Ch.1 (The Gift of Being Human) & Ch.2 (Foundations of Catholic Morality)

What's an excellent question to ask when considering consequences?

"Would I be willing to allow everyone in a similar situation to act this way?"

What are two good rules to apply when considering the consequences of proposed actions?

1. Do only those things that you think would be morally acceptable for all people at all times. 2. Respect others as persons of incomparable worth made in God's image.

Explain what is involved in a process of discernment.

1. Gather information. 2. Monitor Feelings (check to see if emotions are clouding my judgment). 3. Open to growth (willing to learn more/seek guidance). 4. Use my imagination (for alternatives). 5. Be flexible. 6. Hard work. 7. Courage to be myself. 8. Learn from past experiences, mistakes, and personal weaknesses. 9. Prayer.

What are two requirements of the common good?

1. Individuals/societies respect the basic, inalienable rights of each human being. 2. Individuals/societies promote the social well-being and developments of various social groups.

What are the three majors aspects of every moral action?

1. The Moral Object (what) 2. The Intention/motive (why) 3. Circumstances (who, where, when, how)

What is prudence and how is it related to other virtues?

A virtue that inclines us to lead good, ethical, and moral lives of action. It guides other virtues by setting rule and measure.

What are the various elements of an action?

Actions express who we are, make or form us into the persons we are growing to be, and impact the world around us inn both good and bad ways.

According to Deus Caritas Est, what does a Christian seek through prayer?

An encounter with the Father, asking God to be present.

What is Catholic morality based on?

Based on reality, on the ways things are, on how God made them and intends them to be. It is not based on wishful thinking.

Why are we accountable for our choices?

Because they result in actions that express and determine the goodness or evil of the person performing them.

What is one special way that Christians are enabled to keep in touch with the God-given power within us?

By receiving the Lord himself in Holy Communion.

How do we become children of God and brothers and sisters to our Lord Jesus?

By virtue of GOd's free gift of adoption at Baptism.

What are Canfield's tips?

Canfield's tips are called "I Try to Remember" and are used to help us be true to ourselves.

Describe Christian morality.

Christian morality is very sensitive to the impact our actions have on others and recognizes that as human beings we live with others, and as Christians we live for others.

What does taking the right action involve?

Examining various possibilities before taking action. It also involves examining the consequences of each action.

True or False: According to The Splendor of Truth, "the morality of the human depends primarily and fundamentally on the responses of others to the actions."

False

True or False: A bad intention cannot contaminate a seemingly good act.

False.

True or False: According to the CCC we are not obliged to observe the constitutions and decrees conveyed by the legitimate authority of the Church.

False.

True or False: Circumstances always make a difference in judging the morality of a case.

False.

True or False: Jesus gave the Magisterium the gift of perfection which preserves them from error in matters of faith and morals.

False.

True or False: Personal sacrifice is not a sign of authentic love.

False.

True or False: The questions of who, where, when, and how help reveal the intention of a particular moral action.

False.

True or False: True freedom is the ability to do whatever we want whenever we want to do it.

False.

What does it mean to say that the end does not justify the means.

For an action to be moral, the method used to accomplish it must also be moral.

What does free will mean? What does it enable us to do?

Free will means we have the ability to choose from among alternatives. It enables us to rise above determinism/heredity and environment to exercise some control over our lives/choices.

Jesus is...

God Incarnate. He is love in its most radical form as evidenced in contemplating the crucified Christ.

What is the proof of our fundamental goodness?

God so loved us that he sacrificed his son in order for us to have eternal life.

What happens when humans fail to be responsible caretakers of God's good gifts?

Harm results. For example, when we abuse the environment or over consume creation we cause deforestation, air and water pollution, etc.

What did Jesus gain for us through the Paschal Mystery?

He delivered us from the clutches of sin and the evil one, saving us from death and winning eternal life for us.

What virtue is the foundation of all human relationships?

Honesty

Catholic morality draws on three main sources of knowledge to reach conclusions about how we should act:

Human reason, human experience, and divine revelation.

What godlike qualities do human beings possess?

Humans can think, choose, love, and relate to others... this enables us to share, through knowledge and love, in God's life.

In what ways is humanity like an enormous spider web?

If we touch the web anywhere, the whole thing trembles. Loving actions affect the community positively, while negative actions harm the entire community.

Why is dignity inherent in humans beings? Why is it involiable? Why is it inalienable?

Inherent... it is an essential characteristic of being human. Involiable... no one has the right to violate or profane it. Inalienable... it cannot be taken away by anyone.

How is prayer practical?

It enables us to meet Jesus Christ, who tells us of his great love and empowers us to see our neighbor as someone worthy of our love.

What is the purpose of a "what" question?

It helps us to determine if the matter of our action is good or bad, if it is directed to our true good or is harmful and destructive. Human reason helps us recognize and judge which actions correspond to our true good.

What does the CCC teach about human dignity?

It is in Christ that man has been created in the image and likeness of the Creator. The human soul includes our spiritual nature and gives us incomparable dignity.

What is the point of the second creation account in Genesis Chapter 2?

It is used to assert the fundamental goodness of human beings, who were created for friendship with God.

What doe sit mean to call an action "intrinsically evil?"

It means the action is wrong and cannot be justified because it goes against God's will and destroys human good.

What is the message of the ancient proverb about the blind men trying to describe an elephant?

It teaches that we only have a partial grasp of the truth and that we need to look at various vantage points to arrive at the whole truth when looking at moral problems.

What does Jesus invite us to in the Our Father?

Jesus invites us to call God "Father" and he asks us to petition that God's will be done. If God is our Father, then we are brothers and sister to one another treating everyone with respect and love.

What examples did Jesus teach to illustrate the importance of good intentions?

Jesus taught that we should give money to the poor anonymously, not for the motive of getting praise from others. He said we should fast and pray sincerely, not to get attention.

What are the two rules for governing intentions?

Keep the intention good and remember that the end does not justify the means.

What is one common thread in several of Christian sayings on morality?

No one goes it alone.

Explain how the union of a male and female in marriage is an intrinsic part of God's creation plan.

Only through the committed and sacramental union of husband and wife in marriage can the natural procreation and education of children take place in a setting that is consistent with God's wise plan.

God endowed human beings with awesome capacities. What are these?

Our intellects and free will. Our ability to love. Our ability to be responsible and to grow.

What does our spiritual nature make us unsatisfied and restless with? Why?

Our physical existence because we thirst for an ultimate happiness that only God can quench.

Why might we live in a world that has difficulty discerning right and wrong?

People do not take the time to think.

What simple definition of prayer is given in this chapter? What are the two parts?

Prayer is a conversation with God. This has two parts: talking and listening.

What value is a cornerstone to Christian ethics?

Respect for human dignity.

What are the four major steps of the "STOP Sign" approach to moral decision-making?

S... search out the facts. T... think about alternatives and consequences. O... consult others and consider how your actions will affect them. P... pray to the Lord for guidance.

What are some of the unfortunate consequences of sexual indulgence outside of God's plan?

Sexual indulgence could spread sexually transmitted disease, cause unwanted pregnancy that often leads to abortion, cause emotional pain and lead to the erosion of families. It also can contribute to infidelity after marriage.

What is solidarity?

The Christian virtue of social charity or friendship. It gives us the spirit of generosity to share both our material and spiritual gifts with others, especially the forgotten ones.

What secret does the Fox reveal to the Little Prince?

The Fox said that it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, that what is essential is invisible to the eye.

What have all humans suffered throughout history? What does this mean?

The consequences of the Original Sin. We have fallen victim to weakness, cowardice, and avarice even though we may have the best intentions. Sin contaminates our communities, often polluting the way societies work, especially harming the weak and defenseless.

What is the moral object?

The decisive factor but we should look at the possible effects of our proposed actions.

How does the CCC define prayer?

The living relationship of the children of God with their Father, who is good beyond measure, with his Son Jesus Christ and with the Holy Spirit.

Explain the principle of subsidiarity in your own words.

The principle that people should provide for others on a local level, or the lowest possible level.

What is the Good News of salvation?

The redeeming person and message of Jesus Christ given to us by God, our loving Father.

According the the CCC, what should the human person be?

The subject and object of every society, with the right and duty to participate in that society, guided by authority which must be devoted to the common good and must exercise power morally.

What are some of the guideposts the Church provides to help us make moral decisions?

The teaching authority of the Magisterium The Catechism of the Catholic Church, especially in relation to the 10 Commandments The New Testament, especially the Sermon on the Mount The Sacrament of Reconciliation The fellow Christian community

What does the CCC state about larger societies?

They should support the participation of individuals without taking over functions they can do for themselves. Societies should promote virtue and challenge individuals to turn from sin, serve others justly, and contribute their gifts and talents.

What are some motives or intentions people use to justify abortion?

They want to solve an unwanted pregnancy, space the child a life of pain and suffering due to genetic deformity, fear they cannot support the child, want to protect their and their partner's reputation, etc.

What is the starting point for morality?

To admit that we are creature and not God.

What is part of our social nature? What does this mirror?

To live in various societies which are bound by a principle of unity. This is a mirror of the perfect community of love: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

What is the purpose of the "why" question?

To understand the motive or intention for performing an action. Because intention resides in the will of the subject acting, it is often the subjective dimension in morality.

How are we expected to express and live out the vocation of love in our relationships?

Treat each other as sister and brothers under a common Father, & establish communities that benefit everybody.

True or False: Because human beings can think, we can also search for, and discover, truth.

True.

True or False: Circumstances can increase or decrease the moral goodness or evil of an act.

True.

True or False: Humans have a capacity to grow both individually and collectively.

True.

True or False: Morality is internal and helps us act in conformity with the universal laws and truth God has established.

True.

True or False: No other creatures can respond to God in faith and love except human beings.

True.

True or False: The "how" question (the means) may or may not make a difference in the rightness or wrongness of an action.

True.

True or False: The Magisterium of the Church refers to the Holy Father and the bishops as authentic teachers who have Christ's authority to teach.

True.

True or False: Time may or may not affect the goodness or evil of a case.

True.

True or False: Your motive or intention is a significant factor in judging the morality of the objective act.

True.

What do we achieve when we pray to do God's will?

We achieve happiness by doing what is good for us and strengthening our resolve to do God's will for which we pray.

Explain what is means to say that males and females are "complementary."

We make up for what is lacking in one another.

What are the benefits of slowing down and quieting down to listen to God?

We may discover God sending us new ideas, possible solutions to our problems that we have not considered, or find our hearts strengthened.

What are two ways we show our consideration for other people?

We must always ask how our proposed actions will affect others and also must heed the advice of those who are wiser than us.

What does Pope John Paul II mean when he says, relating to abortion, that we have to have the courage to look the truth in the eye and call things by their proper name?

We must call abortion by its proper name... murder... rather than using ambiguous and misleading terminology such as "interruption of pregnancy."

What must we do when people our involved in our actions?

We need to take extra care to guarantee that our actions mean what we want them to mean and that they do not hurt others or ourselves.

What are some examples of Jesus taking time to pray?

When he retreated to he desert after his Baptism, he prayed before choosing his apostles, and he withdrew to the hills or seashores after he performed miracles. A notable example would be Jesus praying during his dark hours in the garden of Gethsemane, where he asked his Father to give him the strength to follow his will. Lastly, Jesus prayed from the cross, forgiving his enemies.

What is an example of the importance of intention in the legal system?

When the legal system distinguishes between first and second degree murder as well as manslaughter.

What do we have to do in morality?

Work hard to search for truth , and then we should act on it.

Why is being yourself difficult?

advertisements, peer pressure, and false beliefs tug on us to conform.

What behaviors are antithetical to respect?

manipulating, humiliating, exploiting, or being violent toward others; using people as a means to an end/as objects.

Humans are ___________ beings who possess incomparable __________, value and worth. We are not just somethings, but __________.

spiritual; dignity; someones.

Unlike nihilism, the scriptural account of the human condition declares what?

that creation and human existence are good.

We should never act without considering...

the consequences of our actions.

Being sexual creatures draws attention to what...?

the fact that humans are composite creatures with a body and a soul.

The spiritual nature gives us the ability to...

think, make choices, and to love.

The message of Chapter one is...

to act like a human.

In what ways are human beings unique?

we are the only creatures that God willed for our own sake. He created everything for humans and put us in charge of the rest of creation.