ST. FRANCIS XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL OF LOPEZ JAENA, INC.

Western Poblacion, Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental

SELF- LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET (VAL.ED 9)

Quarter: First Quarter

Name: ___________________________________________ Score: ________________

Year & Section: ___________________________________ Date: ________________

Chapter 1: LIVING THE FAITH: CHRISTIAN MORALITY (Week 1)

Learning Target:
 understanding the personal and social context of our everyday moral struggles;
 illuminating the basic questions of morality through the Gospel narrative of The Rich Young Man (Mt. 19:16-21); and
 presenting an overview of the topics to be discussed in the succeeding chapters
References: Called to Follow Christ in True Freedom

Context:
Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master’, and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore,
the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you model to follow, so that as I
have done for you, you should also do.
- Jn 13: 12-15
A Tale of Two Cities, a novel by Charles Dickens, begins with this description: ‘‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of
times.’’ The documents of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) begin with a similar description of the present age.
In 1991, when our Church decided to gather her members to reflect on the ‘‘signs of the times,’’ she came face to face with the reality
of a country of lights and shadows.’’ In January 2001, our Church revisited PCP II only to see that not much had changed. We have
remained a nation contradictions. For example, despite the growing number of religious and civic organizations, many people seem to
have adopted an attitude of indifference toward our present social problems. The information age that ushered in greater opportunities
for cooperation among communities has given rise to new forms of abuse and cybercrimes. Violations of human dignity still increase
even as we become more aware of our fundamental human rights. Affluence continues to exist side by side with poverty. Here and
now, in this world of lights and shadows, we are called to follow Christ.
Further reflection reveals that our country’s lights and shadows are not just ‘‘out there’’. Many of our social ills are rooted in
the way we freely choose to act, so we know we have these lights and shadows within us. In our own circumstances, we are constantly
choosing between being self-centered and being a true person-for-others. No wonder following Christ is such a challenge!
Confronting the many lights and shadows within us and outside of us, we can indeed say that we live in the worst and best of
times. On one hand, we live in the worst of times because we experience various moral crises that can overwhelm or even paralyze us
into complacency or inaction. Violence, injustice, apathy, and moral weakness can influence us we make important choices every day.
On the other hand, we live in the best of times when we see in these crises a chance to respond to Christ’s call to be of loving
service to others. Christ is calling us through the choices we make every day. He is calling us to follow His way and giving us the
grace, through His Spirit, to grow in His likeness. Amidst these crisis, the loving presence, example, and teachings of Christ about
what it truly means to love God and others shine and inspire us to strive to love as He loves us. Despite many injustices, we can drew
strength and inspiration from Christ’s own compassion for and solidarity with the least of our brothers and sisters. We discover within
us an aversion to discrimination and violence and an attraction to truth, goodness and sharing with others.
Our course this year, Christian Morality, will be a journey of living the faith amidst a world of lights and shadows. This
journey may not always be easy, but it will be a journey with Christ, who comforts us by saying, ‘‘I am the light of the world.
Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’’ (Jn 8:12).

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

 It is a choice that will reflect the kind of person we are and affect the kind of person we will become.
 To the question ‘‘What should I do?’’, our Christian faith gives this answer: ‘‘Follow Christ!’’ This is because we know that
God loves us and has revealed to us that only in loving Christ has loved us can we be truly happy and truly free. Christ
Himself said, ‘‘I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly’’ (Jn 10:10). He lived this mission in His
loving service of others. He freed people from their bodily ailments by healing the sick, the blind, and the lame. He freed
people from their sins by forgiving them and calling them to lead good lives. He freed us from self-centeredness by giving us
His grace, His example, and His laws of love. But most of all, He opened the way for us to share in His divine life by His
Suffering, Death and Resurrection.
 Christian Morality is about our daily following of Jesus Christ as His disciples, strengthened by the Holy Spirit. It is about
living and doing what makes us truly free and reflecting on our human experiences in the light of the life and teachings of
Jesus. As followers of Christ, we need to turn to what God has revealed to us in Sacred Scripture, as well as in its faithful
interpretation through the Tradition of the Church.

WHAT IS CHRISTIAN MORALITY

A rich young man once asked Jesus a question central to our course, Christian Morality: ‘‘What good must I do to gain
eternal life?’’ To prepare ourselves to encounter God’s Word, let us first reflect on the following questions:
1. What kind of relationship do I have with Jesus Christ at present?
2. What experience have I had that is similar to the experience of the rich young man in the Gospel?

The Rich Young Man

(Mt. 19:16-21; cf Mk 10:17-22;Lk 18:18-23)
Now someone approached [Jesus] and said, ‘‘Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life? He answered him, ‘‘Why do
you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the Commandments.’’ He asked him,
‘‘Which ones?’’ And Jesus replied, ‘‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false
witness; honor your father and mother’ ; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘‘The young man said to him, ‘‘All of these I
have observed. What do I still lack?’’ Jesus said to him, ‘‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and
you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’’
Christian Morality Asks, ‘‘What should I do?’’
 When the young man posed his question to Jesus, it seemed he was asking for the very meaning of life itself (Veriatis
Splendor 7). What kind of life, indeed, should one lead to attain eternal life? Perhaps the young man was looking for a sense
of fulfillment and purpose beyond his prosperous and sheltered existence. Clearly his question indicated his desire to be truly
free and truly happy, to have life spent on something truly valuable and lasting instead of something empty and fleeting. The
young man’s question revealed his deep yearning for something more than ordinary success.
 Like the rich young man, we sometimes have similar hopes: There must be more to life than our accomplishments,
possessions, or reputation! In our quest for a life of true happiness and freedom, we find that we have a yearning to do what is
really good. That is why, despite our shortcomings, we find a sense of fulfillment and freedom in loving our family, preparing
well for an exam, or listening to a friend with a problem.
 Knowing how our daily choices affect the kind of person we become, we approach Jesus to ask what we should do to become
who we should be.

Christian Morality Entails Being True to Our relationship with God

One way by which we experience God as the source of our own generosity and love is when we make a good confession.
Becoming aware of our weaknesses, feeling true sorrow for our sins, courageously confessing our sins to a priest, and resolving to be
more loving- these are not easy things to do. It is only by God’s grace, which works with and perfects our own little efforts to change,
that we experience the greatness of God’s compassion, forgiveness, and love through His great gift to the Church, the Sacrament of
Reconciliation.

Christian Morality Entails Keeping the Commandments

Jesus’ answer to the young man’s question not only points to the absolute importance of growing in our love for God and
neighbor, but also relates love directly to the commandments. Scripture is very clear about the only valid way of loving God and
neighbor, and thus the condition for entering into eternal life: ‘‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments’’ (Jn 14:15)

Christian Morality is Following Christ

Christ calls us to follow Him amidst the many joys and trials, the lights and shadows of growing up. He desires that we
become truly happy and truly free. The Good News is that Christ Himself has shown us the way, for He is ‘‘the way the truth and the
life’’ (Jn 14:6). Christ has shown us the Paschal pattern of His love; that only by dying to our self-centeredness and sin can we rise
again to a new life of loving service to God and our neighbor. Through His example and the empowering grace of His Holy Spirit, we
are able to gradually ‘‘die’’ to our self-centeredness, bad habits, and inordinate attachments so that we can ‘‘rise’’ to a new life of
loving service, virtue, and generosity.
After the rich young man left, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, ‘‘Who then can be saved?’’ (Mt 19:25). We sometimes pose the
very same question to Christ when, in our world of lights and shadows, we find it difficult to live our faith. Blessed John II wrote that
we are capable of living out the love of Christ’’ only by virtue of a gift received’’ (Veritatis Splendor 22)- the gift of Christ’s perfect
example and the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. So filled with hope and courage, let us follow Christ in our world of lights
and shadows.
STUDENT ACTIVITY
Answer the following questions:
1. How can we claim that we live in ‘‘the best of times’’ with all the ‘‘shadows’’ in society and within us?

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2. In what way is the rich young man’s question- ‘‘What good must I do to gain eternal life?’’ – a question about the meaning of life
itself?

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3. By relating the young man’s question to the ‘‘One who is good,’’ what does Jesus imply about the meaning of our own goodness?

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4. What is the relationship between ‘‘keeping the Commandments’’ and loving? Give a concrete example to illustrate this relationship.

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5. How is Christian morality related to the basic truths of our Christian faith about Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church?
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ST. FRANCIS XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL OF LOPEZ JAENA, INC.
Western Poblacion, Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental

SELF- LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET (VAL.ED 9)

Quarter: First Quarter

Name: ___________________________________________ Score: ________________

Year & Section: ___________________________________ Date: ________________

Chapter 2: BEING HUMAN, BEING MORAL (Week 2)

Learning Target:
 Reflect on the basic human questions: ‘‘Who am I?’ What does it mean to be a human person?’’
 Apprehend the Gospel narrative of Luke 10: 29-37 about The Good Samaritan;

References: Called to Follow Christ in True Freedom pages 22-41

For us Filipinos, the word tao is rich with meaning. It can be used to refer simply to a human person: May taong nakatira sa
bahay na iyan. It may be used to describe a person’s integrity: Hanga ako sa kanya. Siya ay isang totoong tao. It can also mean having
a sense of compassion for others. Siya ay isang makataong abogado. On yet another level, it can refer to the process of becoming more
human: Madali maging tao, mahirap magpakatao. Clearly, our many uses of the word tao reveal how Filipinos understand and value
human persons.
Moral living entails an understanding of and respect for human persons. All our rights and duties, our moral choices and
character are basically a response to the question ‘‘Who am I?’’ (CFC 682). For example, we have the right to a good education and
the corresponding duty to value our studies because as persons, we need to develop in many ways- intellectually, spiritualy, socially.
When others treat us unjustly, we demand to be treated with the respect due every individual: Tao rin ako! Sometimes we hear people
who have done inhuman acts being refered to as hayop, highlighting what we think is acceptable and unacceptable for us as human
beings.
In this chapter, we will reflect on these basic human questions: ‘‘Who am I? What does it mean to be a human person?’’ By
doing so, we will come to appreciate the relationship of our natural experience of who we are with what Christ has revealed to us
about ourselves and understand how to act in a truly human way.

WHO AM I?

 The answer to the question ‘‘Who am I?’’ comes in great part from our continual interaction with others- our family, our
friends, and our Church. True self-knowledge recognizes that we are ‘‘not an island’’ but rather are beings intrinsically related
to others by a common humanity that transcends our individual differences.
 Through the use of critical reason illumined by faith in Christ, we can arrive at a deeper level of understanding about who we
are, a level of understanding that becomes the objective ground for our moral living.

We Are Historical Beings

 ‘‘Be patient with me. I am a work in progress.’’ This saying reminds us that we are historical beings who are constantly
growing in many different aspects. We mature in discernible stages not only in physical terms but also in the way we relate
with others, in our awareness of ourselves and of our free acts, and in our understanding of and respect for the dignity of
others. The Filipino adage Madaling maging tao; mahirap magpakatao reminds us that we become our fullest selves
gradually through time.
 We are free historical beings in process. Our past experiences and choices gradually formed the kind of person we are now. In
a similar way, the free decisions we make today shape and direct the kind of person we will become.

We Are Embodied Spirits

 Persons are more than just a walking creatures made up of muscles, ligaments, nerves, and bones. We can think about the
way we think, motivate ourselves or delay our gratification to pursue our dreams and ambitions. Even though we are hungry,
we can choose to share our food with others who may need it more.
 We are the unity of our physical body and our spiritual gifts, an embodied spirit!

We Are Conscious Beings

 Our capacity for self-reflection shows how we are conscious beings, ‘‘aware of ourselves in our outgoing acts’’. This means
that we have the capacity to become aware of our thinking, emotions, experiences, as well as the meaning of our acts. This is
possible because, having been created in God’s image and likeness, we are endowed with the capacity to think (intellect) and
the capacity to choose (free will). Thus, as conscious and free beings, we are called to become aware of our free human acts
and carefully discern the good that we must do because it is only through the good and proper use of our freedom that we can
become more fully ourselves.

We Are Relational Beings

 This implies that true moral living is never just a private or personal concern. Our love for God must find its true and explicit
expression in our love for one another. Our relationship with God and our relationship with our families, friends, and
community are and must always be inseparably bound together.
We Are Unique, though Fundamentally Equal
 In all measurable ways, we are all different. We have different physical characteristics and varying options, as well as diverse
beliefs, traits, and behaviors. Despite these differences, though, we expect others to accept us in our uniqueness. Thus we,
too, should learn to respect the uniqueness of others, for we know deep down that we are all human persons worthy of
respect.

JESUS CHRIST REVEALS TO US THE FULLNESS OF OUR DIGNITY

What does it mean to be human?

- A Christian definitive response is look to Jesus Christ. Blessed John Paul II expressed this truth beautifully when he said,
‘‘In Christ and through Christ, God has revealed Himself fully to us. We have acquired full awareness of our dignity, of
the heights to which we are raised, of the surpassing worth of our own humanity, and of the meaning of our existence’’
(Redemptor Hominis 11).
- As Christians, we look to Christ not only as the perfect exemplar of being fully human, but also as the source of the inner
strength we need to follow Him, which He gives through the Holy Spirit.

We Are Created in the Image and Likeness of God

 We believe that we are created by God in His own image and likeness through Jesus Christ, ‘‘through whom all things are
and throughwhom we exist’’ (1 Cor 8:6). Made in God’s image, the human person is the crown of God’s creation, set apart
from all creatures as the only being called by God to share in His infinite knowing and loving, to be in a relationship with
Him (Evangelium Vitae 35), and to care for all creation. As the image of God, every individual possesses the dignity of a
person; he or she is someone, not just something (Catechism of the Catholic Church [CCC] 357).

We have Been Redeemed by Christ

 In and through Jesus Christ, God has redeemed us as individuals and as a people from slavery to sin and death. Christ has
shown us through His Paschal mystery that what makes us truly human is not our self-centeredness and sin but our capacity
to love.
 By His resurrection, Christ opened the way so that we, too, may share in His new life as adopted sons and daughters of the
Father.

We Are Empowered to Love by the Holy Spirit

 Everyday, God is present to us through His Holy Spirit within us, the same spirit that Christ offered through His Paschal
sacrifice and breathed upon the nascent Church at Pentecost (Jn 20:19-22). Through His indwelling Spirit, God transforms
and strengthen us as individuals to grow in love and live according to our dignity as His adopted children.
 This means that our capacity to die to our self-centeredness and sin in order to be of loving service to others is itself a gift
from God, for our very goodness finds its source in God’s Holy Spirit.

We Are Destined to Share in God’s Eternal Life

 Lastly, through Christ, we believe that all are called to be adopted children of God and to share in His gift of eternal life.
Simply put, this means that all persons belong to God’s family and are destined to share in the happiness and freedom of
God’s children. Thus every person we meet ia a brother or sister in Christ Jesus, through whom we gain adoption as the
Father’s sons and daughters.

STUDENT ACTIVITY (Week 1)

Song Analysis
Listen to the song ‘‘We are Yours’’ by the Bukas Palad Ministry. How do the lyrics of the song capture
what our Christian faith says about our dignity as persons? Choose two lines or phrases from the song that strike
you personally because they speak to you about your present disposition or personal context. Write about these
two lines or phrases and say why they are significant to you. Write your explanation in a 1 whole sheet of paper.
Visit the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KxkmprArjU

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?
We deepen our reflection further by reading the Parable of the Good Samaritan in the Gospel of Luke (10:29-37). This
parable depicts our universal call to be of loving service to others. Let us read it this time to understand how our Christian vision of the
human person serves as the ground for our love of neighbor.

Now, get your bible and read the Gospel from Luke 10: 29-37 about The Good Samaritan.

For today’s reader, it would seem that both the Levite and the priest were simply indifferent to the poor man’s plight. Their
lack of compassion, however, was more because of a legalistic understanding of the strict Jewish prohibitions against touching anyone
considered unclean: lepers, afflicted people, women who had just given birth, the dead, even Samaritans (Lv 11-15; Jn 4:9). If a Jew
touched anyone unclean, he would have to go through a tedious process of ritual purification rites hindered both the priest and the
Levite from recognizing and attending to the need of the wounded Jew.
But Christ was using the scholar’s own interpretation of the Mosaic Law to show how responding to the real needs of others
is to truly obey God’s law to love both others and God.

REVIEW: Write your refection on a separate sheet of paper. (Week 2)

What would our world be like if all persons recognized and respected the dignity of everyone? Write a reflection
 about how to grow in greater respect for the uniqueness and equality of all persons.

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL OF LOPEZ JAENA, INC.

Western Poblacion, Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occidental

SELF- LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET (VAL.ED 9)

Quarter: First Quarter

Name: ___________________________________________ Score: ________________

Year & Section: ___________________________________ Date: ________________

Chapter 2: THE HIERARCHY OF THE CHURCH (Week 3)

Learning Target:

References: https://www.hierarchystructure.com/roman-catholic-church-hierarchy/

Roman Catholic Church Hierarchy

If hierarchy is a group of people exercising authority then in the Roman Catholic
Church it is distributed amongst the bishops, priests and the deacons. The bishops
clamour the highest authority and the deacons and the priests are their assistants.

The Bishop
The body of bishops are considered the successors of the apostles and they are
the ones who have attained the highest form of priesthood and they comprise of the
pastors of the Church or rather are the Church representation. Primarily a bishop controls
the diocesan ordinaries and they meet up on a regular basis to discuss the current issues.
The Liturgy or certain decisions of the Church are an exclusive agenda of these meetings.
The bishops are normally ordained by another three, though only a single validity is good
enough. Various ranks are distinguished amongst bishops where Pope is the head.

The Pope
The Pope is the bishop church of Rome and the direct successor of St Peter. He
is reliable in matters like morals and faith. Also known as the Vicar of Christ he is but not
an absolute authority and cant issue decrees whimsically. The Vatican City is the home of
the Pope and the rules that govern his election procedure is found in the apostolic
constitution. He definitely has the option of resigning too.
Patriarchs
Patriarchs are the heads of particular autonomous churches who in turn consists of local churches under their periphery. They
have complete authority over the bishops and the metropolitans of that particular church.

Major Archbishops
The autonomous churches are led by a major archbishop. Barring a few exceptions his functions are similar to that of a
patriarch.

Cardinals
They are the princes of the Church and are appointed by the Pope himself. Generally they are the bishops heading
departments of important Episcopal sees and as a group they advise the Pope and are also eligible to elect Pope’s successor in case of
his death or resignation. The cardinalate is more of an honorific distinction and not an essential part of the theological structure of the
Catholic Church.

Primates
Primate is a Latin Church title and in some countries is given to bishops of a particular metropolitan. This title is allotted to
the ordinary of the archdiocese of the country.

Metropolitans
A Latin church composed of several dioceses has a Bishop who is called a Metropolitan. He gets the pallium from the Pope
symbolising his office. With limited oversight authority, this Metropolitan is also known as archbishop.

Archbishop
This title is held by bishops heading metropolitan sees and also by those heading archdioceses that aren’t either.

Diocesan Bishops
Though they don’t hold major titles like that of the Archbishop or Metropolitan but he surely is the centre of unity for his
eparchy or diocese. He is not delegated by the Pope, instead he teaches, governs and sanctifies responsibility.
Priest
Administering most of the sacraments, he can belong to any of the roman religious orders like Baptism or Eucharist and is
committed to serve any congregation.

Deacon
In the transitional stage, he is a seminarian and is studying for priesthood and a permanent one can be married too. He
normally assists a priest.

Students Activity