Christian Morality – Vocabulary Review

A comprehensive set of key vocabulary terms and definitions drawn from the PCC Christian Morality lecture and reviewer, intended to help students recall essential people, concepts, and principles for their exam preparation.

Pilgrims of Hope

Theme for the Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year.

Jubilee Year 2025

A special year of grace, forgiveness, and conversion declared by the Church, identified as a Year of Hope.

Papal Bull “Spes non Confundit”

Meaning “Hope does not disappoint,” taken from Romans 5:5.

Solidarity & Fraternity

Four stylized figures embracing in the Jubilee logo, symbolizing all humanity united.

Rough Wave (Logo)

Representing the reality that life’s pilgrimage is often difficult and unpredictable.

Anchor (Logo)

Symbol of hope.

Dynamic Cross (Logo)

Cross depicted as active and alive.

Theme Song “In Him Alone”

Bukas Palad hymn for the Jubilee that invites total trust in God and rejection of false securities.

St. José Luis Sánchez del Río

(1913-1928) who cried “¡Viva Cristo Rey!” and was canonized in 2016. A symbol of Hope.

Cristero War

Mexican conflict in which Catholics resisted anti-clerical laws.

“¡Viva Cristo Rey!”

Last words of José Sánchez del Río.

Pope Leo XIV

First American pope, elected May 8 2025; Augustinian, missionary in Peru, noted for pastoral, collaborative leadership.

Order of St. Augustine

Religious order in which Pope Leo XIV professed vows and later served as Prior General.

Dicastery for Bishops

Vatican office overseeing the selection and supervision of bishops; led by Pope Leo XIV before his election.

Profanity (Bad Words)

Language considered disrespectful and morally harmful because it violates social, cultural, and spiritual norms.

Christian Formation Office (CFO)

PCC department responsible for faith, worship, and service programs that nurture students’ moral character.

Catechetical Instruction

CFO component focused on teaching doctrinal knowledge of the faith in the classroom.

Campus Ministry

CFO component that provides worship experiences such as Mass, confession, retreats, and recollections.

Pastoral Ministry

CFO component encouraging service and charity—“sharing of faith” in concrete action.

Pondo ng Pinoy

CFO charity program inviting small daily sacrifices collected for the unfortunate.

Prayer

Raising of mind and heart to God in adoration, thanksgiving, contrition, and petition.

Prayer Rally

Communal gathering to publicly express and strengthen shared faith through prayer.

Vocal Prayer

Man speaks and God listens.

Meditative Prayer

Second level of prayer. God speaks through Scripture/ideas and the person listens.

Contemplative Prayer

Third level of prayer. Man does not speak and God does not speak.

Mystical Prayer

Fourth level of prayer where both God and Man does not speak and listen

Authentic Prayer

Heart-felt prayer oriented toward God and others, not merely oneself.

Sign of the Cross

Gesture made upon entering church to acknowledge God’s presence and begin prayer reverently.

Genuflection

Kneeling on one knee before the tabernacle or altar as a sign of adoration and respect.

Christian Morality

System of moral principles rooted in God’s nature that guide believers to live in love.

Soul

Immortal spiritual principle that makes humans most like God.

Intellect

God-given power to reason, enabling humans to understand moral order.

Free Will

Capacity to choose actions freely and be responsible for them.

Scripture

Bible as primary source of moral guidance: Commandments, Beatitudes, apostolic writings, etc.

Tradition

Teachings and practices handed down through the Church that illuminate moral life.

Natural Law

Innate human ability to discern right from wrong through reason, valid for all people.

Greatest Commandment

Jesus’ twofold law: Love God fully and love neighbor as oneself.

Ten Commandments

Decalogue given to Moses, summarizing duties toward God and neighbor.

Beatitudes

Eight blessings in the Sermon on the Mount describing attitudes God rewards (e.g., poor in spirit, merciful).

Golden Rule

Moral principle: “Do to others what you would have them do to you.” (Mt 7:12).

Moral Act

Human action freely chosen that can be evaluated as good or evil.

Moral

Conforming to the accepted norm of morality; ethically good behavior.

Immoral

Opposed to moral norms; ethically wrong behavior.

Amoral

Neutral act lacking moral quality until circumstances give it moral weight.

Object (of the act)

What the will chooses to do; the primary component in assessing morality.

Intention (end)

Purpose or motive behind an act; can render an otherwise good act evil.

Circumstances

Surrounding conditions of an act that can increase or lessen its moral weight.

Principle of Double Effect

Ethical guideline allowing an action with both good and bad effects if specific conditions are met.

Nature-of-the-Act Condition

First requirement of double effect: the act must be morally good or neutral.

Means-End Condition

Second requirement: good effect must not result from the evil effect.

Right Intention Condition

Third requirement: only the good effect is intended; the bad is merely tolerated.

Proportionality Condition

Fourth requirement: good effect must equal or outweigh the evil side effect.