Morality I

February 9 & 23, 2008

Before Class

• Read Chapters 23-24 in U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults
• Read Summary of the National Directory for Catechesis
• Read the following handouts:
  • Women and the Priesthood
  • Marriage, Sexuality, and Contraception
  • The Priesthood of the Faithful

Homework

• Read Chapter 25-27 in U.S. Catholic Catechism for Adults
• Read the following handouts:
  • Chastity and Modesty
  • Virtuous Living
  • The Christian Meaning of Freedom

To Make Up an Absence

If you are unable to attend this class, please submit at the following class written responses to at least two questions from each section below, for a total of eight questions. Each response should be 2-3 paragraphs in length and address the question completely. Please include the question that you are addressing at the top of each answer.

Chapter 23. Life in Christ—Part One

1. The Catechism describes two opposite misunderstandings of human freedom that are common in our society: limiting "freedom" to mean the mere ability to make a choice, and denying that we are free at all. What is true human freedom, and how does it refute these two common misunderstandings? Give examples. How can we grow in true freedom?
2. Describe the three elements of a moral act and how they are used to evaluate whether an act is good or evil. Choose two examples of specific moral acts and evaluate them according these three elements. How does this teaching show that morality is not merely subjective and personal but also subjected to unchanging and objective moral truths? How are some acts always intrinsically evil?
3. What is mortal sin, and what is its effects? What is venial sin, and what is its effects? Describe how one evaluates whether a sin is mortal or venial and give at least two examples.
4. How do we form our conscience so that it reflects the true moral good? Why is this such a great responsibility? Why must we follow a certain conscience?
5. "In our permissive culture, love is sometimes so romanticized that it is separated from sacrifice... The absence of sacrificial love dooms the possibility of an authentic moral life" (p. 318). How has our society separated love from sacrifice? How has that affected our ability to make good moral choices?

Chapter 24. Life in Christ—Part Two

1. "An awareness of the social dimension of human life is an important principle in understanding Christian morality, especially in light of the great emphasis on individualism in our society" (p. 325). How is all sin both individual and social? How does our society's emphasis on individualism harm our ability to understand the social dimension of our moral acts?
2. "Society has the responsibility to create the conditions that favor the growth of virtues and of authentic spiritual and material values" (p. 326). In what ways does our society succeed with this responsibility? In what ways does it fail? How can we work to encourage the growth of virtues and values not supported currently supported in our society? Give examples.
3. What is natural law and its relationship to human dignity? What is the role of natural law in civil society, and why?
4. What is justification? How do we participate in our own justification? How does grace perfect human freedom?
5. What are actual graces, and how do they differ from sanctifying grace? Can you describe an example of an actual grace from your life? How do these illustrate our dependence on God? Choose two sacraments and describe the sacramental graces proper to them.

Summary for the National Directory for Catechesis

1. Describe at least three prominent characteristics of U.S. culture that catechists should take into account in the course of catechesis. Give examples of how these features of American culture affect specific elements of catechesis.
2. What is the "new evangelization" in which all members of the Church are called to actively engage? What role do catechists play? Give examples.
3. Why is catechesis always an act of the Church? How is this a reflection of the historical reality of the Christian message?
4. Describe God's own teaching method. How does the catechist use God's catechetical methodology as a model from which to work when catechizing others? Give an example.
5. Describe how "catechesis both precedes the Liturgy and flows from it" (ch. 5). How are the Church's liturgy and sacraments sources of catechesis? Why must catechesis also precede the liturgy? Give examples.
6. Describe how catechesis for personal and social moral formation begins and ends in Christ. Why must one's formation of a moral conscience be rooted in conversion to Christ?