Morality,
Knowledge based on human experience, reason, and God's revelation that discovers what we ought to be and what we ought to do to live fully human lives
Magisterium,
The official teaching authority of the church
Virtue,
a good and health habit
Theological Virtues,
Faith, hope, and charity
Cardinal Virtues,
The four hinge virtues that support moral living: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.
Character,
Who I really am in the dark - it is who I am becoming through my choices and actions.
Morality is a response to,
God's love
Anthropology,
The study of humans
Original Sin,
The consequence of the sin of our first parents; the hereditary stain with which human beings are born because of our origins or descent from Adam and Eve.
Dignity,
The quality of being worthy of esteem or respect. Every human person has worth and value because each person is made in God's image.
Disciple,
This person is not merely an imitator of Christ, but a person who participates in his very life and mission; a follower of Jesus.
Prudence,
The virtue known as "right reason in action"
Conscience,
A practical judgement of reason that helps a person decide the goodness or sinfulness of an action or attitude
Free will,
The power, rooted in reason and will, to perform deliberate actions on one's own responsibility
Civil Law,
Particular application of the natural law for the members of a particular society
Metanoia,
Greek term for repentance, a turning away from sin with the intention of living a Christian life
Paschal Mystery,
God's love and salvation revealed to us through the life, Passion, Death, and Resurrection and Glorification of his Son Jesus Christ
Discernment,
A decision-making process that attends to the implications and consequences of an action or choice
Moral Obejct,
The moral content of an action that suggests whether the action is directed towards the good (the what)
Moral Intention,
The aim or objective of a course of action; why?
Charity,
Love of God and neighbor
Temperance,
Moderation in pursuit of pleasures
Means,
A method, course of action, or instrument by which something can be accomplished
Moral Circumstances,
The conditions or facts concerning a moral act. Answers the how, who, when, where of an act. It can increase or decrease the moral goodness or evil of an action.
Beatitudes,
The heart of Jesus' teachings; found in the Sermon on the Mount
Hope,
Trust in God's salvation (end-game)
Fortitude,
Courage to life Christ-like lives
Faith,
Belief in God and his promises
Justice,
Giving God and others their rightful due
Moral norm of Christianity,
Jesus
Main Sources of Knowledge,
Human experience, Reason, & Divine Revelation
Elements of Law,
Law is reasonable.
Law is for the common good.
Law is promulgated.
Law is created by proper authority.
Law,
An ordinance of reason for the common good, promulgated by the one who is in charge of the community
Canon Law,
The body of laws governing the religious practices of a Christian church
Vocation,
An expression of faith that God is present and active in our world and that we are called in some way to participate in God's saving work
Common Good,
The sum total of social conditions that allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily. Living by this principle, we must take into account the needs of all people.
Solidarity,
Subsidiarity,The principle of Catholic social teaching that holds that a higher unit of society should not do what a lower unit can do as well (or better).
The Christian virtue of social charity and friendship
Beatitude,
An attitude guiding us to follow Jesus more closely in order to achieve holiness and happiness; blessed
Kingdom of God,
The reign of God proclaimed by Jesus - it is God's peace, justice, and love.
Justification,
The Holy Spirit's grace that cleanses us from our sins through faith in Jesus Christ and baptism
Grace,
A free and unearned favor from God, infused into our souls at Baptism, that adopts us into God's family and helps us to live as his children.
Charism,
A special gift or grace of the Holy Spirit given to an individual Christian or community, commonly for the benefit and building up of the entire Church.
Martyr,
A witness ready to suffer and die for truth and virtue: this is the greatest act of fortitude
Venial Sin,
personal sin that weakens but does not kill our relationship with God
Mortal Sin,
A grave offense against God that destroys a person's relationship with him by severing him or her from divine love. It destroys charity in the heart of man; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him.
Reconciliation,
A sacrament of healing, also known as Penance or Confession, through which Christ extends his forgiveness to sinners.
Inadvertance,
not paying attention or being distracted while we are acting
Ignorance,
The impediment described as overwhelming panic in the face of real or imagined danger
Duress,
The impediment described as overwhelming panic in the face of real or imagined danger
Fear,
The impediment described as overwhelming panic in the face of real or imagined danger
Eternal Law
,The highest form of law
Natural Law,
The reasoned participation of humans in God's eternal law that reveals what God intends us to do and to avoid according to his wise and loving plan.
Imputable,
the reasoned participation of humans in God's eternal law that reveals what God intends us to do and to avoid according to his wise and loving plan.
License,
the power to do whatever one wants: unlimited, unbridled, excessive, undisciplined freedom
Old Law,
Divine Law revealed in the Old Testament, summarized in the Ten Commandments. Also called the Law of Moses. It contrasts with the New Law of the Gospels.
New Law,
Divine Law revealed in the New Testament through the life and teaching of Jesus Christ and through the witness and teaching of the Apostles. This perfects the Old Law and brings it to fulfillment and is also called the Law of Love.
Actual Grace,
God's interventions and support for us in the everyday moments of our lives
Sanctifying Grace,
Grace that makes us holy
Sacramental Grace,
The grace conferred by the valid and fruitful reception of the sacraments
Contemplative Orders,
religious orders that put a focus on living a life centered on the celebration of prayer, rather than on active ministry
Apostolic Orders,
religious orders that stress apostolic works like caring for the downtrodden and sick, teaching, or preaching
Prayer,
Communication with God
Fasting,l
imiting food intake in order to recognize our dependence on God
Almsgiving,
The act of giving money or material goods to anyone who is needy
Human Experience,
the collective wisdom of others, living and dead - a form of knowledge to draw on for morality
Human Reason,
our God-given intellects
Divine Revelation,
What has been revealed by God through Sacred Scripture and Church teaching - a form of knowledge to draw on for morality.