Conscience – it is a practical judgment of reason concerning whether an action or attitude is

good or sinful, right or wrong, moral or immoral. It is the ability to discover God’s will for our
life.

It is a law written by God in our hearts that guides us to love, to do good and to avoid evil.
(Jer. 31:33)

God’s law is indeed written in our hearts, but it needs constant formation and nourishment to
grow in strength and power.

Kinds of Conscience

1. Fear Conscience - action is done out of fear

2. Person-oriented Conscience - action is done out of love of people

3. Christian Conscience - action is done out of love of God

Categories of Conscience

1. Erroneous - ignorance of Christ and his gospels

2. Correct - guided by Christ and the gospels

The Principle of Conscience Formation: Follow your conscience (Remember: You are
responsible of your action and you are not superior to God, Church, and other people).

Conscience is shaped throughout our journey in life by:

1. Family upbringing

2. Wisdom of parents, elders and teachers as well a friends and mentors

3. Bible

4. Church teaching and Church’s traditions

Forming the Christian Conscience

1. Prayer

2. Word of God

3. Teaching of the Church

4. Reflection of our life experiences

5. Sacraments

The Law of Gradualness

- We need to be patient to ourselves and others

The 3 senses of Conscience

1. Responsibility (good)

2. Moral reason (formation of Conscience

3. Judgment of the moral action (we can judge if our conscience is well-informed)

Two key Principles in making moral decision:

1. Properly form your conscience

2. Follow your conscience

CONSCIENCE FORMATION:

Steps in developing a mature conscience:

1. Find the facts. What is the issue?

Who is involved? Where? When? How? What?

Actions that are anti-human or against God are always wrong.Example: rape, murder etc.

The who, where, when, and how questions correspond to the circumstances in which the
acts are performed. Circumstances may increase or diminish the moral goodness or evil of
certain acts. Example: driving a car 100k/h in a school zone is wrong, but driving with the
same speed in a high way is different.

The “how” question relates to the means used to accomplish the goal. A solid principle of
Catholic morality is: A good end (outcome or purpose) does not justify evil means to attain it.

2. Examine your motives.

Why do you want to do this? Is your intention pure? Here, sincerity is important.

3. Think of the possible effect.

How will this action (or non-action) affect you, other people, and society? What if everyone
did what you propose to do?

4. Consider alternatives.
Is there another way to act?

5. What does have the law to say?

Law is not opposed to conscience; rather, it helps form conscience.

Types of laws to be considered when making decisions:

a. Natural law is Gods law written into our hearts.

b. Civil Law is the particular application of natural law for a given society.

c. Divine Law is a law revealed by God. Example:Sermon on the Mount, Ten

Commandments, the law to love.

d. Church Law is the particular application of divine law for the Christian community.
Example: attend Mass on Sunday.

6. What is the reasonable thing to do?

7. What does your own experience and that of other people say about the issue?

Ask the wisdom of others: Parents, teachers, trusted adults, and the like.

8. What would Jesus have done?

How does this action measure up to Jesus’ yardstick of love? What does the New Testament
have to say? Jesus is the absolute norm of Christian morality.

9. What is the teaching of the Church?

Example: teachings of the Pope and theologians, and other teachers in the Church.

10. Pray for guidance.

11. Admit that you sometimes sin and might be wrong. Humbly ask for forgiveness.

What are the Moral Norms?

The Moral Norms (General Morals): Let the students grasp the idea and connect with the
experience that Morality is basically a response of loving God back. To say Yes to God’s
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. The authentic moral norm is the love of God and our ability to love
unconditionally.

Moral Norms - Moral Laws. It shape our freedom and provide criteria for judging who we are
and how we should act.

Law- A reasonable norm of conduct given by proper authority for the common good.
Common Good- those spiritual, material, and social conditions needed for a person to
achieve full human dignity.

Kinds of Laws

1. Natural Law 2. Divine Law 3.Canon Law or Church 4. Law Civil Law

Natural Law refers to the laws that are built into the nature of life itself. “Natural Law is that
law of human conduct which arises from the full reality of human nature as ordered to its
ultimate end, which is recognized by means of reason independent of positive Christian
revelation” (Salibay,2002)

Three Essential Characteristics of the Natural law

a. Nartural Law is universal-knowable to all people in all societies (universality) eg. Murder

Its primary principles are self-evident such that it is for all individuals with fully developed
reason to have an invincible ignorance of them.

b. Nartural Law is one and the same for all. (Unity and Invariability) meaning constant.
Everybody knows life isimportant. All classes of people possess equal moral dignity as
persons; hence, they possess equal basic rights.

c. Nartural Law is immutable-cannot be changed (immutability) .Whatever is fundamentally

good or evil that can’t be changed. Ex. Abortion is immoral even if it is legal in America. This
means that there cannot be any change in whatever is fundamentally good or evil.

Law Civil Law- the particular application of the natural law and the means of assuring the
common good.

Romans 13:3 –For the rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to
have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval.

e.g. Driver’s license

Divine Law-the law that comes to us from God in revelation.

THE DECALOGUE/THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (Ex. 20:2-17 & Deut.5:6-21).The
Foundation of Christian Morality

I. Love the Lord your God.

1. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.(Exodus 20:2-3 and
Deut. 5:6-7.)Basis of all the other commandments. To believe in God and do God’s will is the
foundation of moral life. Idolatry-one worship gods other than God. Modern idols: Wealth,
possessions, honor, success, power, sex, drugs etc…Prohibits: images which distort the true
belief in God, e.g. golden calf. Not prohibits: religious images which are valuable helps for
prayer.

Veneration to Mary and the Saints is not a violation to the absolute worship of God. It draws
us closer to God. God is the source of the holy lives of Mary and Saints. Violation to true
worship of God are actions against the dignity of persons who are created in God’s image
and likeness and destructions of his creation. Church is against: magic, sorcery, witchcraft,
Satanism, astrology and fortune telling, etc…

What is the importance of the First Commandment?

This Commandment is “the first” not only in its position but because to know and love God
the One True God is the source and foundation for all the other Commandments and our
whole moral life. Its functions is: to liberate us from worshipping false gods (idolatry) and
superstitious practices; to reconcile us with one another under the one God, our loving God
and to manifest our duty of worship.

2.You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. (Exodus 20:7; Deut. 5:11). The
name of God represents the presence of God.

What does the Second Commandment order?

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” commands reverence for God
and God’s creation.. We reject speech and attitude against God Himself. The second
Commandments prohibits the use of profanities, vulgar and course language. — blasphemy,
cursing, false oaths, and refusing all use of God’s name to harm others (sorcery). Perjury-
making promise under oath with no intention of keeping it.

The basic rationally behind this Commandment is that all such use of speech destroys our
covenant relationship with God and with one another.

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. Exodus 20:8 and Deut.5:12

What are the New Testament sources for the Third Commandment? The Church law
reminds us the faithful of their duty to worship together as a community on Sunday, the day
of Christ’s Resurrection, by actively participating in the Eucharist, the sacrifice of the New
Law instituted by him. We cannot live without God.

II. Respect God’s Gift: Life

4.Honor your father and your mother. (Ex. 20: 12 and Deut. 5: 16)

To care and protect them in their old age.

Obstacles:

1. not all parents are responsible and loving parents (parental neglect /abuse)

2.distancing

3. generation gap

4. parental absence

Honor- show proper gratitude, affection, respect, obedience and care for parents including
ate, kuya, lola,lolo etc…In honoring our parents, we honor God. Parental respect and
responsibility for children

(Col. 3:21, Eph. 6:4, Lk 11:11-13, Lk 15:11-32)

Duties of Christian parents: to provide basic needs: food, education etc…as children grow
older: give them autonomy and independence.

Parents and children: 1. Open Communication, 2. Willing to admit errors 3. look beyond itself
...(society)

How does the Fourth Commandment foster human life?

“Honor your father and your mother” enjoins/commands that basic filial respect for parents
which is necessary for the good of both family and community.

5.You shall not kill. (Scripture: Exodus 20: 13 & Deut. 5:17 )

All killing is an affront to God (affront means offend). The right to life is protected by the 5th
Commandment. “You shall not kill not only where evil is being done but also whenever we
fail to do the good we could, the good which is required of us.” All human life has its basic
value and dignity because we are all created in God’s image and likeness. In Jesus’
teaching “ loveyour enemies, pray for your persecutors. God alone is the ultimate Lord and
master of life. Legitimate defense- preservation of one’s own life is our duty. The particular
offense against life: vices ( alcohol, drug, smoking), abortion, mercy killing or euthanasia,
capital punishment, poverty, prostitution, degrading working condition.
Note: Safeguarding peace or work for peace. Use ordinary means to preserve live not extra-
ordinary.

How does the Fifth Commandment foster human life?

“ You shall not kill,” by prohibiting direct attacks on human life and physical integrity,
protects its intrinsic dignity and quality. God alone is the ultimate Lord and Master of life.

III. Respecting Human Sexuality

6. You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14 and Deuteronomy 5:18) Protects the
permanent character of marriage. Christian view of human sexuality. Sexuality signifies an
essential dimension of the whole person. Man/woman-created in the image and likeness of
God. Men and women are equalThe Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II)
forcefully opposed “all forms of discrimination and exploitation of women. God gives man
and woman an equal personal dignity.The love of husband and wife is a Sacrament of their
total commitment to each other.

How does the Sixth Commandment protect our sexuality?

“You shall not commit adultery” prohibits married persons from entering into sexual union
with someone other than their spouse. In thus protecting the family and marriage, with their
two ends of procreation and human completeness, the Sixth Commandment touches on the
very nature of human sexuality and the full range of man-woman relationship.

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. (Exodus 20:17, Deut. 5: 21)

Objectives: To purify our hearts: avoid avarice and envy and to believe that God must reign
supreme in our hearts.

Note: The value protected; chastity or purity of heart. Chastity first puts order into our sexual
drives, Channel our sexual energies, Seeks the limit, Married people are called to live
conjugal chastity.

Offenses against chastity

1. Lust – disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure or and excessive
and selfish desire for sexual pleasure.

2. Masturbation – deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual

pleasure.(disordered action)
3. Fornication-carnal union between unmarried man orunmarried woman, a sexual union
outside of the exclusive and permanent commitment in marriage.

4. Homosexuality. Homosexual orientation- you are not responsible, Homosexual act- you
are responsible -wrong because they are not based on the complementary and mutual love
of man and woman and are closed to the gift of life.

5. Pornography- propagates the sexually obscene/indecent and licentious/lustful in a

dehumanizing and exploitative manner. eg. bold pictures for business, using people as an
object

6. Prostitution-exploitation and injustice on the part of the poor by the rich, no love, no
commitment, only selfish pleasure of the buyer.

Pornography and Prostitution- use sex and degrade persons for illicit profit

Chastity protects from being used and abused

Sex education – education of the whole person

How to practice chastity

Married people- are called to conjugal chastity which primarily means the exclusive and
permanent

fidelity to one’s spouse.

Celibates – consecrate their hearts to God in a life totally devoted to the service of his
people.

Single people – are obliged to practices chastity in sexual abstinence.

How does the Ninth Commandment protect human sexuality?

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” goes to the interior root and source of the
disorders of the flesh by prohibiting covetousness, or evil desires of the heart. It also rejects
the many effects of this covetousness common in modern sexist consumerist society.

IV Building Justice

7. You shall not steal (Exodus 20:15 Deut 5:19)

It means not to claim unjustly the possessions of another as ones’ own. It protects the right
of possessing goods and properties for the good of individuals and families and the whole
community.
Violation of the personal rights of others to property in the larger context: bribes for political
forces manipulator of the economic system for unjust incurred assets.

The universal destination and the private ownership of goods

“God destined the Earth and all its contains for all peoples so that all created things would be
shared by all under the guidance of justice tempered by charity.” (PCPII)

7th Commandment guards property from 2 kinds of theft.

a. Theft from above- the rich robbing the poor

b. Theft from below- the poor robbing the rich

*Theft from above

Multi national cooperator taking advantage of the small farms or businessmen, bribing ,
violation of business contracts, refusal to pay just wages, tax evasion schemes and
falsification of documents, excessive gambling irresponsible borrowing, and refusal to repay
legitimate debts.

* Theft from below

Shoplifting, stealing office/factory/school supplies, office to work-hours wasted in sloth,

borrowing and never returning, cheating with false weights or the use of inferior material,
smuggling, and overcharging to make excessive projects.

On Social Justice

The Basis. The church’s serial teaching, then, is based in the intrinsic dignity of every
human person PCPII. We are children of God. Our neighbor are image of God.

Justice: Equal distribution of wealth & just wages

One of the greatest injustices: The ones who possess much are few, and those who possess
almost nothing are many.

On Preferential love for the poor

Salvation is for all especially those in need. The preference for the poor is a Christian
preference.

For Christ come to proclaim a message of salvation to the poor. Love for the poor is opposite
of a life live in extravagance while a great number of the people are very poor. Poor should
not be made recipients of the charity of the rich when what is given to them really theirs
according to fairness and justice.
Summary:

This is a demand of justice. The right to private property in a basic human right but we have
a responsibility to share with those who have less or have nothing. Preferential love for the
poor is a demand of social justice, which is giving the poor for what justly theirs and not
making them recipients of “excess” of the rich.

How does the Seventh Commandment foster social justice?

“You shall not steal” fosters social justice as it prohibits all ways of robbing others’ freedom
by stealing what is rightfully theirs. In today’s economic world, this prohibition includes both
private possessions and public properties, and actions such as corporation manipulations
unjust trade agreements and the like. PCP II urges “a passionate care of our earth and our
environment.”

10.You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.(Exodus 20:17, Deut. 5: 21)

The 10th Commandment is warning against impulses and desires of a particular kind: selfish
desire for that which belongs to the neighbor. The covetousness which proceeds from the
heart is expressed externally in the actual selfish and sinful acts.

Prohibits: The covetousness for: Powers and possessions which belong rightfully to one’s
neighbors.

(Neighbors: individual, group of people, nations) Examples: goods, properties and means of
livelihood.

Greed- once it has possessed the heart, stops at nothing to satisfy itself

Disorder of covetous desires ( 7th and 10th Commandments), 7thCommandment-deals with

our outward actions regarding possessions and social structure,10th Commandments-
focuses on the inner desires of our heart from which one external actions originate.10th
Commandments forbids:

A coveting the goods of another as the roots of theft, robbery, and fraud, which the 7th
Commandment forbids. Greed and the desire to amass (collect or gather) earthly goods
without limit.

Sin against the 10th Commandment:: avarice, injustices by harming our neighbor in her/his
temporal goods, envy. Poverty of heart-renounce all that you have. “Only an attachment to a
greater love can break the attachment of the heart of a lesser love.” Desire for God Luke 14:
33 “None of you can be my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” Seeking God
with all our mind, heart and soul

Summary:
1. Avarice and envy are sins against the 10th Commandment

2. Jesus enjoins (order) us to attach ourselves deeply to Him, who is our comfort,
consolation and fulfillment.

3.It is our desire for God that sets us free from the allures and temptations of the world.

How does the Tenth Commandment foster social justice?

You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods” fosters social justice by prohibiting the distorted
desires of the heart from which stealing and exploitation of our neighbors arise. It forbids not
only unjust craving but also envy at another’s success, such as seen in Cain’s “envy-hatred-
murder” pattern.

V. Respecting Truth

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus. 20:16 and Deut 5:20)

The protection of the truth preserves the very basis of decent human life in the family, in the
society, in the church. Truth is the foundation of all authentic human relationships

Living the truth

Truth means primarily the quality of human interpersonal relationships and behavior that

a. is grounded in God the Father, the source of all truth

b. was fully manifested in His Son, Jesus Christ ( Who is the Truth and who come to set us
free)

c. send His Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father

Example: To bear witness to the Truth, Living examples, Martyrdom

Offenses against the 8th Commandment

a. Lying- most common and direct offense against the truth. E.g.White lies,Escapist lying
(palusot)

Simple flattery (bola/ulog ulog)

b. False witness and perjury telling lies under oath

c. Detraction and slander/calumny (pagbutang-butang) Destroying reputations publicly

The church asks us to live in the truth and bear witness to the truth

Forbids: false testimony rush judgment, lies, back biting, talebearing

Summary

1. The 8th commandments demands that the truth be upheld, because lying can damage
persons and the life of the community.

2. Truth is not a philosophical abstraction but the revelation of the personal God in Christ
who is the truth and the liberating power of the truth, which must guide/ inspire all our human
relationships.

3. All persons, because the are human have the capacity to search God and pursue the
truth. Because persons are social, this search must be undertaken in community.

4. The offenses against the truth are the offenses against dignity of person and the well-
being of the community.

How does the Eight Commandment foster truth, justice and love?

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Prohibits destructive perversions
of the truth that damage the life of the covenant community. Like all the others, the Eight
Commandment must be understood in the context of the covenant. It thus touches the truth
involved in the human interpersonal relationships of justice and love that ground the
community’s life.

• THE BEATITUDES-CALL TO HAPPINESS Matthew 5:3-10 (The Foundation of Christian

Morality

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (complete trust is placed
in God)

2. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. (promise of consolation in the
midst of difficulties, comforting those who mourn, mourning due to repentance)

3. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. (accepting ones dignity as a child of
God)

4. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. (seeking
God by working for justice)

5. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.(forgiving others and almsgiving)
6. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (a single-commitment to God)

7. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (working for unity
and harmony)

8. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven. (a willingness to suffer for Christ.

Other Ethical Teachings (accepted standard of good behavior) of Jesus:

1. Old Law and New Law

Old Law (Mt. 5:21,27,31,33,38,43) New Law ( Mt. 5:22,28,32,34,39,44)

a. You must not kill and if you do, settle at a. You must not even be angry with your
court. brother or sister. And if you are, settle your
dispute before worshiping.

b. You must not commit adultery. b. Even if a man looks lustfully at a woman,
he has committed adultery.

c. If you divorce, give your wife a writ of c. You must not divorce.
divorce.

d. You must not break you oath. d. There is no need for oaths because a
Christian always says what he/she means.

e. “An eye for an eye and s tooth for a e.. Do not resist and evildoer. Turn the other
tooth” morality check, give your extra cloak, walk the extra
mile.

f. .Love your neighbors and hate your f.. Love your enemies and pray for those
enemy. who persecute you.

2. Golden Rule: Matthew 7:12 “Do for others what you want them to do for you.”
3. Paradoxical Teaching of Jesus. Paradox is a statement which appears to contradict itself.

a. Mk 10:43- 44 “Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and
whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.

b. Mk 10:31 “Many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

The purpose of paradox is for us to think!

4. Love one another (1Jn.3:11-18)

Canon Law or Church-the particular application of the divine law as lived out in the
community of the church.

Laws of the Church

1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation.

2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.

3. You shall receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist at least during

the Easter Season

4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established

by the Church.

5. You shall help provide for the needs of the Church.

Doctrine:

How was God’s law in the Old Testament? God’s law in the Old Testament was His great gift
to His chosen people, Israel, creating with them a Covenant which called for obedience to
His Law as their response to His gratuitous love. (CFC no. 850)

How did Christ in the New Testament relate to the Law?

Answer: Jesus inaugurate the New Law of the Kingdom which perfected the Old Law by
subordinating all its precepts to love of God and of neighbor. (CFC no. 851)

How do you empty yourself in order for you to give yourself to others?
Attitudes of Jesus in Phil 2:6-11

1. 1st humiliation (humility) though he was God he entered the world of the humans.

2. 2nd humiliation (humility) he died like a criminal. Judge like a criminal

3. Because of this he was exalted and became great

Main idea of the reading:

1. expression of God’s unconditional love

2. our own response to God’s total love

3. Christian service : to serve others is to give and empty oneself

Moral: The Gospel Paradox- The way to death, the way to life-Today

To love God and neighbors demand entails pain, sacrifices, letting go and

Letting God.

Worship: Write a hymn of praise to God.

Content: Thanksgiving

Love for God and Others

Willingness to serve God and others