KCC Adult Youth Minister Notes

March 30, 2008 - 8th Grade

Dear parents,

Today we continued our study of Christian morality by examining the sources of moral truth.

Session Plan

We began the session by giving a brief introduction of the sources of moral truth noting that it is important for us to know these laws and teachings---particularly as they are taught by the Magisterium---in order to live the moral life God intends for us to live. We continued by dividing the class into two teams where one team examined the churches laws concerning abortion, birth control, and the death penalty, while the second team scrutinized the same issues and how the civil laws would interpret them. We then brought the groups together to discuss the differences. The point of the exercise was to show the students that the people who make civil laws don't always accept the moral truth spoken by church leaders. In addition, any community that wishes to embody justice and goodness will develop civil laws that reflect - not contradict - natural law. We continued the lesson by reviewing the seven precepts of the church, driving home the point that Catholics are obligated to follow these precepts. Rather than seeing them as a burden, we can approach them as a way of being. They are the minimum requirements for being Catholic, a part of the rich faith tradition of the church, which provides the nourishment we need, through liturgy, to live morally and to fulfill what it means to be a Christian.

At Home

Read the sidebar, "Top Ten Ways for Forming Your Conscience" on page 234 in the Catholic Faith Handbook.

Points to Remember

NATURAL LAW- Our God-given instinct to be in right relationship with God, other people, the world, and ourselves. The basis for natural law is our participation in God's wisdom and goodness because we are created in the divine likeness. The fundamental expressions of natural law remain fixed and unchanging, which is why natural law is the foundation for both personal morality and civil norms. .

PRECEPTS OF THE CHURCH- Sometimes called the commandments of the church, these are obligations for all Catholics that are dictated by the laws of the church.

INFALLIBILITY- The gift of the Spirit to the whole church by which the leaders of the church - the Pope and the bishops in union with him - are protected from fundamental error when formulating a specific teaching on a matter of faith and morals.

Sincerely,
Steve, Mary, Renae, and Bill