the basics of Catholic moral thought

gaudium et spes

“All offenses against life itself, such as murder, genocide, abortion, euthanasia and willful suicide; all violations of the integrity of the human person…all offenses against human dignity, such as subhuman living conditions, arbitrary imprisonment, deportation, slavery, prostitution, the selling of women and children, degrading working conditions where men are treated as mere tools for profit rather than free and responsible persons: all these and the like are criminal: they poison civilization…and militate against the honor of the creator.”

— Second Vatican Council, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium et Spes), no. 27

scripture learning

• God, infinitely perfect and blessed in Himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in His own blessed life

• “I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” — John 10:10

• “What I do, I do not understand. For I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate.” — Romans 7:15

decision making with the Catholic moral vision

• does lead to true HAPPINESS and fullness of life?

• is it based in LOVE - willing highest good of another?

• does it FREE the person FOR the sake of them being able to choose the good more easily?

• has this person’s CONSCIENCE been properly formed and is the person following it?

• does it help me to grow in VIRTUE? or vice?

• is it a SIN—breaking right relationships from God and others?

• are they upholding the DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON in this action?

*note from teacher: this list is great for parties/dances/other occasions of peer pressure. be sure to keep this checklist with you wherever moral decisions are made!

the Catholic moral vision in Jesus’ words

‘I am love and Mercy Itself.  There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted – it increases.  The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it.’”

— Jesus to St. Maria Faustina

C.S. Lewis and desire

argument from desire

1. all human desires have something to satisfy them (food = hunger)

2. humans have a desire for infinite happiness

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

— C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory