collegiality. The pope didn't object to the bishops' teaching (he was generally to their left on social issues), but to their method: they were listening -- even to lay people, even to non-Catholics! JPII appointed reactionary bishops who did not teach CST.