SOT HS C6 Student Workbook_web

SPIRIT of TRUTH 

THE MORAL LIFE 

IN CHRIST 

Student Workbook 

FRAMEWORK COURSE VI

About Sophia Institute for Teachers 

Sophia Institute for Teachers was launched in 2013 by Sophia Institute to renew and rebuild Catholic culture 

through service to Catholic education. With the goal of nurturing the spiritual, moral, and cultural life of souls, 

and an abiding respect for the role and work of teachers, we strive to provide materials and programs that 

are at once enlightening to the mind and ennobling to the heart; faithful and complete, as well as useful and 

practical. 

Sophia Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1983. 

Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition, © 1994, 1997, 

2000 by Libreria Editrice Vaticana–United States Catholic Conference, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. 

Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 

Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright owner. 

All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in 

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© 2020 by Sophia Institute for Teachers. 

All rights reserved. Portions of this publication may be photocopied and/or reproduced within the schools 

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reproduce any part of this book outside the school which purchased it in any medium. 

Printed in the United States of America 

Design by Perceptions Design Studio 

Cover image: Christ and the Samaritan Woman at Jacob’s Well, Carlo Maratta (c. 17th century). 

M. Kroshitsky Art Museum, Sevastopol / Alamy stock photo. 

Spirit of Truth: The Moral Life in Christ Student Workbook 

ISBN: 978-1-64413-020-9 

First printing

Contents 

Acknowledgments................................................................................................................................. ii 

Unit 1: Joy and Blessing: God’s Plan for Our Life in Christ 

Chapter 1: The Desire of Our Hearts....................................................................................................2 

Chapter 2: Our Need for God’s Help and Guidance........................................................................... 11 

Chapter 3: Our Response to God’s Plan............................................................................................22 

Chapter 4: Human Happiness and the Law........................................................................................30 

Unit 2: God’s Guidance in the Old Testament: The Ten Commandments 

Chapter 5: The First through Third Commandments..........................................................................41 

Chapter 6: The Fourth and Fifth Commandments..............................................................................56 

Chapter 7: The Sixth Commandment.................................................................................................73 

Chapter 8: The Seventh Commandment ...........................................................................................91 

Chapter 9: The Eighth through Tenth Commandments......................................................................98 

Unit 3: God’s Guidance: The Laws of The New Covenant 

Chapter 10: The Two Great Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount..................................106 

Chapter 11: The Law and Jesus’ Church..........................................................................................134 

Unit 4: The Reality of Sin and Grace: Living Our New Life in Christ Jesus 

Chapter 12: The Reality of Sin.........................................................................................................141 

Chapter 13: Freedom, the Morality of Human Acts, and the Passions.............................................152 

Chapter 14: Conscience .................................................................................................................168 

Unit 5: God Helps us Live Moral Lives: Grace, the Sacraments, and Other Helps. 

Chapter 15: Grace and the Virtues...................................................................................................182 

Chapter 16: The Sacraments...........................................................................................................189 

Chapter 17: Other Helps...................................................................................................................198 

© Sophia Institute for Teachers 

i

Acknowledgments 

Spirit of Truth High School Edition follows the basic scope and sequence of the Doctrinal Elements of 

a Curriculum Framework set forth by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This course 

corresponds to Core Curriculum Course VI: Life in Jesus Christ . 

Authors 

Laura Bement 

Veronica Burchard 

Kenneth Dobbs 

Mike Gutzwiller 

Anna Maria Mendell 

Catherine Mitchell 

Megan Morey 

Jessica Ochoa 

Ethan O’Connor 

Steven Rummelsberg 

Ryan Schwarz 

Michael Verlander 

Melissa Wysocki 

Catechetical Consultant 

Michel Therrien, S.T.L., S.T.D. 

Copyeditor and Proofreaders 

Laura Bement 

Janelle Gergen 

Design 

Perceptions Design Studio 

Amherst, NH 

Editors 

Veronica Burchard 

Mike Gutzwiller 

Anna Maria Mendell 

Ethan O’Connor 

ii 

© Sophia Institute for Teachers

A special thanks 

In grateful recognition of Lawrence Joseph 

and Lynn Marie Blanford. 

© Sophia Institute for Teachers 

1

Chapter 1 

The Desire of 

Our Hearts

Unit 1, Chapter 1: The Desire of Our Hearts 

3 

Happiness Reflection Survey 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Complete the survey to the best of your ability. 

1 Define happiness in your own words. 

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2 List the things/items that make you happy. 

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3 List the people who make you happy. 

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4 List the experiences/activities that make you happy. 

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5 Choose any one of the people, things, or experiences and explain why one of these makes you happy. 

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6 What do the things, people, and experiences you listed in questions 2, 3, and 4 have in common? 

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4 The Moral Life in Christ 

7 Can money make us fully happy? Why or why not? 

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8 Can fame/glory make us fully happy? Why or why not? 

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9 Can power make us fully happy? Why or why not? 

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10 Can pleasure make us fully happy? Why or why not? 

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5 

The Image and Likeness of God 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Re-read the section of the chapter 1 text titled “Nature of the Human Person” beginning on pg. 

8 of the textbook. Then, complete the graphic organizers and answer the reflection question. 

To be made in the image of God means we 

(human beings) have a rational soul and 

are capable of… 

Define each of these things we are 

capable of: 

1 

2 

3 


6 

The Moral Life in Christ 

Aquinas’s three-part explanation of being 

made in God’s image: 

Summarize each in your own words: 

4 

5 

6 

Reflect 

How are the answers to the first graphic organizer (capabilities of the rational soul) related 

to the answers of the second (Aquinas’ three-part explanation)? 

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7 

St. Augustine by Philippe de Champaigne 

Activity #2


St. Augustine by Philippe de Champaigne 

Directions: Take a few moments to observe the painting. Then discuss the following questions with a 

partner or in groups of three or four. 

1 How can you tell the subject of this painting is St. Augustine of Hippo? 

2 Describe this painting. Is it realistic? How so? Why might the artist have painted it in this way? 

3 How does this painting capture the essence of inspiration? 

4 What is St. Augustine holding in his right hand? What does it symbolize? 

5 What is St. Augustine holding in his left hand? What does it symbolize? 

6 There is an open book behind St. Augustine. What is it? What word is illuminated by the golden light? 

7 Why might Augustine be stepping upon a scroll and books? 



9 

The Beatitudes 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Answer the questions below. 

1 What are eight practical ways people can find happiness? 

■ ______________________________________________________________________________ 

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2 Now, read Matthew 5:1–11. What are the eight “blesseds” Jesus teaches? 

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3 What are the eight rewards for having lived out the Beatitudes? 

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4 What do all of the ways that are “blessed” have in common? 

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5 How do Jesus’ ways of happiness, or blessedness, compare to what the world offers to gain happiness? 

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Chapter 2 

Our Need for God’s 

Help and Guidance

12 


The Fall of Man 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read the story of the Fall of Man from Genesis 3:1–24. Then, answer the following questions. 

1 Who is present in this story? 

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2 What is the setting? 

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3 How does the Serpent tempt Eve? What does she say in her defense? How does the Serpent respond 

to her? 

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4 Where does the text tell us Adam was while the Serpent was tempting Eve? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 What happened to Adam and Eve when they ate the fruit? What do they do? 

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6 What do Adam and Eve do when God approaches? How do they respond to His questioning? 

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7 What are the specific punishments for the Serpent? 

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8 What are the specific punishments for Eve? 

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Unit 1, Chapter 2: Our Need for God’s Help and Guidance 

13 

9 What are the specific punishments for Adam? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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10 What does God give Adam and Eve before they must leave the Garden? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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Reflect 

1 What does the eating of the fruit really represent? In other words, what sin or sins 

did Adam and Eve commit? 

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2 Whose fault do you think is the “Fall”? Why? 

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3 How does this passage account for the problem of evil in the world? 

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14 


Our Need for God’s Help and 

Guidance Deep Reading 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: First, read the statements below. Then, look through or re-read the chapter 2 text to find and 

record three supporting details, facts, or statements from the text that support each statement. 

You may use direct quotations or summaries of information from the chapter 2 text. 

1 In the beginning, before sin, human beings lived in paradise in a state of Original Innocence. 

■ ______________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________ 

■ ______________________________________________________________________________ 

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■ ______________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________ 

Additional Support 

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15 

2 The first sin of Adam and Eve had profound consequences for them. 

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3 All human beings after Adam and Eve inherit the consequences of their sin. 

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16 


4 From the beginning, God promised us redemption. 

■ ______________________________________________________________________________ 

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5 The Son of God assumed a human nature in order to save us from our sins. 

■ ______________________________________________________________________________ 

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17 

Descent of Christ into Limbo 

by Domenico Beccafumi (ca. 1530–1535) 

Activity #2


Descent of Christ into Limbo by Domenico 

Beccafumi 



1 What do you think is the subject of this painting? What makes you think so? From what source/s is the 

subject of this painting drawn from? 

2 What does the banner held by Christ represent? 

3 Who is the figure directly behind Christ, on the far left of the painting? What makes you think so? 

4 Who are the man and woman on the far right of the painting? What makes you think so? 

5 Who do you think Christ is taking by the hand, and who is next to Him? How can you tell? 

6 Where will He lead these people and why? 



19 

Adam and Jesus 

______/ 5 pts. 

Directions: Read Matthew 4:1–11 and re-read Genesis 3:1–24 if necessary. Then, fill in the Venn diagram 

below comparing Jesus and Adam as well as the Scripture passages themselves. Then answer 

the reflection questions. 

1 What are the three temptations Christ overcame? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 How do the temptations of Christ correspond to or reverse Adam’s failures? 

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3 What can we learn about resisting temptation from Jesus’ example? 

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Jesus 

Adam 



Socratic Discussion on Sin 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Prepare to engage in an all-class Socratic discussion by first reading the given excerpts from 

the Catechism of the Catholic Church and then answering the questions. 

1 “God created man in his image and established him in his friendship. A spiritual creature, man can 

live this friendship only in free submission to God. The prohibition against eating ‘of the tree of the 

knowledge of good and evil’ spells this out: ‘for in the day that you eat of it, you shall die.’ The ‘tree of the 

knowledge of good and evil’ symbolically evokes the insurmountable limits that man, being a creature, 

must freely recognize and respect with trust. Man is dependent on his Creator, and subject to the laws of 

creation and to the moral norms that govern the use of freedom.” — CCC 396 

Do you think God’s command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was reasonable? 

Why or why not? 

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____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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2 “Although it is proper to each individual, original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in 

any of Adam’s descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not 

been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering 

and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin—an inclination to evil that is called ‘concupiscence.’” 

Baptism, by imparting the life of Christ’s grace, erases original sin and turns a man back towards God, 

but the consequences for nature, weakened and inclined to evil, persist in man and summon him to 

spiritual battle.” — CCC 405 

Do you think the understanding of human nature professed by the Church is hopeful? Why or why not? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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21 

3 “By our first parents’ sin, the devil has acquired a certain domination over man, even though man 

remains free. Original sin entails ‘captivity under the power of him who thenceforth had the power of 

death, that is, the devil.’” — CCC 407 

How does sin enslave us if it is something we choose by our own free will? 

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4 “Ignorance of the fact that man has a wounded nature inclined to evil gives rise to serious errors in the 

areas of education, politics, social action and morals.” — CCC 407 

What sort of errors could rise or have arisen because of this ignorance? 

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5 “This dramatic situation of ‘the whole world [which] is in the power of the evil one’ makes man’s life a 

battle.” — CCC 409 

Is this an apt analogy? Does life seem like a battle? Why or why not? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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6 It might seem easier to us if God had just prevented the Fall in the first place or had started over with 

new, more obedient humans. How does the Church respond to the critique of God that He should have 

stopped evil from entering the world? Is this answer satisfactory? Explain why or why not. 

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Chapter 3 

Our Response 

to God’s Plan

Unit 1, Chapter 3: Our Response to God’s Plan 

23 

Creation, Love, Holiness, and the Saints 

______/ 5 pts. 

Directions: Answer the questions below to think about your own interpretation of the key arguments and 

vocabulary from the chapter 3 text. 

1 Recalling what you have learned in chapters 1 and 2 and your own understanding of the Catholic 

doctrine of creation, explain why God created humans. 

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____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 What is your own personal definition of love? How is this similar or different from the Church’s 

understanding of love? 

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3 Have you ever heard of the word beatitude? If so, where have you heard it, and how would you define it? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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4 What is your understanding of grace? How does it work, what kinds of grace are there, and how does 

one receive it? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 What is your understanding of holiness? What is a saint? How does someone become holy? How does 

someone become a saint? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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How to Be Happy and Holy 

Reading and Reflection Guide 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Use the chapter 3 text to complete the reading and reflection guide below. 

Happiness 

1 How does the Church define happiness? 2 How do we achieve happiness? 

Adoración de los Pastores by Francisco Rizi (1668). 



25 

Holiness 

3 How does the Church define holiness? 4 How do we achieve holiness? 

5 How are happiness and holiness related to 

one another? 

6 What challenges do we face in pursuing 

happiness and holiness? 

7 Describe someone in your life who most 

exemplifies the characteristics of happiness 

and holiness discussed in this chapter. 

8 What are two ways this understanding of 

happiness and holiness affects your own 

life? 


26 26 

Thirst by William Adolphe Bouguereau (1886)


27 

Thirst by William Adolphe Bouguereau 



1 Describe this painting. Is it realistic? How so? 

2 Describe the girl in this painting. From what social class does she appear to be? How can you tell? 

3 What is the girl doing? Why would she quench her thirst in this manner? 

4 In what ways do we quench our thirst in life, both literally and figuratively? 

5 What scriptural passage is brought to mind by this painting? 

6 What does water symbolize in our Faith? How might this painting illustrate this? 



Becoming a Saint: The Little Way of 

St. Thérèse 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read about the Little Way of St. Thérèse of Lisieux and then answer the reflection questions. 

You learned in the chapter 3 reading that becoming 

a saint and striving for holiness is something 

which each of us is called to accomplish. But how? 

It is one thing to read in the Bible and learn from the 

Catechism that we are all called to holiness and another 

thing entirely to live in the way we are called 

to. Sometimes the example of the lives of the saints 

may seem too difficult or impractical for the day-to-day 

lives we live in today. But each of the saints lived lives 

of holiness in the particular way God called each of 

them. What might seem challenging or out of reach 

to us was in reality the ways they cooperated with 

God’s grace in both big and small ways to pursue the 

holiness He called them to. St. Thérèse of Lisieux 

(1873–1897) explained in her autobiography a simple, 

or “Little Way,” for each of us to begin to strive for this 

holiness in our own lives. 

St. Thérèse was a young sister from France who 

died at the age of 24 years old. The Little Way she 

wrote about was a “new way” to sainthood and Heaven, 

different from the previous paths to God which came 

before her. It is very simple and can be broken into 

three steps: 

1 Place radical trust and faith in God through 

prayer. 

2 Offer up every slight inconvenience and 

suffering to God as a sacrifice. 

3 Understand that God is not calling you to be 

the next Virgin Mary or St. Padre Pio, He is 

calling you to be yourself, to actualize your 

potential and live your life to the fullest. 

Quotations from St. Thérèse which demonstrate 

the Little Way: 

■ “Everything is a grace, everything is the 

direct effect of our Father’s love—difficulties, 

contradictions, humiliations, all the soul’s 

miseries, her burdens, her needs — everything, 

because through them, she learns humility, 

realizes her weakness. Everything is a grace 

because everything is God’s gift. Whatever 

be the character of life or its unexpected 

events — to the heart that loves, all is well.” 

■ “Trust, and nothing but trust, will lead us to 

love.” 

■ “Holiness consists simply in doing God’s will 

and being just what God wants us to be.” 

■ “Sufferings gladly borne for others convert 

more people than sermons.” 

■ “Jesus does not ask for glorious deeds, he 

asks only for self-surrender and gratitude.” 

■ “If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring 

would lose its loveliness.” 

While it is true that from time to time God may ask 

us to make large sacrifices in our journey of faith, we 

can all start on the path to sainthood by offering up the 

little sacrifices we experience on a day-to-day basis. 

Sainthood should not be thought of for only the elite 

(roses); even “little flowers” can achieve this status. 



29 

1 How does the Little Way of St. Thérèse help you to understand holiness and sainthood? 

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2 Why do you think some struggle with how to become a saint? In what ways does it seem challenging or 

out of reach? How might the “Little Way” offer a person a different path? 

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3 What are some concrete examples of sacrifices and inconveniences you can offer to God on a day-today 

basis which will help you walk the “Little Way”? 

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4 Which of the quotations from St. Thérèse stands out to you the most? Why? 

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5 If you could ask St. Thérèse any question, what would it be? Why? 

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6 How do you think St. Thérèse might respond to your question? Write your answer below. 

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Chapter 4 

Human Happiness 

and the Law

Unit 1, Chapter 4: Human Happiness and the Law 

31 

Frivolous Laws 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Look up and list three examples of civil laws that may seem silly, unnecessary, or unjust (or 

list three you already know about). Next, explain why you assert this opinion. Then, think of a 

reason why this law may have been passed as legislation. 

Example 

Law: It is illegal in Reno, NV to sit or lie down on public sidewalks. 

Why is it potentially frivolous?: Sometimes people might get tired walking around and need to sit down. 

No one is hurt by sitting or lying down on a sidewalk, so it should not be illegal. 

Reason for the Law?: Perhaps the law was passed to prevent public demonstrations, or maybe there was 

an incident in the past where people were sitting or lying down on the sidewalk and caused some sort of 

accident. Maybe the law was passed to prevent the homeless from sleeping on public sidewalks. 

Law 1 

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Why is it potentially frivolous? 

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Reason for the law? 

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Moses with the Tables of the Law 

by Pieter Gaal (1803). 



Law 2 

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Reason for the law? 

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Law 3: 

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Reason for the Law? 

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33 

Human Happiness and the Law 

Self-Questioning Reading Guide 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: After reading the chapter 4 text, complete the self-questioning reading guide below. 

1 What are three new 

vocabulary terms to me 

introduced in the text? How 

are these terms defined? 

2 What are two terms or 

concepts in the text that 

were undefined that I do 

not understand? How can I 

better understand them? 

3 After reading the text, what 

do I understand now that I 

did not understand before? 

4 How does this concept help 

me think about differently 

about Catholic morality? 



5 What is the most important 

concept I learned from this 

chapter? Why do I think so? 

6 How does the concept of 

law relate to other concepts 

I have learned in this 

course? 

7 What part of this chapter 

do I think most people 

would misunderstand? How 

would I explain or teach it 

to them? 



35 

Law and Freedom: How Much Authority 

Should the State Have? 

______/ 5 pts. 

Directions: Read the information below and then complete the activity. 

In chapter 4, it has been argued that following the 

Law of God will allow true freedom, not restrict it. The 

purpose of the Law is to guide people toward happiness; 

therefore, it would follow that sins (which go 

against the natural and the Divine Law) should be 

made illegal, right? When it comes to civil laws, what 

actions should the state regulate? Should everything 

that is immoral be made illegal according to civil law? 

Below are examples of immoral actions (that is, 

against natural law). Should they be made illegal? 


Example 1: Gluttony 

In order to avoid obesity, certain states such as New 

York and California have made it illegal to sell drinks, 

food, or other substances which contain high concentrations 

of fatty acids and sugars (Sugary Drinks 

Portion Cap Rule). Former First Lady Michelle 

Obama also followed this line of reasoning in her 

school lunch program. 

Do you agree with this policy? Should opportunities 

for gluttony be made illegal? 

Circle your answer: Y or N 

Render unto Caesar by Maerten de Vos (1602). 

Explain your reasoning: 

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Example 2: Lust 

Jesus said, “everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” 

(Matt. 5:28). This would mean that any and all cases of occasions toward the sin of lust should be made illegal in 

society. Occasions of sin include immodest dress, impure movies or music, pornography, television shows, and 

allowing men and women to be alone with one another if not married. 

Do you agree with this policy? Should all opportunities for lust be made illegal, since Christ said that merely looking 

at someone lustfully is a sin? Should any? 



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Example 3: Keep Holy the Sabbath 

The Catholic Church teaches that it is a dictate of Divine Law that all members of the community keep the first day 

of the week, Sunday, as a holy day. Little to no work should be done on Sundays in order to honor how God rested 

at the end of creation and the Resurrection of Jesus, which was on a Sunday. Many states throughout US history 

have followed this mindset, establishing laws known as “blue laws” which have made it illegal to have businesses 

open on Sundays. This did not violate the First Amendment, since it did not force other religions to worship the 

Christian God, but it did force other religions to close their businesses on Sundays. 

Do you agree with this policy? Should all opportunities for breaking the Sabbath be made illegal? 



_________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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37 

Rights and Law 

______/ 20 pts. 

Directions: Read about human rights below. Then, complete the activity. 

Our modern culture has become intently focused on 

the concept of rights. Properly understood, a right 

is that which someone has a just claim to. Some rights 

are God-given, fundamental to the human person, and 

common to all people. These include the right to life, 

liberty, private property, free speech, freedom of religion, 

and others. Other political or civil rights, such as 

the ability to vote, serve on juries, or be provided with 

an education at public expense, may be conferred by 

human authorities and may justly vary from society to 

society. These abilities are more properly called privileges 

and should not be confused with natural rights, 

which are natural or inborn: natural rights can all be 

exercised without anyone else acting on your behalf. 

Today, however, many people confuse these privileges, 

just or unjust and granted by human authorities, 

with fundamental human rights: for example, a 

woman’s “right” to an abortion, the “right” of marriage 

equality, or the “right” to universal healthcare. None of 

these are God-given rights fundamental to the human 

person. Some of them, such as the “right” to an abortion 

or marriage equality, are completely contrary to 

the natural law and the Divine Law, even though they 

are protected by civil law. 

In this activity, we are going to take a closer look at 

what rights are, where they come from, and what the 

Church teaches about them. 

Part I: Human Dignity and the Purpose of Government 

Directions: Read the selections from the Catechism of the Catholic Church and answer the questions that 

follow. 

Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 1934–1935 

Created in the image of the one God and equally endowed with rational souls, all men have the same nature and 

the same origin. Redeemed by the sacrifice of Christ, all are called to participate in the same divine beatitude: all 

therefore enjoy an equal dignity (1934). 

The equality of men rests essentially on their dignity as persons and the rights that flow from it: Every form of 

social or cultural discrimination in fundamental personal rights on the grounds of sex, race, color, social conditions, 

language, or religion must be curbed and eradicated as incompatible with God’s design (1935). 

1 From where do all human beings get their dignity? ___________________________________________ 

2 Where do our rights come from? _________________________________________________________ 

3 Why are all human beings equal in rights and dignity? ________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



Catechism of the Catholic Church, nos. 1898, 1903 

Every human community needs an authority to govern it. The foundation of such authority lies in human nature. It is 

necessary for the unity of the state. Its role is to ensure as far as possible the common good of the society (1898). 

Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs 

morally licit means to attain it. If rulers were to enact unjust laws or take measures contrary to the moral 

order, such arrangements would not be binding in conscience. In such a case, “authority breaks down completely 

and results in shameful abuse” (1903). 

4 What does every human community need, according to paragraph 1898? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 What is the role of that authority? ________________________________________________________ 

6 The Catechism defines the common good as “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, 

either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily.” (1906). How 

would you put this definition in your own words? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

7 What do you think the Catechism means here by “fulfillment”? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

8 What happens when a government enacts unjust laws, or forces citizens to act immorally? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Part II: Foundations of American Government 

Directions: Now we turn to the United States, where the people have given certain authority to local, state, 

and national governments. Read the following selections from the Declaration of Independence 

and answer the questions that follow. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with 

certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.… whenever any Form 

of Government becomes destructive of these ends [purposes], it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, 

and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, 

as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. 

9 Who does the Declaration say is the source of our rights? _____________________________________ 



39 

10 What does the Declaration say is the purpose of government? __________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

11 What is the connection, if any, between this purpose and the purpose of promoting the common good? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

12 What do you think the Declaration’s authors meant by “pursuit of Happiness”? How would you compare 

the right to pursue happiness with the freedom to reach one’s fulfillment? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

13 What does the Declaration say happens when a government infringes on the rights of the people? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

14 The Declaration of Independence is not a “legal” document and does not have the force of law like the 

Constitution does. What can we learn from it? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Part III: Participating in Promoting the Common Good 

Directions: Read the information below, then answer the questions that follow. 

As Catholics and as Americans, we have a responsibility to our fellow human beings to promote the common good. 

The Catechism helps us begin to understand what that can mean: 

“Participation” is the voluntary and generous engagement of a person in social interchange. It is necessary 

that all participate, each according to his position and role, in promoting the common good. This 

obligation is inherent in the dignity of the human person (1913). 

Participation is achieved first of all by taking charge of the areas for which one assumes personal 

responsibility: by the care taken for the education of his family, by conscientious work, and so forth, man 

participates in the good of others and of society (1914). 

As far as possible citizens should take an active part in public life. The manner of this participation may 

vary from one country or culture to another. “One must pay tribute to those nations whose systems permit 

the largest possible number of the citizens to take part in public life in a climate of genuine freedom” (1915). 

15 What does “participation” mean in this selection from the Catechism? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

16 Is participation in the common good a right or a duty? ________________________________________ 



17 What is the first way we participate in promoting the common good? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

18 What is another way we participate in promoting the common good? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Reflect 

St. Teresa of Calcutta said, “Human rights are not a privilege conferred by government. 

They are every human being’s entitlement by virtue of his humanity. The right to life does 

not depend, and must not be declared to be contingent, on the pleasure of anyone else, 

not even a parent or a sovereign [king].” 

Why does it matter that our rights come from God and not from the government? What 

would happen if rights were given to us by the government? 

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Chapter 5 

The First 

through Third 

Commandments


First and Second things 

______/ 5 pts. 

Part 1 

Directions: Read about C.S. Lewis and the excerpts from his essay on first and second things. 

C 

.S. Lewis was a British Christian writer and apologist 

of the early half of the twentieth century. Among 

his most well-known works are Mere Christianity and 

The Screwtape Letters. Lewis also wrote numerous 

works of fiction that reflected his Christian Faith, including 

The Chronicles of Narnia and The Space Trilogy. 

C.S. Lewis explained in several of his writings that 

we must put first things first and second things second. 

If we do not, we will not only lose the first things, but the 

second things as well. He wrote in the essay “First and 

Second Things,” later published in the book God in the 

Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics: 

“You can’t get second things by putting them first. 

You get second things only by putting first things 

first.” 

By way of example he wrote: 

“The woman who makes a dog the centre of her life 

loses, in the end, not only her human usefulness 

and dignity but even the proper pleasure of 

dog-keeping.” 

And: 

“the man who makes alcohol his chief good loses not 

only his job but his palate and all power of enjoying” the 

moderate and legal use of alcohol. He explains further 

that “every preference of a small good to a great, or 

partial good to a total good, involves the loss of the 

small or partial good for which the sacrifice is made.” 

Lewis concluded: 

“you can’t get second things by putting them first. You 

get second things only by putting first things first.” 

For a final illustration, he stated: 

“put first things first and we get second things thrown 

in: put second things first and we lose both first and 

second things. We never get, say, even the sensual 

pleasure of food at its best when we are being greedy.” 

(A letter to Dom Bede Griffiths, April 23, 1951) 

— Lewis, C.S. God in the Dock: 

Essays on Theology and Ethics 

(Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1994), 280. 


Unit 2, Chapter 5: The First through Third Commandments 

43 

Part 2 

Directions: Read the given Scripture passages and then describe how each illustrates the principle of first and 

second things. In other words, in each example, how are second things lost if they are put first? 

1 Genesis 25:29–34 (For background of Jacob and Esau go back to Genesis 25:19–24) 

Once, when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. 

He said to Jacob, “Let me gulp down some of that red stuff; I am famished.” That is why 

he was called Edom. 

But Jacob replied, “First sell me your right as firstborn.” 

“Look,” said Esau, “I am on the point of dying. What good is the right as firstborn to me?” 

But Jacob said, “Swear to me first!” So he sold Jacob his right as firstborn under oath. 

Jacob then gave him some bread and the lentil stew; and Esau ate, drank, got up, and 

went his way. So Esau treated his right as firstborn with disdain. 

How does this story illustrate the principle of first and second things? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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2 Matthew 22:37–40 

He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and 

with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You 

shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two 

commandments.” 

How does this story illustrate the principle of first and second things? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Reflect 

Draw some conclusions: what ought we put first in our lives? Why? 

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45 

What is Idolatry? 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read the Catechism and Scripture selections below and respond to the questions. 

Exodus 20:2–5 is an exposition and justification of 

the first Commandment: 

I am the LORD your God, who brought you out 

of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 

You shall not have other gods beside me. You 

shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness 

of anything in the heavens above or on the earth 

below or in the waters beneath the earth; you 

shall not bow down before them or serve them. 

Matthew 4:10 summarizes: 

“It is written: ‘The Lord, your God, shall you 

worship and him alone shall you serve.’” 

To understand this First Commandment more deeply, 

it is especially important to understand the nature and 

dangers of idolatry. Read Catechism nos. 2112–2114 

and make summary points about the nature of idolatry. 

2112 The first commandment condemns 

polytheism. It requires man neither to believe 

in, nor to venerate, other divinities than the 

one true God. Scripture constantly recalls this 

rejection of “idols, [of] silver and gold, the work 

of men’s hands. They have mouths, but do not 

speak; eyes, but do not see.” These empty 

idols make their worshippers empty: “Those 

who make them are like them; so are all who 

trust in them.” God, however, is the “living God” 

who gives life and intervenes in history. 

2113 Idolatry not only refers to false pagan 

worship. It remains a constant temptation to 

faith. Idolatry consists in divinizing what is 

not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he 

honors and reveres a creature in place of God, 

whether this be gods or demons (for example, 

satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, 

the state, money, etc. Jesus says, “You cannot 

serve God and mammon.” Many martyrs 

died for not adoring “the Beast” refusing even 

to simulate such worship. Idolatry rejects 

the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore 

incompatible with communion with God. 

2114 Human life finds its unity in the adoration of 

the one God. The commandment to worship the 

Lord alone integrates man and saves him from 

an endless disintegration. Idolatry is a perversion 

of man’s innate religious sense. An idolater is 

someone who “transfers his indestructible notion 

of God to anything other than God.” 

1 According to CCC 2112, how is polytheism characterized as idolatry? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 According to CCC 2113, what is the nature of idolatry? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



3 According to CCC 2114, how does idolatry damage us? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Now, armed with a better understanding of idolatry, read the following Scripture passages and give an account of 

how they help you to understand idolatry and how to avoid it in order to faithfully follow the First Commandment: 

4 Revelation 9:20 

The rest of the human race, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of 

their hands, to give up the worship of demons and idols made from gold, silver, bronze, stone, and 

wood, which cannot see or hear or walk. 

How does this passage help us understand idolatry? How does it help us avoid idolatry and faithfully follow 

the First Commandment? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 Galatians 5:19–21 

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, 

hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of 

envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do 

such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 



____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

6 Colossians 3:5 

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and 

the greed that is idolatry. 



____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



47 

7 Isaiah 45:20 

Come and assemble, gather together, you fugitives from among the nations! They are without 

knowledge who bear wooden idols and pray to gods that cannot save. 



____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

8 Psalms 16:4 

They multiply their sorrows who court other gods. Blood libations to them I will not pour out, nor will 

I take their names upon my lips. 



____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Reflect 

Finally, reflect on Catechism no. 2084 and draw some conclusions about the relationship 

between the First Commandment and idolatry. 

God makes himself known by recalling his all-powerful, loving, and liberating action 

in the history of the one he addresses: “I brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of 

the house of bondage.” The first word contains the first commandment of the Law: 

“You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him.… You shall not go after other 

gods.” God’s first call and just demand is that man accept him and worship him. 

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48 

Repentance of Judas by Simo Gomez Polo (1874)


49 

Repentance of Judas by Simo Gomez Polo 



1 What moment does this painting depict? 

2 The name of this painting is Repentance of Judas. What was Judas’s great sin? 

3 Besides his betrayal of Our Lord, what other grave wrong does Judas then commit? 

4 What does despair sin against? 

5 How would you describe the figure of Judas in this painting? How does his posture reflect despair? 

6 Who are the figures around Judas? How would you describe their expressions? 

7 In what other way could Judas have truly repented of his sin? In other words, he approached the 

enablers of his sin and tried to return their blood-money; to whom else should he have gone? 



You Shall Not Take the Lord’s Name in Vain ______/ 10 pts. 

Part 1 

Directions: Read about the Second Commandment below and answer the questions. 

The nature of language 

German Thomist philosopher Joseph Pieper explains in his book Abuse of Language, Abuse of Power, that: 

“Human words and language accomplish a twofold purpose…. First, words convey reality. We speak 

in order to name and identify something that is real, to identify it for someone.” 

If we use our words to deceive others or even to tell the truth in a self-serving way, we have abused speech. The 

Second Commandment requires us to understand the purpose of language so we do not misuse speech concerning 

our Creator. 

You shall not invoke the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished 

anyone who invokes his name in vain. — Exodus 20:7 

“Again you have heard that it was said to your ancestors, ‘Do not take a false oath, but make 

good to the Lord all that you vow.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all; not by heaven, for it is 

God’s throne.” — Matthew 5:33–34 

St. Thomas Aquinas says that “in vain” has a threefold meaning: to be false, useless, or unjust. 

Part 2 

Directions: Use the excerpt on the next page from St. Thomas Aquinas’s treatise on the Second 

Commandment, “Taking God’s Name Justly,” (from The Catechetical Instructions of St. 

Thomas Aquinas) to list and describe the six purposes of using God’s name to better know 

how to use God’s name justly. Give a brief summery for each one of his six points. 



51 

Taking God’s name justly 

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God 

in vain.” However, the name of God may be taken 

for six purposes. First, to confirm something that 

is said, as in an oath. In this we show God alone 

is the first Truth, and also we show due reverence 

to God. For this reason it was commanded 

in the Old Law that one must not swear except 

by God [Deut. 6:13]. They who swore otherwise 

violated this order: “By the name of strange gods 

you shall not swear” [Exod. 23:13]. Although at 

times one swears by creatures, nevertheless, it 

must be known that such is the same as swearing 

by God. When you swear by your soul or your 

head, it is as if you bind yourself to be punished 

by God. Thus: “But I call God to witness upon my 

soul” [2 Cor. 1:23]. And when you swear by the 

Gospel, you swear by God who gave the Gospel. 

But they sin who swear either by God or by the 

Gospel for any trivial reason. 

The second purpose is that of sanctification. 

Thus, Baptism sanctifies, for as St. Paul 

says: “But you are washed, but you are sanctified, 

but you are justified in the name of our 

Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of God” [1 

Cor. 6:11]. Baptism, however, does not have 

power except through the invocation of the 

Trinity: “But You, O Lord, are among us, and 

your name is called upon by us” [Jer. 14:9]. 

The third purpose is the expulsion of 

our adversary; hence, before Baptism we 

renounce the devil: “Only let your name be 

called upon us; take away our reproach” [Isa. 

4:1]. Therefore, if one return to his sins, the 

name of God has been taken in vain. 

Fourthly, God’s name is taken in order to 

confess it: “How then shall they call on Him, in 

whom they have not believed?” [Rom. 10:14]. 

And again: “Whoever shall call upon the name 

of the Lord, shall be saved” [Rom. 10:13]. First 

of all, we confess by word of mouth that we 

may show forth the glory of God: “And every 

one who calls on My name, I have created 

him for My glory” [Isa. 43:7]. Accordingly, if 

one says anything against the glory of God, 

he takes the name of God in vain. Secondly, 

we confess God’s name by our works, when 

our very actions show forth God’s glory: “That 

they may see your good works, and may glorify 

your Father who is in heaven” [Matt. 5:16]. 

“Through you the name of God is blasphemed 

among the Gentiles” [Rom. 2:24]. 

Fifthly it is taken for our defense: “The 

name of the Lord is a strong tower; the just run 

to it and shall be exalted” [Prov. 18:10]. “In My 

name they shall cast out devils” [Mark 16:17]. 

“There is no other name under heaven given to 

men, whereby we must be saved” [Acts 4:12]. 

Lastly, it is taken in order to make our 

works complete. Thus says the Apostle: “All 

that you do in word or work, do all in the name 

of the Lord Jesus Christ” [Col. 3:17]. The reason 

is because “our help is in the name of the 

Lord” [Ps. 123:8]. Sometimes it happens that 

one begins a work imprudently by starting with 

a vow, for instance, and then not completing 

either the work or the vow. And this again 

is taking God’s name in vain. “If you have 

vowed anything to God, do not defer paying 

it” [Eccles. 5:3]. “Vow and pay to the Lord your 

God; all you round about Him bring presents” 

[Ps. 75:12]. “For an unfaithful and foolish 

promise displeases Him” [Eccles. 5:3]. 



1 Purpose 1 (List and summarize): 

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53 

Keep the Lord’s Day Holy 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read about the Third Commandment and complete answer the questions. 

The Decalogue (the Ten Commandments) appears 

in both Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. Read and 

compare the Third Commandment and observe their 

similarities and differences. 

Remember the sabbath day — keep it holy. Six 

days you may labor and do all your work, but 

the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your 

God. You shall not do any work, either you, 

your son or your daughter, your male or female 

slave, your work animal, or the resident alien 

within your gates. For in six days the LORD 

made the heavens and the earth, the sea and 

all that is in them; but on the seventh day he 

rested. That is why the LORD has blessed 

the sabbath day and made it holy. — Exodus 

20:8–11 

Observe the sabbath day — keep it holy, as the 

LORD, your God, commanded you. Six days 

you may labor and do all your work, but the 

seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your 

God. You shall not do any work, either you, 

your son or your daughter, your male or female 

slave, your ox or donkey or any work animal, 

or the resident alien within your gates, so that 

your male and female slave may rest as you 

do. Remember that you too were once slaves 

in the land of Egypt, and the LORD, your God, 

First mass in Kabylie by Horace Vernet (1854). 

brought you out from there with a strong hand 

and outstretched arm. That is why the LORD, 

your God, has commanded you to observe the 

sabbath day. — Deuteronomy 5:12–15 

1 How are the two expositions of the Third Commandment similar? How are they different? 

_________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________ 



Now read from your own Catechism nos. 2168–2188 and answer the following questions. 

2 After reading CCC 2168–2173, record five points about the significance of the Sabbath. 

■ 

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■ 

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■ 

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■ 

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■ 

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3 According to CCC 2174, why is Sunday the day of the new creation? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 According to CCC 2175–2176, why was the Sabbath, originally observed by the Jews on Saturday, 

replaced by Sunday? Why is Sunday called “The Lord’s Day”? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 According to CCC 2177–2179, why is the Sunday Eucharist the source and summit of our Faith? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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55 

6 According to CCC 2180–2183, what are the reasons why the Sunday obligation is such a serious one? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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7 According to CCC 2184–2188, what are the guidelines for how we should spend our Sundays? 

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Chapter 6 

The Fourth and Fifth 

Commandments

Unit 2, Chapter 6: The Fourth and Fifth Commandments 

57 

The Family as the Building Block of Civilization 

Directions: Read the following quotations from Pope St. John Paul II’s encyclical Evangelium Vitae. Rewrite 

the meaning of each quotation in your own words and describe how it relates to the Fourth 

Commandment. 

1 “The first and fundamental structure for a ‘human ecology’ is the family, founded on marriage, in which 

the mutual gift of self as husband and wife creates an environment in which children can be born and 

grow up.” — Evangelium Vitae 39 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 “To overcome today’s individualistic mentality, a concrete commitment to solidarity and charity is needed, 

beginning in the family.” — Evangelium Vitae 49 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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3 “Within the ‘people of life and the people for life,’ the family has a decisive responsibility. This 

responsibility flows from its very nature as a community of life and love, founded upon marriage, and 

from its mission to ‘guard, reveal and communicate love’…. This is the love that becomes selflessness, 

receptiveness and gift. Within the family each member is accepted, respected and honoured precisely 

because he or she is a person; and if any family member is in greater need, the care which he or she 

receives is all the more intense and attentive.” — Evangelium Vitae 92 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 “The family has a special role to play throughout the life of its members, from birth to death. It is truly 

‘the sanctuary of life: the place in which life — the gift of God — can be properly welcomed and protected 

against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance with what constitutes 

authentic human growth.’ Consequently the role of the family in building a culture of life is decisive and 

irreplaceable.” — Evangelium Vitae 92 

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____________________________________________________________________________________ 

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59 

The Duties of Children and Parents 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Using your own words, fill in the chart listing the duties children and parents have according to 

the given Catechism paragraph. 

The Duties of Children 

CCC 2214 

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_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

CCC 2215 

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CCC 2216 

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CCC 2217 

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CCC 2218 

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CCC 2219 

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CCC 2220 

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60 


The Duties of Parents 

CCC 2221 

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CCC 2222 

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CCC 2223 

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CCC 2224 

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CCC 2225 

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CCC 2226 

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CCC 2227 

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CCC 2228 

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CCC 2229 

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CCC 2230 

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61 

Christ in the House of His Parents by John Everett Millais 

(1849–1850) 

Activity #2


Christ in the House of His Parents 

by John Everett Millais 



1 How would you describe the setting of this painting? Is it a typical Holy Family scene? Why or why not? 

2 What is Jesus doing? What is Mary’s response? 

3 Can you identify any of the other figures in the painting? How so? 

4 How can this painting make one think about the reality of the mystery of Christ’s two natures: God and 

Man? 

5 What might the bowl of water symbolize? 

6 What might the cut in Jesus’ hand represent? 

7 How does the subject of this painting point to Jesus’ obedience? 

8 What other moment in Jesus’ childhood encapsulates His obedience to His parents? 



63 

Violations of the Fifth Commandment 

______/ 5 pts. 

Directions: Read the below Examination of Conscience with regards to the Fifth Commandment. Check all 

you did not know were violations of the Fifth Commandment. 

Have I… 

□ Unjustly and intentionally killed a human 

being? 

□ Been involved in an abortion, directly or 

indirectly (through advice, and so forth)? 

□ Seriously considered or attempted suicide? 

□ Supported, promoted, or encouraged the 

practice of assisted suicide or mercy killing? 

□ Deliberately desired to kill an innocent human 

being? 

□ Unjustly inflicted bodily harm on another 

person? 

□ Unjustly threatened another person with bodily 

harm? 

□ Verbally or emotionally abused another 

person? 

□ Hated another person, or wished him evil? 

□ Been prejudiced, or unjustly discriminated 

against others because of their race, color, 

nationality, sex or religion? 

□ Joined a hate group? 

□ Purposely provoked another by teasing or 

nagging? 

□ Recklessly endangered my life or health, or 

that of another, by my actions? 

□ Driven recklessly or under the influence of 

alcohol or other drugs? 

□ Abused alcohol or other drugs? 

□ Sold or given drugs to others to use for nontherapeutic 

purposes? 

□ Used tobacco immoderately? 

□ Over-eaten? 

□ Encouraged others to sin by giving scandal (an 

attitude or behavior that leads other to evil)? 

□ Helped another to commit a mortal sin (through 

advice, driving them somewhere, and so forth? 

□ Caused serious injury or death by criminal 

neglect? 

□ Indulged in serious anger? 

□ Refused to control my temper? 



Select three of the above sins against the Fifth Commandment and write a positive action that affirms life with 

regard to that specific violation of the Fifth Commandment. 

For example: 

Violation against the Fifth Commandment: 

Drive recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. 

Life-affirming action: 

Choose to be the designated driver and drive home your friends who are under the influence. 


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65 

Solutions to Creating a Culture of Life 

______/ 15 pts. 

Part 1: Evangelium Vitae: The Gospel of Life, 95–100, An Encyclical Letter of Pope 

St. John Paul II, March 25, 1995 

Summary: In this encyclical letter, Pope St. John Paul II identifies the characteristics of the “culture of death.” 

Here, in this excerpt, the pope offers a beginning solution, a prescription so-to-speak, to counteract this culture 

of death. While not an exhaustive solution, the Pope suggests basic steps that can be made to begin to 

create a “culture of life.” 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

The general mobilization of consciences and a united ethical effort to activate a great campaign in 

support of life. 

The renewal of a culture of life within Christian communities. 

Formation of consciences to recognize the connection between life and freedom, and freedom 

and truth. 

Education in sexuality, love, and chastity. 

Training married couples in responsible procreation. 

Consideration of suffering and death. 

All have a role to play, particularly teachers and educators, intellectuals, the mass media, and women. 

The formation of a culture of life is sustained by confidence in the Gospel. 

“Walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8): bringing about a transformation of culture 

95. “Walk as children of light ... and try to learn what is 

pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works 

of darkness” (Eph. 5:8, 10–11). In our present social 

context, marked by a dramatic struggle between the 

“culture of life” and the “culture of death,” there is need 

to develop a deep critical sense, capable of discerning 

true values and authentic needs. 

What is urgently called for is a general mobilization 

of consciences and a united ethical effort to activate 

a great campaign in support of life. All together, 

we must build a new culture of life: new, because it 

will be able to confront and solve today’s unprecedented 

problems affecting human life; new, because it will 

be adopted with deeper and more dynamic conviction 

by all Christians; new, because it will be capable of 

bringing about a serious and courageous cultural dialogue 

among all parties. While the urgent need for 

such a cultural transformation is linked to the present 

historical situation, it is also rooted in the Church’s mission 

of evangelization. The purpose of the Gospel, in 

fact, is “to transform humanity from within and to make 

it new.” Like the yeast which leavens the whole measure 

of dough (cf. Matt. 13:33), the Gospel is meant to 

permeate all cultures and give them life from within, so 

that they may express the full truth about the human 

person and about human life. 

We need to begin with the renewal of a culture of 

life within Christian communities themselves. Too often 

it happens that believers, even those who take an active 

part in the life of the Church, end up by separating their 



Christian faith from its ethical requirements concerning 

life, and thus fall into moral subjectivism and certain 

objectionable ways of acting. With great openness and 

courage, we need to question how widespread is the 

culture of life today among individual Christians, families, 

groups and communities in our Dioceses. With 

equal clarity and determination we must identify the 

steps we are called to take in order to serve life in all its 

truth. At the same time, we need to promote a serious 

and in-depth exchange about basic issues of human 

life with everyone, including non-believers, in intellectual 

circles, in the various professional spheres and at 

the level of people’s everyday life. 

96. The first and fundamental step towards this cultural 

transformation consists in forming consciences 

with regard to the incomparable and inviolable worth 

of every human life. It is of the greatest importance to 

re-establish the essential connection between life and 

freedom. These are inseparable goods: where one is 

violated, the other also ends up being violated. There is 

no true freedom where life is not welcomed and loved; 

and there is no fullness of life except in freedom. Both 

realities have something inherent and specific which 

links them inextricably: the vocation to love. Love, as a 

sincere gift of self, is what gives the life and freedom of 

the person their truest meaning. 

No less critical in the formation of conscience is 

the recovery of the necessary link between freedom 

and truth. As I have frequently stated, when freedom is 

detached from objective truth it becomes impossible to 

establish personal rights on a firm rational basis; and 

the ground is laid for society to be at the mercy of the 

unrestrained will of individuals or the oppressive totalitarianism 

of public authority. 

It is therefore essential that man should acknowledge 

his inherent condition as a creature to whom God has 

granted being and life as a gift and a duty. Only by admitting 

his innate dependence can man live and use his 

freedom to the full, and at the same time respect the life 

and freedom of every other person. Here especially one 

sees that “at the heart of every culture lies the attitude 

man takes to the greatest mystery: the mystery of God.” 

Where God is denied and people live as though he did not 

exist, or his commandments are not taken into account, 

the dignity of the human person and the inviolability of 

human life also end up being rejected or compromised. 

97. Closely connected with the formation of conscience 

is the work of education, which helps individuals to be 

ever more human, leads them ever more fully to the 

truth, instils in them growing respect for life, and trains 

them in right interpersonal relationships. 

In particular, there is a need for education about the 

value of life from its very origins. It is an illusion to think 

that we can build a true culture of human life if we do 

not help the young to accept and experience sexuality 

and love and the whole of life according to their true 

meaning and in their close interconnection. Sexuality, 

which enriches the whole person, “manifests its inmost 

meaning in leading the person to the gift of self in love.” 

The trivialization of sexuality is among the principal factors 

which have led to contempt for new life. Only a true 

love is able to protect life. There can be no avoiding 

the duty to offer, especially to adolescents and young 

adults, an authentic education in sexuality and in love, 

an education which involves training in chastity as a virtue 

which fosters personal maturity and makes one capable 

of respecting the “spousal” meaning of the body. 

The work of educating in the service of life involves 

the training of married couples in responsible procreation. 

In its true meaning, responsible procreation requires 

couples to be obedient to the Lord’s call and 

to act as faithful interpreters of his plan. This happens 

when the family is generously open to new lives, and 

when couples maintain an attitude of openness and 

service to life, even if, for serious reasons and in respect 

for the moral law, they choose to avoid a new birth 

for the time being or indefinitely. The moral law obliges 

them in every case to control the impulse of instinct and 

passion, and to respect the biological laws inscribed in 

their person. It is precisely this respect which makes 



67 

The Visitation, by Willem van Herp (1659). 

legitimate, at the service of responsible procreation, 

the use of natural methods of regulating fertility. From 

the scientific point of view, these methods are becoming 

more and more accurate and make it possible in 

practice to make choices in harmony with moral values. 

An honest appraisal of their effectiveness should dispel 

certain prejudices which are still widely held, and 

should convince married couples, as well as healthcare 

and social workers, of the importance of proper 

training in this area. The Church is grateful to those 

who, with personal sacrifice and often unacknowledged 

dedication, devote themselves to the study and spread 

of these methods, as well to the promotion of education 

in the moral values which they presuppose. 

The work of education cannot avoid a consideration 

of suffering and death. These are a part of human 

existence, and it is futile, not to say misleading, to try to 

hide them or ignore them. On the contrary, people must 

be helped to understand their profound mystery in all 

its harsh reality. Even pain and suffering have meaning 

and value when they are experienced in close connection 

with love received and given. In this regard, I have 

called for the yearly celebration of the World Day of 

the Sick, emphasizing “the salvific nature of the offering 

up of suffering which, experienced in communion with 

Christ, belongs to the very essence of the Redemption.” 

Death itself is anything but an event without hope. It is 

the door which opens wide on eternity and, for those 

who live in Christ, an experience of participation in the 

mystery of his Death and Resurrection. 

98. In a word, we can say that the cultural change 

which we are calling for demands from everyone the 

courage to adopt a new life-style, consisting in making 

practical choices — at the personal, family, social and 

international level — on the basis of a correct scale of 

values: the primacy of being over having, of the person 

over things. This renewed life-style involves a passing 

from indifference to concern for others, from rejection 

to acceptance of them. Other people are not rivals from 

whom we must defend ourselves, but brothers and sisters 

to be supported. They are to be loved for their own 

sakes, and they enrich us by their very presence. 



In this mobilization for a new culture of life no one 

must feel excluded: everyone has an important role to 

play. Together with the family, teachers and educators 

have a particularly valuable contribution to make. Much 

will depend on them if young people, trained in true 

freedom, are to be able to preserve for themselves and 

make known to others new, authentic ideals of life, and 

if they are to grow in respect for and service to every 

other person, in the family and in society. 

Intellectuals can also do much to build a new culture 

of human life. A special task falls to Catholic intellectuals, 

who are called to be present and active in the 

leading centres where culture is formed, in schools and 

universities, in places of scientific and technological research, 

of artistic creativity and of the study of man. 

Allowing their talents and activity to be nourished by 

the living force of the Gospel, they ought to place themselves 

at the service of a new culture of life by offering 

serious and well documented contributions, capable of 

commanding general respect and interest by reason 

of their merit. It was precisely for this purpose that I 

established the Pontifical Academy for Life, assigning 

it the task of “studying and providing information and 

training about the principal problems of law and biomedicine 

pertaining to the promotion of life, especially 

in the direct relationship they have with Christian morality 

and the directives of the Church’s Magisterium.” 

A specific contribution will also have to come from 

Universities, particularly from Catholic Universities, and 

from Centres, Institutes and Committees of Bioethics. 

An important and serious responsibility belongs to 

those involved in the mass media, who are called to ensure 

that the messages which they so effectively transmit 

will support the culture of life. They need to present 

noble models of life and make room for instances of 

people’s positive and sometimes heroic love for others. 

With great respect they should also present the positive 

values of sexuality and human love, and not insist on 

what defiles and cheapens human dignity. In their interpretation 

of things, they should refrain from emphasizing 

anything that suggests or fosters feelings or attitudes 

of indifference, contempt or rejection in relation to 

life. With scrupulous concern for factual truth, they are 

called to combine freedom of information with respect 

for every person and a profound sense of humanity. 

99. In transforming culture so that it supports life, women 

occupy a place, in thought and action, which is 

unique and decisive. It depends on them to promote a 

“new feminism” which rejects the temptation of imitating 

models of “male domination,” in order to acknowledge 

and affirm the true genius of women in every aspect 

of the life of society, and overcome all discrimination, 

violence and exploitation. 

Making my own the words of the concluding 

message of the Second Vatican Council, I address 

to women this urgent appeal: “Reconcile people with 

life.” You are called to bear witness to the meaning 

of genuine love, of that gift of self and of that acceptance 

of others which are present in a special way in 

the relationship of husband and wife, but which ought 

also to be at the heart of every other interpersonal relationship. 

The experience of motherhood makes you 



69 

acutely aware of the other person and, at the same 

time, confers on you a particular task: “Motherhood 

involves a special communion with the mystery of life, 

as it develops in the woman’s womb… This unique 

contact with the new human being developing within 

her gives rise to an attitude towards human beings 

not only towards her own child, but every human being, 

which profoundly marks the woman’s personality.” 

A mother welcomes and carries in herself another 

human being, enabling it to grow inside her, giving it 

room, respecting it in its otherness. Women first learn 

and then teach others that human relations are authentic 

if they are open to accepting the other person: 

a person who is recognized and loved because of the 

dignity which comes from being a person and not from 

other considerations, such as usefulness, strength, intelligence, 

beauty or health. This is the fundamental 

contribution which the Church and humanity expect 

from women. And it is the indispensable prerequisite 

for an authentic cultural change. 

I would now like to say a special word to women 

who have had an abortion. The Church is aware of 

the many factors which may have influenced your decision, 

and she does not doubt that in many cases it 

was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound 

in your heart may not yet have healed. Certainly what 

happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not 

give in to discouragement and do not lose hope. Try 

rather to understand what happened and face it honestly. 

If you have not already done so, give yourselves 

over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father 

of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his 

peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. To the same 

Father and his mercy you can with sure hope entrust 

your child. With the friendly and expert help and advice 

of other people, and as a result of your own painful 

experience, you can be among the most eloquent defenders 

of everyone’s right to life. Through your commitment 

to life, whether by accepting the birth of other 

children or by welcoming and caring for those most in 

need of someone to be close to them, you will become 

promoters of a new way of looking at human life. 

100. In this great endeavour to create a new culture of 

life we are inspired and sustained by the confidence 

that comes from knowing that the Gospel of life, like 

the Kingdom of God itself, is growing and producing 

abundant fruit (cf. Mark 4:26–29). There is certainly an 

enormous disparity between the powerful resources 

available to the forces promoting the “culture of death” 

and the means at the disposal of those working for a 

“culture of life and love.” But we know that we can rely 

on the help of God, for whom nothing is impossible (cf. 

Matt. 19:26). 

Filled with this certainty, and moved by profound 

concern for the destiny of every man and woman, I repeat 

what I said to those families who carry out their 

challenging mission amid so many difficulties: a great 

prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will 

rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives 

and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to 

God, the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian 

community, from every group and association, from every 

family and from the heart of every believer. Jesus 

himself has shown us by his own example that prayer 

and fasting are the first and most effective weapons 

against the forces of evil (cf. Matt. 4:1–11). As he taught 

his disciples, some demons cannot be driven out except 

in this way (cf. Mark 9:29). Let us therefore discover 

anew the humility and the courage to pray and 

fast so that power from on high will break down the 

walls of lies and deceit: the walls which conceal from 

the sight of so many of our brothers and sisters the evil 

of practices and laws which are hostile to life. May this 

same power turn their hearts to resolutions and goals 

inspired by the civilization of life and love. 



Part 2 

Directions: After you have read the excerpt from Evangelium Vitae about the solution for creating a culture 

of life, complete the graphic organizer. 

Problem 

What does Pope St. John Paul II suggest is the problem that marks our current 

social context? 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Solution 

What does he suggest is the solution? 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Culture of Life 

What are three characteristics of a new culture of life? How is this culture of life 

connected to the Church’s mission? 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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71 

Steps to Develop a Culture of Life 

The renewal of a culture 

of life within Christian 

communities 

Why is there a need for this renewal, and how does the pope suggest the 

need should be addressed? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Formation of consciences 

to recognize the 

connection between 

life and freedom, and 

freedom and truth 

What are some of the links between life and freedom and between freedom 

and truth? What does it mean to form a conscience? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Education in sexuality, 

love, and chastity 

What does an authentic education in sexuality and love communicate 

about the value of life? What is fostered by a training in chastity? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Training married 

couples in responsible 

procreation 

What is responsible procreation? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



Steps to Develop a Culture of Life 

Consideration of 

suffering and death 

What is the purpose of World Day of the Sick? Suffering and death take 

on new meaning when closely associated with what? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Those with Important Roles (Identify and list those whom the pope suggests have 

important roles in the left column and describe their roles in the right column) 

______________________________________________ 

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______________________________________________ 

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______________________________________________ 

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________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

The formation of a culture of life is sustained by confidence in the Gospel 

Confidence in the 

Gospel of Life 

What are the first and most effective weapons against the forces of evil? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


Chapter 7 

The Sixth 

Commandment


Song Reflection: Unity and Complementarity 

Part I 

Directions: In the space below, use lines, colors, shapes, and textures to make the invisible song appear visible. 

Part II 

Directions: In your group, discuss the following questions about the song. 

1 How many instruments were playing this piece? What instruments were they? 

2 How are those instruments different? 

3 How are those instruments similar? 

4 How did they complement each other? (Hint: think of complementary angles.) 

5 How were these instruments united in this piece? 


Unit 2, Chapter 7: The Sixth Commandment 

75 

Part III 

Directions: 

In your group, read Genesis 2:15–24 aloud. Then answer the following questions on your own paper. 

6 What did God identify as being “not good?” 

7 What two words did God use in verse 18 to describe what/whom the man needed? 

8 Why were the animals not suitable partners for the man? What were the animals made out of? 

9 When the man sees the woman, he cries out, “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh!” What is Adam 

recognizing in her that he does not see in the animals? 

10 Based on this passage, what makes woman a suitable partner for man? 

11 In this passage, we see that the woman was taken from the man. What does it then mean at the end 

when it says that they become “one flesh”? 

12 What could we learn about the relationship between man and woman from this scene? 



Scriptural Reflections on the 

Sixth Commandment 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Look up the following Scripture passages in the Bible and find and record a sentence or two 

taken from the chapter 7 text that reflects or complements the meaning of the passage. Make 

sure to cite the page number of the text from which the sentence appears. 

1 Proverbs 6:32 

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2 Matthew 5:27–28 

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3 Romans 7:2–3 

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4 Mark 10:11–12 

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77 

5 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 

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6 1 Thessalonians 4:3–5 

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7 Mark 7:20–23 

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8 1 Corinthians 6:15–16 

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78 

Paolo and Francesco da Rimini by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1855)


79 

Paolo and Francesco da Rimini 

by Dante Gabriel Rossetti 



Background Information about Dante’s Inferno: This painting is of Paolo and Francesca da Rimini, two characters 

from Dante’s Inferno. In the Inferno, Dante is escorted by Virgil through the many circles of Hell and encounters 

many damned souls — in the end, to elucidate his own soul and to turn him fully toward his eternal end in Heaven. 

In the second circle, reserved for the lustful, he sees Paolo and Francesca, forever entwined in their lovers embrace, 

damned for the sin of adultery. Francesca blames the story of Lancelot and Guinevere for inciting them to 

their sin. As with other souls in other circles, their punishment is meant to fit their crime, and they are tossed and 

whirled in ceaseless winds, just as in life they were tossed in their selfish passion. 

1 What is happening in the first panel? Does it seem the couple is overcome by passion? What details tell 

us so? 

2 Describe the third panel. Is it peaceful? Mournful? What has become of the couple’s love? Why are they 

floating? 

3 Describe the expressions on the faces of Virgil and Dante in the second panel. Why does Dante cover 

his face? 

4 Each panel is inscribed with a passage from Dante’s text in Latin: Top center: “O Lasso!” Bottom Left: 

“Quanti dolci pensier Quanto disio” and Bottom Right: “Meno costoro al doloroso passo!” In English, 

these lines read: “Alas, how many gentle thoughts, how deep a longing had led them to the agonizing 

pass!” What do you think this passage means? 

5 How does Rossetti’s depiction of the meeting of Dante and Virgil and the souls of Paolo and Francesco 

relate to the Sixth Commandment? 

6 Is it fair for the couple to place blame upon anyone else for their fate? Why or why not? 

7 What is the remedy for lust? 



The Gift of Sexuality 

______/ 5 pts. 

Directions: Look up the given Catechism paragraphs to answers the question(s). 

Catechism 

Paragraph Question Answer 

2331 How did God make us? 

What implications about our 

vocations follow from those 

facts? 

2332 What aspects of our lives does 

our sexuality touch? 

2333 Why should we all accept our 

sexual identity? 

2334 How did God make us equal? 

2335 How are male and female 

different? 

2336 How did Jesus come to restore 

purity? 



81 

Humanae Vitae 

______/ 10 pts. 

Part 1: Background Essay on Humanae Vitae 

Directions: Read the background essay and discuss the questions. 

In 1968, Pope St. Paul VI surprised the world with 

his encyclical letter Humanae Vitae (meaning, “On 

Human Life”), when he reiterated the historical and 

constant teaching of the Catholic Church against the 

use of contraception. 

The Sexual Revolution 

The 1960s were a time of great cultural change 

around the world, commonly referred to as the “Sexual 

Revolution,” when music, movies, television, and other 

mass media promoted a markedly liberal attitude 

toward sexual behavior outside the bounds of marriage. 

Many saw contraception as a responsible way to 

space the birth of children. And so many people, even 

Catholics, wondered if the Catholic Church, like other 

Christian denominations, would relax her prohibition 

against contraception. 

In our time, the Catholic Church is unique in her opposition 

to contraception. It may be surprising to learn 

that up until 1930, all Christian denominations were 

unanimously opposed to any use of contraception for 

birth control! Beginning in 1930, when the Lambeth 

Conference of Anglican bishops opened up the moral 

legitimacy of contraception in limited cases for married 

couples, nearly all Christian denominations have gone 

on to accept some legitimate use of contraception, with 

the exception of the Catholic Church. 

Will the Catholic Church also eventually change 

her teaching? The answer is no. In truth, the Catholic 

Church will never change her moral teaching regarding 

contraception because the teaching is based in 

the natural law, which is universal (applying to all 

people) and immutable (unchanging over the course 

of time). 

What Is Natural Law? 

Pope St. Paul VI 

The natural law refers to God’s design, imprinted upon the 

nature of things, including human nature, and discovered 

by human intellect. Natural law is not a law revealed by 

God through Holy Scripture (what is called Divine Law). 

Nor is natural law something promulgated by the Catholic 

Church (what is called ecclesial law). Rather, the natural 

law is inherent in the nature of creation and the purposes 

of things, which can be known to reason. For example, 

we observe that humankind is social; naturally, we live in 

community for survival and for better quality of life. Parents 

raise children, and families join together to form towns and 

cities. Thus, murdering an innocent person would violate 

human nature, which is the same as saying, murdering an 

innocent person would violate the natural law. 

A Thing’s Purpose is Part of its Nature 

The natural law is inherent in the purposes of things. 

For example, we observe the purposes of different systems 

of the human body: the circulatory system for the 

circulation of blood, the digestive system for digestion, 



and the reproductive system for reproduction. In other 

words, something’s purpose is part of its nature. 

Unlike any other part of the human body, the reproductive 

system is incomplete and cannot fulfill its purpose 

without a complementary system of the other sex, male or 

female. By reflecting on natural law, we can reason that 

the purpose of the sexual act is for a man and a woman, 

in the context of marriage, to be joined together for their 

union of love and the procreation of new life. These purposes 

are not made up by human beings but are inherent 

to the design of God. To oppose this purpose is to violate 

the Creator’s design, the nature of humankind, the nature 

of the conjugal act, and the natural law. 

Sex Has Meaning and Purpose 

The conjugal act is not merely a reproductive process but, 

by natural law, has a unitive (uniting) aspect as well. The 

marital embrace joins a man and woman together in a 

way that is both an expression of their love and is appropriate 

to the upbringing of children. Conjugal love says, “I 

love you so much that I desire to have children with you. I 

love you so much that I promise to spend my life with you 

within a stable relationship that welcomes children, contributed 

to by both motherhood and fatherhood from the 

beginning and through development.” The natural law of 

conjugal love is that sexual intercourse is ordered in itself 

toward the unity of the spouses that leads to conceiving 

and raising children. Responsible parenthood requires the 

stability of marriage. For this reason, the conjugal act is 

rightly referred to as the marital act. 

The term “marital act” speaks of a profound reality 

that our world forgets or ignores: that sexual intercourse 

is inherently connected to marriage and family. The recent 

widespread use of contraception and the media’s 

worldwide influence suggests that sex is about personal 

gratification and casual intimate encounters. But this is 

simply a denial of reality. The sexual act is sacred and 

always brings with it the possibility of new life. 

Denying Human Nature 

Since human nature is unchanging, the moral standards 

of the natural law bind all humanity across all time. 

Nothing in 1930 actually changed, suddenly making the 

use of contraception morally acceptable. Instead, people 

forged a new route to what they thought would bring 

them happiness. This break was not without far-reaching 

consequences. Natural law is inherent to humanity 

and not the product of our invention or choice. Pope St. 

Paul VI’s encyclical letter Humanae Vitae reminds the 

world of this perennial truth. 

The heart of Humanae Vitae and the essential doctrine 

pertaining to artificial birth control is in paragraph 11: 

“Nonetheless the Church, calling men back to the observance 

of the norms of the natural law, as interpreted by its 

constant doctrine, teaches that each and every marriage 

act must remain open to the transmission of life.” Humanae 

Vitae helps us understand that humankind images God 

as man and woman, that together through marriage they 

are meant to become one flesh, be fruitful and multiply. 

Therefore, artificial contraception is antithetical to natural 

law, as it strips sexuality of its right order, reduces the reproductive 

act to a base function of pleasure, undermines 

the virtue of temperance, and denies that bearing children 

is a fulfillment of marital union and a gift from God. Pope 

St. Paul VI not only explains why the use of contraception 

is immoral but goes on to prophecy the consequences of 

its widespread use. Can you envision with him the ramifications 

of going against God’s plan for life? 

1 What is natural law? 

2 Does the marital act only produce offspring, or does it bring about something more? 

3 How does the marital act make a man and woman “one flesh”? 

4 What has contributed to the idea that the reproductive act or sex is separate from having children? 



83 

Part 2: Consequences 

Directions: Predict four consequences of the widespread use of artificial contraception. 

Consequences of the Widespread Use of Artificial Contraception 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Part 3: Pope St. Paul VI’s Prophesies 



Directions: Blessed Pope Paul VI foresaw four dire consequences of the widespread use of artificial 

contraception, which he explains in paragraph 17 of Humanae Vitae. Read the following excerpt 

and identify the consequences in the space below. 

Responsible men can become more deeply convinced 

of the truth of the doctrine laid down by the Church on 

this issue if they reflect on the consequences of methods 

and plans for artificial birth control. Let them first 

consider how easily this course of action could open 

wide the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering 

of moral standards. Not much experience is needed 

to be fully aware of human weakness and to understand 

that human beings — and especially the young, 

who are so exposed to temptation — need incentives 

to keep the moral law, and it is an evil thing to make 

it easy for them to break that law. Another effect that 

gives cause for alarm is that a man who grows accustomed 

to the use of contraceptive methods may forget 

the reverence due to a woman, and, disregarding her 

physical and emotional equilibrium, reduce her to being 

a mere instrument for the satisfaction of his own 

desires, no longer considering her as his partner whom 

he should surround with care and affection. 

Finally, careful consideration should be given to the danger 

of this power passing into the hands of those public 

authorities who care little for the precepts of the moral 

law. Who will blame a government which, in its attempt 

to resolve the problems affecting an entire country, resorts 

to the same measures as are regarded as lawful 

by married people in the solution of a particular family 

difficulty? Who will prevent public authorities from favoring 

those contraceptive methods which they consider 

more effective? Should they regard this as necessary, 

they may even impose their use on everyone. It could 

The Rest on the Flight into Egypt 

by Giovanni Odazzi (ca. 1720–ca. 1730). 

well happen, therefore, that when people, either individually, 

or in family, or social life, experience the inherent 

difficulties of the divine law and are determined to avoid 

them, they may give into the hands of public authorities 

the power to intervene in the most personal and intimate 

responsibility of husband and wife. 

1 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 



85 

Chastity 

______/ 5 pts. 

Directions: Follow along with the readings from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. After discussing 

each reference, write a summary sentence in your own words. 

CCC 2337 

Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily 

and spiritual being. Sexuality, in which man’s belonging to the bodily and biological world is expressed, becomes 

personal and truly human when it is integrated into the relationship of one person to another, in the complete and 

lifelong mutual gift of a man and a woman. 

The virtue of chastity therefore involves the integrity of the person and the integrality of the gift. 

Summary: 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

CCC 2338 

The chaste person maintains the integrity [wholeness] of the powers of life and love placed in him. This integrity ensures the 

unity of the person; it is opposed to any behavior that would impair it. It tolerates neither a double life nor duplicity in speech. 

Summary: 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

CCC 2339 

Chastity includes an apprenticeship in self-mastery which is a training in human freedom. The alternative is clear: 

either man governs his passions and finds peace, or he lets himself be dominated by them and becomes unhappy. 

“Man’s dignity therefore requires him to act out of conscious and free choice, as moved and drawn in a personal 

way from within, and not by blind impulses in himself or by mere external constraint. Man gains such dignity when, 

ridding himself of all slavery to the passions, he presses forward to his goal by freely choosing what is good and, 

by his diligence and skill, effectively secures for himself the means suited to this end.” 

Summary: 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



CCC 2340 

Whoever wants to remain faithful to his baptismal promises and resist temptations will want to adopt the means for 

doing so: self-knowledge, practice of an ascesis adapted to the situations that confront him, obedience to God’s 

commandments, exercise of the moral virtues, and fidelity to prayer. “Indeed it is through chastity that we are 

gathered together and led back to the unity from which we were fragmented into multiplicity.” 

Summary: 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

CCC 2345 

Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace, a fruit of spiritual effort. The Holy Spirit enables one 

whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ. 

Summary: 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Reflect 

Given what you have learned in this lesson (and in other lessons), how would you explain 

what a true education in chastity means? 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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87 

Offenses against the Sixth Commandment ______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read the following descriptions of offenses against chastity and married love. Then describe 

in your own words how each is an offense against chastity and married love. Use the unitive 

and procreative purposes of marriage (and their corresponding goods of married love) as the 

starting point of your argument. 

Adultery 

Adultery is the unfaithfulness of at least one spouse in 

a marriage. Adultery occurs whenever two partners, of 

whom at least one is married to another person, have 

sexual relations. Jesus directly condemns adultery in 

Scripture. A person who commits adultery fails in his 

commitment to his spouse and withholds something 

of his love and gift of self from his spouse for another 

person. Adultery also typically is opposed to the generation 

of children and upsets the family setting, on 

which the welfare of children depends. 

Unitive (Free, Faithful, Total Self-Giving Love): 

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Procreative (Fruitful Love): 

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Premarital sex 

Premarital sex, or fornication, is sexual relations between 

an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. 

Premarital sex speaks the “language” of married love 

without the commitment of marriage. Therefore, fornication 

falls short of the intended purpose of marital love 

and harms human dignity. Regardless of how much the 

partners might profess their love for one another, premarital 

sex is always selfish and self-serving because 

of the lack of the commitment to total self-giving, including 

one’s fertility. Thus, those engaging in premarital 

sex typically do not desire children, and so premarital 

sex is closed to the fruitfulness of sexual love. 


____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 


____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 



Masturbation 

Masturbation is the deliberate stimulation of one’s 

own genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. 

Masturbation is gravely disordered because it removes 

the sexual act from the context of a relationship with 

another person. Therefore, it is fundamentally self-serving 

and solely pursues one’s own selfish pleasure. 

Masturbation is entirely removed from the purposes and 

goods of marital love to be a gift of self to another and 

for the procreation of children. It is important to note that 

masturbation is highly addictive. This fact, combined 

with other psychological and maturity-related factors, 

may reduce one’s moral responsibility for the action. 


____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 


____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Pornography 

Pornography refers to any material (print, video, or 

written) that portrays sexual acts for third parties for 

the purpose of sexual arousal. Pornography removes 

the sexual act from the intimacy of a personal relationship 

and perverts it. Therefore, pornography is an 

offense against chastity and marital love because it 

removes any opportunity for self-giving love and replaces 

it with the selfish pursuit of pleasure. All involved 

in pornography — the actors, distributors, and 

the public — are reduced to objects of pleasure and 

profit. The actors in pornographic material are no longer 

seen as human persons and are made into objects 

of pleasure. Pope St. John Paul II explained, “There 

is no dignity when the human dimension is eliminated 

from the person. In short, the problem with pornography 

is not that it shows too much of the person, but 

that it shows far too little.” This objectification gravely 

harms the dignity of those persons. Often the actors 

are subjected to physical and sexual violence. Those 

who create, distribute, and sell pornography are guilty 

of profiting from the objectification of others and of encouraging 

others to sin. Those who purchase or view 

pornography create a false fantasy world that distorts 

the goods of sexuality and marital love and reduces 

sex to a mere instrument of sexual pleasure. Further, 

viewing pornography often leads to other sexual sins, 

such as masturbation, and can become addictive. All 

aspects of pornography are gravely sinful. 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



89 

Homosexual Activity 

God made each of us male or female in His image and 

likeness. Scripture tells us that everything God makes is 

good, including our bodies. Christians have believed this 

essential truth from the very beginning. Throughout the 

centuries, and even today, there are some who have believed 

that our mind and spirit, and thoughts and feelings, 

were more important than our bodies. They concluded 

that if we think or feel a certain way, we should be able to 

force our bodies to match our desire. This point of view is 

contrary to God’s design of the human person. 

Homosexual activity refers to sexual relations between 

two persons of the same sex. For many of the 

same reasons extramarital sexual activity is an offense 

against chastity and married love, homosexual activity 

is also gravely disordered. Sexual relations between 

two persons of the same sex are always closed to the 

possibility of generation of children. Further, homosexual 

acts do not originate from the complementarity of 

the male and female bodies and sexuality. Therefore, 

homosexual acts can never be full expressions of the 

total self-giving love found in marriage. 

A proper understanding of homosexuality is particularly 

challenging to accept in our current cultural climate. 

Popular opinion fueled by emotion rather than reason, 

general misunderstanding, and recent legal decisions 

have all led to a certain acceptance of homosexuality 

as a new norm. Persons who experience homosexual 

attraction are called to chastity just as those who 

experience heterosexual attraction are. And just as 

heterosexual attractions can pose certain challenges 

at various stages in life, homosexual attraction can 

present a burden to those who experience it. This 

does not, however, change the truths about sexual 

love and the call to chastity of every person. Those 

who experience homosexual attraction must be lovingly 

accepted as persons created in God’s image 

with the same dignity as any other person. Through 

prayer, friendship, and sacramental grace, those who 

experience homosexual attraction are called to uphold 

the same standard of love and chastity in their 

particular state in life as all Christians are. 


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________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



Transgenderism 

Transgenderism is a broad way of describing persons 

who struggle with a confused sense of sexual identity. 

Although a tiny minority of people are born with chromosomal 

abnormalities, we are all either male or female 

in our DNA. This includes those born male or female 

who, for some unknown physiological or psychological 

reason, believe they are experiencing their identity as a 

person of the opposite sex. This belief can result in severe 

psychological confusion and pain for the person, 

as well as for the person’s family and friends. 

Recall that sexuality refers not only to our physical, 

psychological, and emotional characteristics as male 

and female but also to our attitudes and our need for 

love and friendship. And our bodies are not just empty 

shells that house our souls, as some believe, but 

are God-given temples of the Holy Spirit that are an 

essential part of human nature. Because of this, it is 

impossible to redefine sexual identity and gender as 

we see fit. To attempt to do so is to disregard entirely 

the order of love that God calls us to image. There 

can be no complementarity of the sexes or self-giving 

love made visible through our bodies if there is no true 

masculinity or femininity. 

Those who experience confusion about their gender 

identity are no less made in God’s image and no less 

deserving of being treated with the same dignity of person 

as anyone else. As Christians, we must pray for 

peace in their unique struggles and support them with 

Christian charity, all the while upholding the truth of 

God’s plan for life and love. 


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Chapter 8 

The Seventh 

Commandment


Seventh Commandment 

Examination of Conscience 

______/ 5 pts. 

Directions: Read the information and then reflect on the statements that follow. 

As we look at how to follow the Seventh Commandment, we should be aware of all the ways stealing can occur 

so we can avoid committing it and live more virtuously. The purpose of this exercise is not to make you feel guilty 

or scrupulous. We are all sinners, and we are all meant for sainthood! Only by analyzing our own lives and finding 

our overlooked sins can we accomplish what God wants for us — to be “holy, without blemish, and irreproachable 

before him” (Col. 1:22). 

Read the following statements and consider which apply to you. This should be a private, quiet examination of your 

conscience — a reflection between you and God. When you have finished, consider saying an Act of Contrition so 

you may better strive to live the life God wants for you. Finally, answer the reflection questions that follow. 

Quiet Examination 

■ Have I taken something that was not mine? 

■ Have I failed to return anything I may have stolen 

in the past? 

■ Have I cheated someone out of something that 

was rightfully theirs? 

■ Have I purchased more food than I can eat? 

■ Have I wasted or thrown away food? 

■ Have I let social pressures convince me to buy 

extravagantly expensive clothes, shoes, or 

accessories? 

■ Do I hold onto shoes, warm coats, and other 

clothing that I never wear? 

■ Have I intentionally procrastinated beginning 

homework or schoolwork? 

■ Have I intentionally wasted my own time? Another 

person’s time? 

■ Have I intentionally not done my best on work? 

■ Have I knowingly purchased products from 

companies that pay unjust wages to their 

employees, with indifference to the livelihoods of 

their employees? 

■ Have I knowingly refused to support businesses 

because I disagree with the political views of their 

owners, with indifference to the livelihoods of their 

employees? 

■ Have I failed to treat service personnel (restaurant 

servers, busboys, housekeepers, doormen, 

custodians, and so forth) with dignity and respect? 

■ Have I failed to provide a fair tip to service 

workers? 

■ Have I not given to the poor as my means allow? 

■ Have I not given my time and talents to the Church 

as my means allow? 

Quietly meditate on your observations. If you feel called to do so, say an act of contrition or silently pray, 

asking God to help you better recognize the sin in your own life. 


Unit 2, Chapter 8: The Seventh Commandment 

93 

Reflect 1 You walk by a homeless woman who is asking for money. You can tell she is 

intoxicated and are afraid that if you give to her, she will only spend the money 

on more alcohol. How can you help? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 You notice you and your friends have more winter coats than you need. What 

can you do? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 You are working at your summer job, but your friend keeps texting you funny 

videos to watch. What should you do? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 You notice your family throws away a large amount of food each week. How can 

you help your family make better choices about the waste? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 Some friends hear you are going to a certain restaurant for dinner. They tell you 

you should boycott that restaurant because the owner of the chain has political 

views different from theirs. What should you do? 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



A Catholic Business 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Imagine you are the founder and CEO of a large clothing company that aims to observe 

Catholic Social Teaching. Your task is to create a company mission statement — a formal 

summary of the goals and values of your company — that is built upon the three fundamental 

truths of CST. These three fundamental truths are: humans are social creatures; we are made 

in the image of God; and we are made for eternal beatitude. 

First, consider how your company will enact policies that lead you to virtue, promote the dignity 

of your workers, and fulfill the pro-life, pro-family views of the Church by answering the questions 

below. Use the chapter text as a reference. Finally, write a mission statement for your company. 

1 The Seventh Commandment forbids business fraud, tax evasion, paying unjust wages, and price fixing. 

How will your company avoid these? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 The Seventh Commandment forbids stealing from your employer and includes prohibitions against 

work poorly done, exaggerating hours worked, and wastefulness. How will you encourage all of your 

employees to avoid breaking the Seventh Commandment in these ways? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 Human beings are made for communion — for family and friendship with God and neighbor. How will 

your company ensure your workers live in community and have time to practice their Faith? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 How will you respect the idea that work should be personal and meaningful? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



95 

5 How will you define a just wage? How will you determine how much value an employee brings to the 

company? Will you use “pay-scales” so all people doing the work for the same length of time are paid the 

same, or will you pay people according to their contributions to the company and their unique situations? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

6 How can you ensure that, if your company goes global, you respect the dignity of your overseas 

employees? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

7 How will you ensure your company promotes the common good? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Company Mission Statement 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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The USCCB and Economic Life 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read Matthew 25:31–46. Then consider the 1996 statement by the United States Conference 

of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) outlining the Church’s teachings on economic life as part of its 

Economic Justice for All initiative. It is available at SophiaOnline.org/EconomicJusticeforAll. 

After you have read it, discuss the following questions. 

1 What is the important distinction between a situation in which the economy exists for the person and one in 

which the person exists for the economy? Describe what each means and explain how they are different. 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 We judge economic choices and institutions based on how they protect or undermine the life and dignity 

of the human person, support the family, and serve the common good. Explain an economic choice that 

protects these principles, and one which undermines them. 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 How do the poor and vulnerable fare in your community? In your state? What programs help the poor 

and vulnerable, and how could we do better without relying on laws/government to solve the problem? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 How would you define the basic necessities of life that must be paid for? Is an employer stealing from 

his employee if he or she does not pay enough to secure these necessities? Should they raise wages if 

it would necessitate laying some people off, or hiring fewer people in the future? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



97 

5 How can employers maintain safe working environments for their employees? Give an example. 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

6 As of 2019, businesses are not legally required to provide paid vacation time, paid sick time, or paid 

family leave, though many businesses offer these benefits. Do you think Catholic businesses should 

offer these benefits? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

7 Why is work a human right? Does this mean you have the “right” to a job anywhere you want? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

8 All of us have the right to provide for our families. How is this right affected by unjust wages, burdensome 

requirements that make it hard to start businesses, unsafe working conditions, or lack of benefits? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

9 Where is the balance between the role of the government and the roles of businesses to provide justice for 

employees? How much, if any, influence should the government have on business? Explain your reasoning. 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 


Chapter 9 

The Eighth 

through Tenth 

Commandments

Unit 2, Chapter 9: The Eighth through Tenth Commandments 

99 

The Fall of Man Discussion Questions 

Directions: Read Genesis 3 in your Bible. Consider your reading and the projected image of the painting 

The Fall of Man by Michelangelo Buonarroti as you discuss the following questions. 

1 What are the two scenes depicted in this painting? 

2 On the left side of the painting, what are Adam and Eve doing to the Serpent? 

3 On the right side of the painting, what are Adam and Eve doing to the angel? How is this a reversal of 

their body language toward the Serpent? 

4 What did the Serpent use to inspire envy and covetousness in Adam and Eve? 

5 Read Deuteronomy 5:20–21. Which Commandment is violated when the Serpent tempted Adam and 

Eve? 

6 When God catches Adam and Eve, how do they violate the Eighth Commandment? 

7 This painting is located in the Sistine Chapel, where the college of cardinals elects the pope. Why is the 

location of this painting significant? What reminder does it present to the cardinals and new pope? 



Identifying Violations of the Eighth, 

Ninth, and Tenth Commandments 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Review the chapter 9 text and identify the different ways in which the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth 

Commandments can be violated. Then use your understanding to complete the chart below. 

In the appropriate columns, identify which Commandment has been violated, explain how the 

Commandment has been violated, and describe the proper and virtuous act that should be 

done instead. The violation of the Commandment has been provided for you. 

Identify the 

Violated 

What does the Violation Mean? 

The Proper and 

Violation 

Commandment 

Virtuous Act 

Lying 

Immodesty 

Dishonoring Another 

Calumny 

Detraction 

Greed 

Coveting Another’s 

Spouse 



101 

Identify the 

Violated 

What does the Violation Mean? 

The Proper and 

Violation 

Commandment 

Virtuous Act 

Dissimulation 

Rash Judgment 

Envy 

Reflect 

There are many ways in which we are tempted to violate the Commandments in what 

might seem like everyday occurrences. Which violations do you think are especially 

tempting to people today and why? 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



Bearing Witness to the Truth 

Directions: Journal about a time in your life when you were tempted to tell a lie but instead told the truth. 

What happened? Are you glad you told the truth? 

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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103 

Reflect 

Bearing witness to the truth also means bearing witness to Christ in our lives! Can you 

think of a way you can bear witness to Christ to your family, friends, or community? 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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The Final Commandments in Scripture 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read 2 Samuel 11:1–12:25 and answer the following questions. 

1 In 2 Samuel 11:1–5, which two Commandments does David violate? How does he break them? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 What does David attempt to conceal in 2 Samuel 11:6–13, and how does he attempt to do this? Which 

Commandment is he violating through his actions? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 Uriah is a Hittite, which means he is a gentile and a foreigner. From how he is presented, how would you 

assess his character? How does he compare with David in these chapters? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 In 2 Samuel 12:1–7, the Prophet Nathan tells David a parable, which is in truth a veiled assessment of 

David’s crime. Explain how the parable illustrates the sin of covetousness and how Samuel uses it to 

critique David. 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 Nathan reprimands David in 2 Samuel 12:7–12. What is the pronouncement against the king? How do 

these threats offer to repay David “in kind” for his sins? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

6 Describe how David comes to realize the depth of his sin and repents in 2 Samuel 12:13–25. 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



105 

Directions: Read Matthew 20:1–16a and answer the following questions. 

1 What payment do the laborers at dawn agree on before they are sent to the vineyard? What does the 

landowner tell the laborers he will give them if they start at nine? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 What does the landowner ask the ones standing around at five o’clock, and how do they answer? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 After receiving payment for their day’s work, why do the first laborers grumble against the landowner? 

What does the landowner say to the first laborers in reply? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 Are the laborers justified in their reaction, or are they violating the Tenth Commandment? Explain. 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Reflect 

Both David and the laborers in the vineyard violate the Commandments. Describe how 

their sins originate in their hearts. What attitudes can we cultivate in our hearts to prevent 

us from sinning against the Commandments? 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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Chapter 10 

The Two Great 

Commandments 

and the Sermon 

on the Mount

Unit 3, Chapter 10: The Two Great Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount 

107 

What Leads to Real Happiness 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Reflect on the messages you receive from commercial media regarding the path to happiness 

by thoughtfully answering the questions below. 

1 What are two movies you have watched recently? 

a 

b 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

2 What do these movies say about what is important, what is valuable or desirable, or what brings 

happiness? Be as detailed as possible, but you may have to think outside the box. These movies 

probably do not have characters obviously talking about what is good or what brings happiness, but they 

most likely depict events, accomplishments, and interactions in a positive or a negative light. What are 

these movies highlighting as good? What are they suggesting is important or valuable? In other words, 

what do these movies imply brings happiness? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 What are two songs you have listened to recently? 

a 

b 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

4 What do these songs suggest is important, valuable, or desirable? What do they imply brings 

happiness? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 


108 


5 What are two TV shows you have watched recently? 

a 

b 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

6 What do these shows suggest is important, valuable, or desirable? What do they imply brings happiness? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

7 What is a book you have read that sticks out in your memory? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

8 What does this book suggest is important, valuable, or desirable? What does it imply brings happiness? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

9 As you look back at the list of things that these various media sources describe as important to 

happiness, what are some common themes you can identify? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

10 As you look back at this list, are there any elements that conflict? Are there things that are contradictory 

or mutually exclusive? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



109 

11 Again, considering what you have listed from the various media sources as things leading to happiness, 

do you know people or know of people who have these things? Are they happy? How do you know? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

12 Compare this list with your experience. Have the things you listed made you happy? If so, what kind of 

happiness did they bring? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

13 Given your analysis, which of the elements highlighted in the sources above seem to be most likely to 

bring real happiness? Why do you think so? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

14 Which seem least likely to bring real happiness? Why do you think so? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 


110 


Analyzing Happiness 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read about the criteria for analyzing whether something leads to happiness. Then, answer the 

questions. 

Fr. Robert Spitzer, a well-known Catholic apologist, 

analyzes happiness by using three categories. In 

order to decide how well something leads to happiness, 

he invites us to ask how deep, enduring, and pervasive 

the experience of happiness was. 

■ Whether the experience was deep refers to how 

much we are engaged in the activity. In other words, 

how much of our self is involved in this happiness? 

How much of our creativity or intellect or skill was 

engaged? For example, the happiness that comes 

from solving a difficult math problem is likely deeper 

than the happiness you experience when someone 

hands you a piece of candy because you were more 

engaged in the math problem. 

■ Whether the experience was enduring refers to 

how long the happiness lasts. Again, eating that 

piece of candy may make you happy for a moment, 

whereas helping a friend may make you feel happy 

for several days. 

■ Whether the experience was pervasive refers to 

how far the effects extend beyond the self. Again, 

eating that piece of candy likely only made you 

happy, while volunteering at a soup kitchen might 

make you feel happy but may also affect the guests 

you serve and the other volunteers you work with, 

and even your parents or other friends might share 

in that happiness. 

Rate the following examples on a scale of 1–5 for how deep, enduring, and pervasive the happiness they bring 

is, with 1 being the most and 5 being the least. 

1 Finding a $100 bill on the ground. 

Very 

Minimally 

How deep? 1 2 3 4 5 

How enduring? 1 2 3 4 5 

How pervasive? 1 2 3 4 5 

2 Sharing the $100 you found to take your friends out to dinner. 

Very 

Minimally 

How deep? 1 2 3 4 5 





111 

3 Making a new friend. 

Very 

Minimally 

How deep? 1 2 3 4 5 



4 Being perceived as attractive or popular. 

Very 

Minimally 

How deep? 1 2 3 4 5 



5 Describe an experience that sticks out in your memory as a time where you felt happy and analyze the 

happiness it led to: 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Very 

Minimally 

How deep? 1 2 3 4 5 



6 Describe another experience that sticks out in your memory as a time where you felt happy and analyze 

the happiness it led to: 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Very 

Minimally 

How deep? 1 2 3 4 5 





7 Describe a time when you would say you were loving God or loving your neighbor as yourself and 

analyze the happiness it led to: 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Very 

Minimally 

How deep? 1 2 3 4 5 



8 Describe another example of a time when you would say you were loving God or loving your neighbor as 

yourself and analyze the happiness it led to: 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Very 

Minimally 

How deep? 1 2 3 4 5 





113 

Reflect 

The First Greatest Commandment: 

You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your 

mind. —Matthew 22:37 

The Second Greatest Commandment: 

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. —Matthew 22:39 

Think about your own experiences and what you have witnessed in the lives of others. 

What has led to the most deep, enduring, and pervasive happiness you have experienced 

or seen in others? What connection can you draw between this happiness and how following 

the two Great Commandments leads to fulfillment and the most authentic happiness? 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


114 

Sermon on the Mount by Karoly Ferenczy (1896)


115 

Sermon on the Mount by Karoly Ferenczy 



1 The name of this painting is “Sermon on the Mount.” Would you have guessed the subject without being 

told the title? How so? If not, why? 

2 What does Jesus preach in His Sermon on the Mount? 

3 Describe this painting. What kind of scene does it capture? 

4 What message do you think this artist is trying to communicate in picking a contemporary setting rather 

than placing Jesus in His own time? 

5 What point of view do we get of Jesus? Why do you think this perspective might be used? 

6 Describe the expressions of the people gathered around Jesus. 

7 What is interesting or unique about the figures around Jesus? Who sits to Jesus’ right? Why do you think 

so? 



Who are the Blessed? 

______/ 10 pts. 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” 

– Matthew 5:3 

Who are the “poor in spirit”? 

James 2:5 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 Corinthians 6:10 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How is Jesus “poor”? 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Three Kinds of Poverty 

1 ______________________________________________________ 

Luke 2:7 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Luke 2:22–24 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Leviticus 12:8 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



117 

2 ____________________________________________ 

Matthew 10:37 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Matthew 12:46–50 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Luke 23:44–49 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Four Evangelists by Jacob Jordaens (ca. 1630). 

3 ____________________________________________ 

John 18:33–37 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Philippians 2:6–7 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



What does this beatitude call us to do? 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Summary Statement 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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119 

_ 

______/ 10 pts. 

“Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.” – Matthew 5:4 

Who are those who “mourn” or weep? 

Romans 8:19–23 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Romans 12:15 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Psalm 137:1–4 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Psalm 42:3, 10 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How does Jesus “mourn” or weep? 

Hebrews 12:2 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

John 11:32–35 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 




Hebrews 12:1–3 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1 Peter 4:12–14 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Psalm 71:23 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

The Raising of Lazarus by Duccio di Buoninsegna (ca. 1311). 

1 Peter 3:15 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



121 

_ 

______/ 10 pts. 

“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.” – Matthew 5:5 

Who are the “meek”? 

Mark 9:35 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Proverbs 15:1 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Proverbs 15:4 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Sirach 6:5 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How is Jesus “meek”? 

Matthew 11:29 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

John 13:1–17 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



1 Peter 2:23 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


1 Peter 3:15 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Matthew 16:24 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Galatians 5:22–26 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1 Colossians 3:12 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



123 


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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Capture of Christ by Fra Angelico (ca. 1440). 



_ 

______/ 10 pts. 

“Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, 

for they will be satisfied.” – Matthew 5:6 

Who are the “hungry and thirsty”? 

Luke 1:53 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Luke 6:25 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Luke 12:34 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How does Jesus “satisfy”? 

John 6:35, 53–58 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

John 4:13–15 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1 Peter 2:21 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



125 

The Last Supper by Juan de Juanes (16th century). 



________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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_ 

______/ 10 pts. 

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” – Matthew 5:7 

Who are the “merciful”? 


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Ezekiel 33:11 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Luke 15:11–32 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

The Return of the Prodigal Son by Rembrandt (ca. 1668). 

How is Jesus “merciful”? 

John 8:1–11 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Mark 2:17 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



127 

Colossians 2:14 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Romans 8:1 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


Colossians 3:12–13 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Ephesians 4:31–32 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



_ 

______/ 10 pts. 

“Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.” – Matthew 5:8 

Who are the “clean of heart”? 

1 Samuel 16:7 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Matthew 5:28 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How is Jesus “clean of heart”? 

The Resurrection of Christ and Women at the Tomb 

by Fra Angelico (ca. 1442). 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Hebrews 7:26 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



129 


Matthew 7:5 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Mark 7:14–15; 21–23 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Mark 1:15 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



_ 

______/ 10 pts. 

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” – Matthew 5:9 

Who are the “peacemakers”? 

Matthew 7:12 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Ephesians 4:1–3 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

James 3:18 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

The Holy Family by Juan Simón Gutiérrez (17th century). 

How is Jesus a “peacemaker”? 

Ephesians 2:14 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Philippians 4:7 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



131 

John 20:21–22 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

John 14:27 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


Romans 12:18 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Philippians 4:6–7 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


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_ 

______/ 10 pts. 

“Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs 

is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10 

Who are the “persecuted”? 

John 15:18–20 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

1 Corinthians 4:12–13 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

How is Jesus “persecuted”? 

The Stoning of St. Stephen by Adam Elsheimer (ca. 1604). 


________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Mark 15:15–39 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



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133 


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Luke 9:23–24 

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Chapter 11 

The Law and 

Jesus’ Church

Unit 3, Chapter 11: The Law and Jesus’ Church 

135 

The Teaching Authority of the Magisterium ______/ 15 pts. 

Part 1 

Directions: Read the following Catechism paragraphs and answer the questions. 

CCC 890 

The mission of the Magisterium is linked to the definitive nature of the covenant 

established by God with his people in Christ. It is this Magisterium’s 

task to preserve God’s people from deviations and defections and to guarantee 

them the objective possibility of professing the true faith without error. 

Thus, the pastoral duty of the Magisterium is aimed at seeing to it that the 

People of God abides in the truth that liberates. To fulfill this service, Christ 

endowed the Church’s shepherds with the charism of infallibility in matters 

of faith and morals. The exercise of this charism takes several forms. 

1 What is the Magisterium’s task? 

_____________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________ 

2 What is the pastoral duty of the Magisterium aimed at? 

_____________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________ 

3 With what did Christ endow the Church’s shepherds so they can 

fulfill their pastoral duty? 

_____________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________ 

A Bishop Saint Blessing, 

by Vittore Carpaccio (1514). 



CCC 891 

“The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme 

pastor and teacher of all the faithful — who confirms his brethren in the faith he proclaims by a definitive act a 

doctrine pertaining to faith or morals.… The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops 

when, together with Peter’s successor, they exercise the supreme Magisterium,” above all in an Ecumenical 

Council. When the Church through its supreme Magisterium proposes a doctrine “for belief as being divinely 

revealed,” and as the teaching of Christ, the definitions “must be adhered to with the obedience of faith.” This 

infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself. 

4 When is the Roman Pontiff infallible? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 When is the body of bishops infallible? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

6 How must the faithful treat doctrine proposed by the Magisterium for belief as being divinely revealed 

and as the teaching of Christ? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

CCC 892 

Divine assistance is also given to the successors of the apostles, teaching in communion with the successor of 

Peter, and, in a particular way, to the bishop of Rome, pastor of the whole Church, when, without arriving at an 

infallible definition and without pronouncing in a “definitive manner,” they propose in the exercise of the ordinary 

Magisterium a teaching that leads to better understanding of Revelation in matters of faith and morals. To this ordinary 

teaching the faithful “are to adhere to it with religious assent” which, though distinct from the assent of faith, 

is nonetheless an extension of it. 

7 Who makes up the ordinary Magisterium? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

8 What sort of teachings does the Ordinary Magisterium propose? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 


Unit 3, Chapter 11: The Law and Jesus’ Church 

137 

Part 2 

Directions: Fill in the Graphic Organizer with information from the chapter reading and Catechism nos. 

890–892. 

Who can make an 

infallible proclamation? 

How is the infallible 

proclamation made? 

What is being 

proclaimed infallibly? 


138 


Part 3 

Directions: List if the following statements derived from canon law are descriptive (D) or prescriptive (P). 

1 _________ The faithful must attend Sunday Mass. 

2 _________ The faithful must fast one hour before receiving Communion. 

3 _________ A person must be baptized to enter into the Church. 

4 _________ A Marriage takes place only if both the man and the woman freely give their consent. 

5 _________ There is to be only one male sponsor or one female sponsor or one of each for the person 

being baptized. 

6 _________ The minister who is able to perform the Sacrament of the Eucharist in the Person of Christ 

is a validly ordained priest alone. 

7 _________ Catholics who have not yet received the Sacrament of Confirmation are to receive it before 

they are admitted to Marriage if it can be done without grave inconvenience. 

8 _________ The Sacrament of Confirmation is to be conferred on the faithful at about the age of discretion. 

9 _________ According to the ancient tradition of the Latin Church, the priest is to use unleavened bread 

in the eucharistic celebration whenever he offers it. 

10 _________ The ordinary minister of Confirmation is a bishop. 


139 

Fish and Loaves, artist unknown (Third Century) 

Activity #2

140 


Fish and Loaves Fresco 

Directions: Take a few moments to observe the fresco. Then discuss the following questions with a partner 

or in groups of three or four. 

1 Why is the fish an apt Christian symbol? 

2 What might a fish and loaves signify? 

3 Why is it significant that this particular image is from the Catacombs of San Callisto in Rome, Italy? 

4 Where do we find fishes and loaves in the Bible? 

5 Is this painting realistic? Symbolic only? How so? 

6 Why do Catholics eat fish on Fridays during Lent? 


The Reality of Sin 

Chapter 12

142 

The Woman Taken in Adultery by Rembrandt (1644)

Unit 4, Chapter 12: The Reality of Sin 

143 

The Woman Taken in Adultery 



1 Why do you think Jesus does not condemn the woman? What does His action mean for us? 

2 More important than Jesus’ lack of condemnation of the woman is His command to sin no more. Why do 

you think our culture often chooses to ignore this part of Jesus’ message in this story? What does Jesus’ 

command reveal to us about the purpose of God’s forgiveness and mercy? 

3 Look again at the painting. How well does the painting depict the Gospel story? Is there anything you 

would change? 

4 If you were to explain God’s mercy and forgiveness to someone who had never experienced it before, 

how would you do so? 


144 


The Gospel Approach to the Seven 

Deadly Sins 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read the given Scripture passages and complete the graphic organizer by summarizing 

the story in the first column, identifying which of the seven deadly sins is most prominently 

presented in the story or teaching in the second column, and then discussing what Jesus 

teaches us about sin in the story in the third column. 

Summarize the Gospel story in 

Seven Deadly 

What does Jesus teach us about 

Passage 

2–3 sentences. 

Sin? 

sin in this story? 

Matthew 

25:14–30 

Luke 

12:16–21 

Luke 

18:9–14 

Matthew 

5:27–30 



145 

Summarize the Gospel story in 

Seven Deadly 

What does Jesus teach us about 

Passage 

2–3 sentences. 

Sin? 

sin in this story? 

Matthew 

20:1–16 

Matthew 

18:21–35 

Matthew 

4:1–4 


146 

St. George and the Dragon by Paolo Uccello (1458–1460)


147 

St. George and the Dragon by Paolo Uccello 



1 What is happening in this painting? Do you know the story of St. George and the dragon? If so, how 

does this painting illustrate the story? If not, what would you guess the story of St. George and the 

dragon is about? 

2 Describe this painting. Is it realistic? Iconic? What kind of perspective and dimensions does it use? 

3 Describe St. George in this painting. Does he display the typical knightly figure? How so? 

4 Describe the princess in this painting. What is she doing? Why? 

5 Describe the dragon in this painting. What kind of a creature is he? What unusual features does he 

have? 

6 Of what is the dragon a symbol? What is St. George really slaying? What is he really defending? 



To Be or Not To Be A Mortal Sin 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: 

Complete the activity below according to the instructions given. 

Part 1 

List the three necessary conditions of a mortal sin. 

1 ______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 ______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 ______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

Next, read the following scenarios. Identify whether the person in each scenario has committed a mortal sin or not 

and explain why. 

1 A 16-year-old girl becomes pregnant with her boyfriend. When she is 10 weeks pregnant she chooses to have an 

abortion. She is uneducated and is unaware that life begins at conception and an abortion involves killing a human 

being. Her parents told her that this was just a medical procedure to remove a parasite from her body. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 A devout Protestant man attends church on most Sundays. This Sunday he is on vacation at the beach with 

his family and misses church. He decides to say some extra prayers at home instead. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 A devout Catholic man attends Mass on most Sundays. This Sunday he is on vacation at the beach with his family 

and chooses not to attend Mass at the church down the road. He decides to say some extra prayers at home instead. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 



149 

4 A young unmarried woman is raped. She is a Catholic and knows that premarital sex is wrong. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 A jewelry store employee hands over the most valuable jewels in the store to a thief at gunpoint. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

6 Knowing her best friend was excited to show off her new clothes for a casual day at school, a girl buys the 

same outfit for the casual day, believing she would look better in the outfit than her friend. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

7 A 17-year-old boy tell his parents he is going to a party at his friend’s house. When he gets there he gets 

drunk. He asks a sober friend to drive him home. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

8 A 27-year-old man took a ride share service to the bar after work on a Friday. When he gets there, he drinks a 

lot of alcohol and gets drunk. He used a ride share service to return home at the end of the night. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

9 A 12-year-old girl is having a conversation with her mother. The girl is in a hurry to walk to her friend’s 

house. Her mother asks her to empty the dishwasher first. The girl starts to argue and complain, but she 

soon agrees and empties the dishwasher cheerfully. 

Answer: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________ 



Part 2 

Directions: Now, write your own scenario. When you have finished, share it with your partner and see if 

they can guess the answer correctly. 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

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_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



151 

I Confess 

Directions: After watching the “I Confess” video, respond to the 

reflection questions below. 

1 When was the last time you went to the Sacrament of 

Confession? What was that experience like? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 Do you find going to the Sacrament of Confession to be a difficult thing to do? Why or why not? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 What sort of questions or concerns have you experienced before going to Confession? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 Think back to the class discussion about the woman caught in adultery. How is this video and the 

Sacrament of Confession in general related to that story? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 If you were to explain the importance of the Sacrament of Confession to someone who had never 

received the Sacrament before or was afraid to go to Confession, what would you say? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 


Chapter 13 

Freedom, the Morality 

of Human Acts, 

and the Passions

Unit 4, Chapter 13: Freedom, the Morality of Human Acts, and the Passions 

153 

Freedom is… 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Read the section of the text titled “Freedom” beginning on pg. 204 of the textbook. Then, list at 

least five characteristics of the world’s understanding of freedom and five characteristics of the 

Church’s understanding of freedom provided by the text. Then, synthesize what you have learned 

about true freedom by completing the statements below and answering the reflection question. 

The world’s understanding 

of freedom: 

The Church’s understanding 

of freedom: 

■ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

■ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 

____________________________________ 



True freedom is… 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

True freedom is not… 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Reflect 

Why do you think the world’s conception of what freedom is differs from how the Church 

understands freedom? Which understanding do you think leads to the greatest fulfillment 

of human purpose? Why? 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



155 

Object, Intention, and Circumstances 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Re-read the section of the chapter 13 text titled “The Morality of Human Acts,” which begins on pg. 

207. Then, read each of the given scenarios and identify the object, intention, and circumstances 

of the moral act in each. Then, based on what you know from the scenario, decide whether the 

action was morally good or morally wrong and explain why you think so. Note: For some scenarios 

there may not be any intentions or circumstances evident from the information given. 

1 A wealthy woman cheats on her income taxes so she can give more money to charity. 

What is the object of the wealthy woman’s moral act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

What was the intention behind her act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

What are the circumstances surrounding her act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

Was her act morally good or morally wrong? Why do you think so? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 A runner steals his rival’s shoes just before the race starts so he can win the race. 

What is the object of the runner’s moral act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

What was the intention behind his act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 



What are the circumstances surrounding his act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

Was his act morally good or morally wrong? Why do you think so? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 A man who has been unemployed for six months lies on his resume so he can get a job interview. 

What is the object of the man’s moral act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 



157 

4 A poor man saves up a quarter of his income each year to give to the local crisis pregnancy center. 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 A pregnant woman decides to keep her baby even though she is not married and the father of the baby 

has left her. 

What is the object of the woman’s moral act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 



6 A man helps an elderly woman carry her groceries up the stairs to her apartment. 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

7 James becomes angry after Phillip insults him and calls him names. In anger, James punches Phillip, 

but immediately regrets doing so. 

What is the object of James’s moral act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 



159 

8 Juanita moved out of her parents’ house and into her own apartment six months ago. Her parents told 

her she could come home any time she needed to. Juanita recently lost her job and will soon be unable 

to pay her rent. So she steals $100 from her neighbor in order to pay her rent but plans to pay her back 

when she has the money again. 

What is the object of Juanita’s moral act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


160 


9 Steven’s parents do not allow him to hang out with friends on school nights. On Tuesday night, Steven 

lied to his parents and told them he was going to the library to study. He really went to his girlfriend’s 

house to help her study for a biology test. 

What is the object of Steven’s moral act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

10 Rafael volunteers in the local soup kitchen every Saturday morning for the sole reason of adding it to his 

resume for college applications. 

What is the object of Rafael’s moral act? 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 


Christ in Front of Pilate by Mihaly Munkacsy (1881) 

161


Christ in Front of Pilate by Mihaly Munkacsy 



1 Who are the main figures in this scene? 

2 Describe Pilate in this painting. What is his expression? What must he consider? 

3 Describe Jesus in this painting. What is His expression? What must He consider? 

4 Describe the figures in the crowd behind and around Jesus, as well as the Sanhedrin. What do they 

express? 

5 Which figures have more control over their passions? How can you tell? 

6 Does it make sense that Jesus is calm in this setting? Why or why not? 



163 

Considerations in Moral Decision Making ______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: First, re-read the section of the text that describes seven important considerations in the 

process of making good moral decisions, which begins on pg. 207 of the textbook. Next, list 

those steps in the space provided. Finally, respond to the writing prompt below. 

God has given every human the freedom to choose good or evil. True freedom comes not from having no restraints 

but from choosing to abide in the word of Christ and to cooperate with the Holy Spirit. Then we are freed from the 

desire and inclination to sin. The Ten Commandments embodied in Christ’s twin Commandments can be a guide 

against which we measure our choices. 

List below the steps to begin to make good moral choices: 

1 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

6 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

7 ___________________________________________________________________________________ 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 



Reflect 

Choose three of the considerations listed above that you consider to be the most important 

for making good moral decisions and discuss why you think so. 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 



165 

The Passions 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Re-read the section of the text titled “The Passions” beginning on pg. 210 of the Textbook. As 

you read it, complete the fill-in-the-blank activity below. 

1 A passion is _______________________________________. 

2 The word passion is derived from the Latin word _______________________________________, 

which means _______________________________________. 

3 The Passion refers to Christ’s _________________________________________________________. 

4 A passion is a change that the _______________________________________ and 

_______________________________________ undergo as a response to something. 

5 We feel emotions deep in our _______________________________________, but they are typically 

made known through our _______________________________________. 

6 There is a _______________________________________ change as a result of an 

_______________________________________. 

7 The passions are _____________________________________, which means they are neither morally 

____________________________________ nor morally ____________________________________. 

8 Emotions are responses to experiences of our _______________________________________. 

9 In most situations, we either desire to _______________________________________ or to 

_______________________________________ that which our senses experience. 

10 When a person gets something that his senses desire, he may experience 

_______________________________________. 



11 When a person does not get something that his senses desire, he may experience 

_______________________________________. 

12 If a person is forced to have something he does not want to, he may experience 

_______________________________________. 

13 _____________________ also experience basic emotions. They are creatures of 

_____________________, moved by their _____________________ and _____________________. 

14 The human ability to _________________________________ our emotions sets us apart from animals. 

15 When an emotion is commanded by the _______________________________________ and freely 

accepted or rejected by _______________________________________, it can take on a 

_______________________________________ character. 

16 The goal of the Christian life is to harness our emotions for the sake of objective 

_______________________________________. 

17 _______________________________________ always has the capability of ruling our emotions. 

18 We must properly form our intellects by informing ourselves about what is objectively 

_________________________, _________________________, and _________________________. 

19 We must strengthen our will through _______________________________________, 

_______________________________________, and _______________________________________. 

20 When our passions are directed by _______________________________________, they find their 

_______________________________________, working as God intended. 



167 

Reflect 

We live in a culture that regularly tells us to do what feels best and to follow our feelings, encouraging 

us to root our decision-making in what we feel. Given what you have learned about 

freedom, good moral decision-making, and the human passions, how would you counter this 

perspective of our culture? Be sure to give evidence for your response from the text. 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


Chapter 14 

Conscience

Unit 4, Chapter 14: Conscience 

169 

The Role of Conscience in Your Life 

Directions: Answer the following questions to reflect upon the role conscience has played in your life. 

1 Think of a time you knowingly did something wrong. 

a Did you think about the action before you did it? Circle: Yes / No 

b 

When you thought about it, was there something inside you telling you not to do it? 

Circle: Yes / No 

c After you did it, did you feel guilt or remorse for your action(s)? Circle: Yes / No 

d 

Did you know the action was wrong? Was this because someone told you or because of the inner 

voice that told you not to do it? Explain. 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

2 Think of a time you knowingly did something good. 

a Did you think about the action before you did it? Circle: Yes / No 

b 

When you thought about it, was there something inside you telling you to do it? 

Circle: Yes / No 

c After you did it, did you feel happy or proud because of your action(s)? Circle: Yes / No 

d 

How did you know the action was good? Was this because someone told you or because of the 

inner voice that told you to do it? 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 



Our conscience can be very loud and persuasive at times, but at 

other times, we may not hear it at all. For this reason, it is important 

for us to build up our conscience and form it so it is easy for us to 

judge rightly and make good decisions. 

Read the following quotation from St. John Chrysostom and answer 

the following question. 

“Nothing usually makes us happier than 

a clear conscience and hope.” 

Why do you think having a clear conscience will ultimately make us 

happy? 

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_________________________________________________________________________________________ 



171 

Conscience and the Church 

______/ 10 pts. 

Part 1 

Directions: Re-read the section of the chapter 14 text titled “The Formation of Conscience” that begins 

on pg. 221 of the textbook. Then, list in the chart below the three things our conscience 

must conform to in order to be right and fill in examples of what you can do to conform your 

conscience to those three things. 

What must I 

conform my 

conscience to? 

What can I do 

to conform my 

conscience to it? 

“The education of the conscience is a lifelong task.” —CCC 1784 



Part 2 

Directions: It is very difficult for us to know the truth on our own; therefore, we must have a higher authority 

to guide us. For this reason, Christ endowed the Church with His authority. Read the following 

passages and answer the questions below. 

“I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; 

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” — Matthew 16:19 

“Infallibility is exercised when the Roman Pontiff, in virtue of his office as the Supreme Pastor of the Church, 

or the College of Bishops, in union with the pope especially when joined together in an Ecumenical Council, 

proclaim by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. Infallibility is also exercised when the 

pope and bishops in their ordinary Magisterium are in agreement in proposing a doctrine as definitive. 

Every one of the faithful must adhere to such teaching with the obedience of faith.” (Compendium of the 

Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 185) 

1 What power did Jesus give to St. Peter? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 In what three ways does the Church speak infallibly? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 Knowing that the Church speaks infallibly in these three ways, what must every member of the faithful do? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 The Magisterium of the Church provides us with a sure and steady guide for our conscience. What are 

some of the ways the faithful can learn the truth and develop a strong conscience through the Church’s 

guidance? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



173 

Reflect 

Why is it a comfort to know that Jesus bestowed upon the Church the divine authority to 

lead us and guide our consciences? 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 


174 

The Denial of St. Peter by Caravaggio (1610)


175 

The Denial of St. Peter by Caravaggio 



1 Read Luke 22:54–62. What is the scene depicted in this painting? How do you know? 

2 What exactly does St. Peter deny? 

3 Why do you think St. Peter makes his denial? 

4 Describe St. Peter in this painting. What is his expression? 

5 Do you think St. Peter went against his conscience in making his denial? How so? 

6 See Luke 22:54–62. What happens to St. Peter after his denial? What does he do when he hears the 

cock crow? Why do you think he does this? 



Conscience & Contrition 

______/ 10 pts. 

Part 1 

Directions: Read the information and the Act of Contrition below. Then answer the questions. 

When we fail to follow our conscience and choose to sin, it is essential that we feel contrition for our sins to obtain 

forgiveness. Contrition brings us to seek God’s forgiveness in the Sacrament of Confession so our souls may be 

purified of sin and we may start again. 

The Act of Contrition 

O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just 

punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all 

my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. 

1 In the Act of Contrition, there are two reasons for why our souls are sorry for sin. These are the two 

types of contrition our souls experience. List the two reasons below: 

a 

b 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________ 

2 What is the difference between these two types of contrition? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 Is one type of contrition better than the other? What makes you say so? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

“Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil 

tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.” —CCC 1458 



177 

Part 2 

Directions: Read the following quotation from St. Augustine and then answer the questions. 

Whoever confesses his sins … is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, 

you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man” — this is 

what God has made; when you hear “sinner”— this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have 

made, so that God may save what he has made.… When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is 

then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning 

of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light. — St. Augustine 

1 Explain St. Augustine’s first sentence in your own words. Why is man working with God when he judges 

his own sins? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 Remember that part of a good conscience is being able to see reality. What are the two separate 

realities St. Augustine points out in this passage? Which one should man hate or abhor? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 Why is it essential that man be able to recognize the difference between these two realities? What does 

St. Augustine say it allows men then to do? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



Examination of Conscience Based 

on the Ten Commandments 

Directions: Complete the following examination of conscience based on the Ten Commandments. 

1 Read through the Ten Commandments. Put an √ next to any you feel apply to your life and you would 

like to examine further. Put an O next to any that do not seem to apply to you. Put an X next to any you 

do not understand. 

I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me. 

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 

Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. 

Honor your father and your mother. 

You shall not kill. (Note: This could also include hurting others deliberately.) 

You shall not commit adultery. 

You shall not steal. 

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. 

You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods. 



179 

2 If you placed an X next to any of the above, ask your teacher to explain the Commandment before 

proceeding. 

3 If you placed a √ next to any of the above, find the Commandment below and read through the 

associated examination of conscience prompts and accompanying questions. Think about each question 

and whether it applies to you. 

I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me. 

This does not just mean: Do you worship false gods? This also commands against placing people 

or things at a higher level of importance in our lives than we place God. 

■ Do I let things in life like work, school, relationships, or personal possessions become more 

important to me than God? 

■ Do I spend so much time thinking about my day-to-day life that I forget to pray or to thank 

God? 

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. 

It is very easy to fall into a casual habit of taking the Lord’s name in vain. This could take many forms. 

■ Do I make a conscious effort to guard my language? 

■ Do I try to make my speech always respectful of God and express gratitude to Him for all of the 

good things He has given me? 

Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. 

The Church states that all Catholics are obligated to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation. 

It is also asked that Catholics keep these days holy by keeping them centered on God and 

growing closer to Him. 

■ Do I go to Mass on the days I am obliged to? 

■ Do I keep the day holy with prayer and refrain from unnecessary work or distracting activity? 

Honor your father and your mother. 

As we honor God as our divine Father, we also are called to honor our earthly mother and father. We 

must always remember to show respect and love for our parents. 

■ Do I ever disrespect my parents by not listening to them or disobeying them? 

■ Do I ever show anger toward my parents or speak to them in ways I should not? 

■ Do I do my best to help my parents and show love for them every day? 



You shall not kill. 

This commandment goes beyond the command not to kill. It also extends to any type of abusive behavior 

such as violence, vengeance, or any act of cruelty that unnecessarily hurts another creature of God. 

■ Do I do my best to always show kindness and charity toward others? My family? Friends? 

Work colleagues? Even my enemies? 

■ Do I ever hurt others either through my actions or through my words? 

■ Have I ever wished harm to another person? 

■ Do I ever do anything to hurt myself through abusive behavior? Drugs? Alcohol? Self-harm? Etc. 

■ Am I ever cruel to animals? 

You shall not commit adultery. 

Although a person cannot commit adultery without first being married, this Commandment also requires 

us to be pure in the use of our sexuality. 

■ Do I pursue chaste relationships? 

■ Do I consent to impure thoughts about others? 

■ Do I look at pornography or other impure media? 

■ Do I perform sexual activity that is not ordered toward marriage and life, such as masturbation, 

oral sex, sexual intercourse outside of Marriage, and so forth? 

You shall not steal. 

Stealing means taking what is due to others. 

■ Have I ever taken something that does not belong to me? 

■ Have I ever helped someone else steal? Have I lied to cover up for stealing? 

■ Have I ever willfully damaged someone else’s property or refused to offer restitution for 

property damaged? 

■ Have I ever pirated movies, music, or games? 

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 

Our words can have a great effect on others. We must always remember to keep charity in our 

speech. 

■ Have I gossiped about another person or damaged his or her reputation? 

■ Have I ever deliberately told a lie about someone? 

You shall not covet your neighbor’s spouse. 

Although this Commandment specifies spouse, it can also extend to anyone who is already attached: a 

girlfriend, boyfriend, or even fiancé. 

■ Have I ever desired someone who is already in a relationship? 



181 

■ Do I desire them so much that I would do something cruel and would cause suffering to the other 

person in the relationship? 

■ Do I ever imagine cruel ways to obtain the affection of this person? 

■ Do I have sexual fantasies about another? Do I indulge these thoughts? 

You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods. 

We fail in gratitude toward God if we desire someone else’s property so much that we become discontented 

with what we have and would take another’s things if we had the opportunity. 

■ Have I ever desired someone else’s things? 

■ Do I desire them so much that I would cause the true owner to suffer if I had the opportunity? 

■ Do I ever imagine cruel ways to obtain the object I desire? 

■ Am I satisfied with the things I have been given? 

Reflect 

After finishing this examination of conscience, write a short reflection on one of the 

Commandments that applies to you most at this time. Use the following questions as a guide: 

Do you understand why breaking this Commandment hurts God? Do you feel sorrow 

or guilt when you break this Commandment? Do you feel happy when you keep this 

Commandment because you know it pleases God? Are there any resolutions you can 

make for how to act in regard to this Commandment in the future? 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

“Return to your conscience, question it.… turn inward, brethren, and 

in everything you do, see God as your witness.” — CCC 1779 


Chapter 15 

Grace and 

the Virtues

Unit 5, Chapter 15: Grace and the Virtues 

183 

The Best Gift 


1 What is the best gift you have ever received? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 Who gave it to you? Did the source of the gift make the gift any more special? Why or why not? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 What was the occasion? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 What made it “the best” gift? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 Was it something you had wanted for a long time or was it a complete surprise? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

6 Was it something useful? Did it require you to learn something new? Or take responsibility? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 


184 


Grace Venn Diagram ______/ 5 pts. 

Directions: Complete the Venn Diagram below comparing actual grace and sanctifying grace. 

Actual Grace Sanctifying Grace 


185 

Sacrifice of Isaac by Titian (ca. 1542) 

Activity #2

186 


Sacrifice of Isaac by Titian 



1 Describe this painting. Is it realistic? Static or dynamic? How so? 

2 Read Genesis 22:1–18. Retell the story of the subject of this painting. 

3 Describe Abraham in this painting. How can you tell he is intent on his purpose? 

4 Describe the angel in this painting. Does it aptly represent divine intervention? How so? 

5 Identify the animals in the painting. What are they for? 

6 How is Abraham the Father of Faith? How does this painting reflect his faith? 


Unit 5, Chapter 15: Grace and the Virtues 

187 

The Cardinal Virtues 

______/ 10 pts. 

Part 1 


1 Who is one person in your life whom you would describe as virtuous? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 What is it about this person and their actions that makes you describe them as virtuous? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 Why is it important to recognize the virtuous people in our lives? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 Do you know if this person is Christian? Would that make a difference in his or her efforts to be virtuous? 


____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 



Part 2 

Directions: Read the scenarios below. For each scenario, identify which cardinal virtue is being exemplified 

and explain why you chose this virtue. Use each of the four Cardinal Virtues once. 

1 Jennifer is being bullied by Hannah. Kristine stands up to Hannah even though she knows, in doing so, 

that she might be Hannah’s next target. 

What virtue did Kristine use and why? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

2 Greg is out for dinner. When he is paying the table’s bill, he notices that the bill was incorrect and was 

$20 short of what it should be. Greg talks to the waiter and explains his mistake because he thinks the 

waiter and restaurant deserve what is due to them. 

What virtue did Greg use and why? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

3 Tina was planning to binge-watch her favorite show all evening long when she remembered she had a 

quiz the next day. She decides to watch one episode, studies for an hour, and then goes to sleep at a 

reasonable time. 

What virtue did Tina use and why? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

4 The 17-year-old Jack is attending his friend’s birthday party when his friends begin to drink beer. 

Jack knows that underage drinking is wrong, and he knows that he often succumbs to peer pressure. 

Therefore, Jack decides that he should leave the party to avoid making a mistake. 

What virtue did Jack use and why? 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 


The Sacraments 

Chapter 16


Sacraments KWL 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Answer the questions below and fill out the chart. 

Circle all of the Sacraments you have already received. 

Baptism Confirmation Reconciliation Eucharist 

Holy Orders Marriage Anointing of the Sick 

Circle all of the Sacraments you have seen others receive. 

Baptism Confirmation Reconciliation Eucharist 

Holy Orders Marriage Anointing of the Sick 

What do you know about 

this Sacrament? (What is 

it? Where and when does 

it take place? How is it 

performed?) 

What do you want 

to know? 

What have you 

learned? 

Baptism 

Confirmation 


Unit 5, Chapter 16: The Sacraments 

191 

What do you know about 

this Sacrament? (What is 

it? Where and when does 

it take place? How is it 

performed?) 

What do you want 

to know? 

What have you 

learned? 

Eucharist 

Penance and 

Reconciliation 

Anointing of 

the Sick 

Holy Orders 

Marriage 



Sacraments Chart 

______/ 10 pts. 

The Sacraments of Initiation are 

What Do They Have in Common? 

In What Ways Is Each Different? 



193 

The Sacraments of Healing are 


In What Ways Are They Different? 


194 


The Sacraments at the Service of Communion are 


In What Ways Are They Different? 


195 

Pelican Stained Glass Window 

Activity #2


Pelican Stained Glass Window 

Directions: Take a few moments to observe the stained-glass image. Then discuss the following questions 

with a partner or in groups of three or four. 

1 What is depicted in this stained-glass window? 

2 With what does the pelican appear to be feeding its young? Why do you think it is doing so? 

3 What is the Holy Eucharist? 

4 How might the pelican be an appropriate symbol of the Holy Eucharist? 

5 What do the young pelicans in this image represent? 

6 Why is the Holy Eucharist such an important Sacrament? 



197 

The Sacraments in Scripture 

______/ 10 pts. 

Directions: Please look up the following Scripture passages on the right column and draw a line to match 

them with the Sacrament they foreshadow or allude to on the left column. 

Old Testament 

Baptism Isaiah 38:4–5 

Confirmation 2 Kings 5:10 

Eucharist Genesis 14:18–20 

Reconciliation Genesis 2:18–24 

Anointing of the Sick Exodus 12:17 

Holy Orders Isaiah 44:3 

Marriage Numbers 5:5–7 

New Testament 

Baptism Hebrews 5:1 

Confirmation John 6:35–59 

Eucharist Matthew 28:19 

Reconciliation Ephesians 5:21–33 

Anointing of the Sick James 5:14–15 

Holy Orders John 6:53–58 

Marriage Acts 8:14–17 


Chapter 17 

Other Helps

Unit 5, Chapter 17: Other Helps 

199 

Dream Job 


1 What is your dream job? _______________________________________________________________ 

2 What skills do you possess that will aid you in obtaining your dream job? (List three.) 

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3 What skills do you need to develop in order to do your dream job? (List three.) 

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4 What things are you doing now that will help you get this job in the future? 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

____________________________________________________________________________________ 

5 How do you think your job will help people or make the world better? 

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6 What role will faith and prayer play in your job? 

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Vocation 

______/ 10 pts. 

Part 1 

Directions: Write the letter of the type of vocation that corresponds to the examples below. Each answer 

may be used more than once. 

A Universal Vocation B Primary Vocation C Particular Vocations (Callings) 

_______________________ 1 Religious Sister / Nun 

_______________________ 2 School Teacher 

_______________________ 3 Nurse 

_______________________ 4 Married Person 

_______________________ 5 Sainthood 

_______________________ 6 Priest 

_______________________ 7 Religious Brother / Monk 

_______________________ 8 Firefighter 

_______________________ 9 Consecrated Single Person 

_______________________ 10 Real Estate Agent 



201 

Part 2 

Directions: Complete the graphic organizer with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. First list the gifts in the shaded 

box according to their kind. Then, in the bigger box, write the definition of the gift in your own 

words. The gift of knowledge has been done for you. 

Reason about action 

and the world based 

on our understanding 

and knowledge 

Knowledge 

Gifts That Fundamentally Change Us 

Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit 

Gifts That Help Us Live What We See 



Prayer Service: Listening to Jesus’ Call 

Opening Prayer 

All: 

Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your 

Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth. 

Leader: O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, Grant that by the same 

Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. 

Hymn 

Holy God, We Praise Thy Name 

or another appropriate hymn 

1 Holy God, we praise Thy Name; 

Lord of all, we bow before Thee! 

All on earth Thy scepter claim, 

All in Heaven above adore Thee; 

Infinite Thy vast domain, 

Everlasting is Thy reign. 

2 Hark! the loud celestial hymn 

Angel choirs above are raising, 

Cherubim and seraphim, 

In unceasing chorus praising; 

Fill the heavens with sweet accord: 

Holy, holy, holy, Lord. 

3 Lo! the apostolic train 

Join the sacred Name to hallow; 

Prophets swell the loud refrain, 

And the white robed martyrs follow; 

And from morn to set of sun, 

Through the Church the song goes on. 

4 Holy Father, Holy Son, 

Holy Spirit, Three we name Thee; 

While in essence only One, 

Undivided God we claim Thee; 

And adoring bend the knee, 

While we own the mystery. 

King David Playing the Harp (detail) by Peter Paul Rubens (17th century). 



203 

Scripture Reading 

Mark 1:16–20 

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they 

were fishermen. Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Then they abandoned 

their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother 

John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the 

boat along with the hired men and followed him. 

Silent Reflection 

Consider these questions in silence: 

■ 

■ 

■ 

■ 

Do I listen for Jesus’ call in my life? 

Simon, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen and fishing was their livelihood. When they abandon their 

nets, they make themselves completely dependant on Jesus. Would I be able to “abandon my net” if Jesus 

asked? 

What are the things in my life that I would struggle giving to Jesus? Are these things keeping me from loving 

God with my whole heart? 

What thing in my life can I give over to Jesus today? 

Group Prayer Intentions 

Take a moment to offer aloud your prayer intentions in group prayer, 

or you may offer your intentions silently in your heart. 

Closing Prayer 

Leader: God, Our Father, bless us as we come together to grow in knowledge of our Faith and of you. Bless our 

class, our friends, and our families and bring us ever closer to you. Open our hearts and make them 

humble so we can receive the gift of prayer and listen to your call so we can grow in holiness every day 

of our lives. We beg you to hear the prayer intentions we offer to you this day and to give us the grace 

to serve you with our bodies, minds, and hearts. In Jesus’ name we pray. 

All: 

Amen. 



Types of Prayer 

______/ 10 pts. 

Part 1 

Directions: Analyze the following prayers and identify which expression of prayer each section is an 

example of. 

Our Father 

Expression of Prayer 

1 Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom 

come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. 

2 Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we 

forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, 

but deliver us from evil. 

Glory Be 


3 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was 

in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. 

Prayer for the Poor Souls in Purgatory 


4 V. Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. 

R. And let the perpetual light shine upon them. 

And may the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, 

rest in peace. Amen. 



205 

Psalm 65 


5 To you we owe our hymn of praise, O God of Zion; 

To you our vows must be fulfilled, you who hear our prayers. 

6 You visit the earth and water it, make it abundantly fertile. 

God’s stream is filled with water; you supply their grain. 

Thus do you prepare it: you drench its plowed furrows, and level its ridges. 

With showers you keep it soft, blessing its young sprouts. 

You adorn the year with your bounty; your paths drip with fruitful rain. 

The meadows of the wilderness also drip; the hills are robed with joy. 

The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys blanketed with grain; 

they cheer and sing for joy. 

Anima Christi 


7 Soul of Christ, make me holy 

Body of Christ, be my salvation 

Blood of Christ, let me drink your wine 

Water flowing from the side of Christ, wash me clean 

Passion of Christ, strengthen me 

Kind Jesus, hear my prayer 

Hide me within your wounds 

And keep me close to you 

Defend me from the evil enemy 

And call me at the hour of my death 

To the fellowship of your saints 

That I might sing your praise with them 

for all eternity. Amen. 



Part 2 

Directions: Compose a prayer that includes all the expressions of prayer. Identify each type of prayer in the 

boxes to the right of the lines. 

_______________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________ 

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