CHAPTER 1

SKETCHING A MORAL METHODOLOGY

WHAT IS MORALITY?
 Morality refers to the behavior or conduct of man in accordance to the truth.
 Morality is a call of the human person to live a life of constantly following Jesus Christ.
 Christian Morality is simply following Jesus Christ as The Way, The Truth and The Life.
CHRISTIAN MORALITY
 is the science to be ought to be
 morality is doing good and avoiding evil
 is a process of becoming authentically human
 morality is responsibility
 the way to Christ which leads to life
 is the knowledge of moral principles, systems of morals, and qualities of human
conducts.
THE METHOD… BY JAMES BRETZKE, SJ
 “a key aspect of lived morality is not just ‘doing’ the rights things and avoiding the
wrong things, but more fundamentally living in right relationships—with God and then
with God’s children, and finally with God’s creation.”
 the goal of moral decision making is that of shalom – peace
 moral decision making is concerned with how people are growing and developing and
should move a person and the community towards shalom
IMPORTANCE OF MORALITY
 Serves as Guide…
 Gives Direction…
 Creates HARMONY
 Serves as CHECK and BALANCE
of our actions as good to be performed or evil to be avoided.
CATHOLIC/CHRISTIAN MORALITY
-is doing the right thing (God’s plan) that will lead to our ultimate happiness.
PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN MORALITY
-Refer to norms, precepts, instructions or laws that govern human conduct and guide our
conscience to judge what is morally right or wrong in accordance to Christ’s examples being The
Way, The Truth and The Life.
MORAL PERSON
-is someone who has conscience and knows right and wrong but chooses the appropriate way
rather than the wrong path.
MORAL THEOLOGY
-is concerned with how we discern and make decisions in big and small choices.
-Many of the choices we make in our day to day life have moral dimensions and implications.
-It is important to be conscious of how our beliefs and faith commitments affect how we make
decisions in life
BASIS OF CHRISTIAN MORALITY
1. Ten Commandments
2. Moral Teachings of the New Testament
3. Church Teachings
OBJECT OF MORALITY: HUMAN CONDUCT
 Human Act
– an act which is done consciously and freely. The person is accountable of his action.
(voluntary)
-are actions performed by an agent with conscious knowledge and are subject to the
control of the will.
 Acts of Man
– actions which proceed from bodily tendencies. It is done beyond one’s knowledge and
consent. It does not give the person the moral responsibility. (unintentional)
-are actions that are instinctive and involuntary and are not within the control of the will.
ELEMENTS OF HUMAN ACTS
 Knowledge – awareness of man of the act
 Freedom – it is a free-act
 Voluntariness – must be a willed-act
CLASSIFICATION OF HUMAN ACTS
 Moral Actions- are those actions that are in conformity with the norm of morality.
 Immoral Actions – are those actions that are not in conformity with the norm of morality.
They are bad or evil actions and are not permissible.
 Amoral Actions- are actions, which stand neutral in relation to the norms of morality.
They are either good or bad in themselves. But certain actions may become good or bad
because of the circumstances intended to them.
MORAL DETERMINANTS OF HUMAN ACT
1. Object of the act
-substance/nature of the action
-good which the will deliberately directs itself
-OBJECT specifies the “act of the will”
-Nature of what was done to its distinct species
-“What was performed by the moral agent?”
“An object if the act is Good when it fulfills or fits the demand of reason. Otherwise, the object
of the act is evil.
2. Intention/End in View
-motive of the agent-factor which the agent acts, either be morally good or evil
-purpose for which a human agent performs the act
-concerned with the goal of the activity
-it aims at the good anticipated from the action undertaken
-“what specifically does the agent want to accomplish?”
 Good intention doesn’t make an intrinsically disordered act right
 The end does not justify the means.
3. Circumstance
-refers to the events, occasions or conditions that make the act concrete
-modify acts either by increasing or diminishing of the moral goodness or evilness of an
act/responsibility of the agent
-lighten of aggravate the weight of moral accountability of the performer
 The circumstance do not change the specific nature of the nature of the human act
DETERMINANTS OF MORALITY
1.OBJECT/ACT Good Good Evil Good
2.CIRCUMSTANCES Good Good Evil Evil
3. END/ PURPOSE Good Evil Evil Evil
HUMAN ACT Good Evil Evil Evil

MORAL ISSUES
 Pre-marital sex
 Teen pregnancies
 Abortion
  Death Penalty
 Suicide
 Divorce
 Adultery
 Same sex Marriage
NORMS OF MORALITY
Objective Norm – Law
Subjective Norm - Conscience
4 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A LAW
Reasonable – with purpose, not a capricious whim
Promulgated – communicated with sufficient notice
By Competent Authority – by those who have legitimate power
For the Common good – betterment of its subject
CLASSIFICATION OF LAWS
Divine Laws – comes directly from God
Human Laws – enacted by the Church os State authorities
* Ecclesiastical laws – enacted by the church
* Civil Laws – enacted by the State

Divine Law Human Law

 Civil law Church Law

     

LAWS OF THE CHURCH

1. Attend mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation
2. Fast and abstain on the days appointed
3. Confess our sins at least once a year.
4. Receive the Eucharist during the Eastern season
5. Contribute to the support of the Church
4 KINDS OF LAW BY ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
1. Eternal - is the Divine Wisdom of God which oversees the common good and governs
everything. Eternal law is God’s plan to lead all creation towards God’s eternal salvific plan to
be holy and blameless before Him
2. Divine - is the historical laws of Scripture given to us through God’s self-revelation. Divine
law is divided into the Old Law and the New Law.
3. Natural - or the law of nature refers to normative properties that are inherent by virtue of
human nature and universally cognizable through human reason. It is the foundation for moral
and civil law.
4. Human -  customary laws which vary from place to place based on customs or values. Laws
found in the legal system.
 CHAPTER 2.
FREEDOM, SIN, AND GRACE
I. FREEDOM
 When God created man, He endowed man with freedom. Human Freedom is one of the
distinctive characteristics of man which animals do not have.
 Freedom is not absolute…men should act on their own judgment, enjoying and making
use of a responsible freedom, mot driven by coercion but motivated by a sense of duty.
ASPECTS OF HUMAN FREEDOM
1. Freedom is perfective of the individual. Our choices form our freedom. Our actions reveal who
we are as persons.
2. Freedom is a task and a process. It requires our openness to the proposed norms of living a
moral life.
3. Freedom is value oriented. Responsible freedom moves towards preservation of life-giving
values.
4. Freedom is community-oriented. We are social beings, our free choices may affect others.
“My freedom ends when freedom of others begins.”
AUTHENTIC HUMAN FREEDOM
1. Freedom from – tells us of the different hindrances, for us to establish our self-worth, and true
self-becoming with others in the community.
Impediments to freedom: 
    biological, psychological and social
2. Freedom for – is called freedom for self- determination that springs from the reality of our
being (imago Dei) 
The greatest obstacle to freedom is SIN
II. SIN
 Clearly SIN is a product of man’s freedom.
Descriptions:
1. It is breaking God’s law
2. It is going against the dictate of our conscience
3. “Sin is an utterance, a deed or desire contrary to the eternal law.” – St Augustine
SIN IN THE BIBLE
1. Missing mark – focuses on the offense inflicted on another by failing to meet one’s covenant
obligation
2. Depravity and perversity – the defect of character or disorder that weighs the sinner down
3. Rebellion and transgression - is a conscious choice, which destroys positive relationships
4. Acts against the Kingdom – a hostile to God and to God’s word
DEGREES OF SIN
1. Venial (venia) pardon or forgiveness – are “excusable”
sins which do not involve the person’s fundamental
freedom nor lead to spiritual death.
Though venial sins are by definition pardonable,
they should not be taken lightly for they offend God.
Moreover, carelessness with regard to them, especially
when a habit develops can lead to mortal sin

EXAMPLES:
-Murder -Fights, arguments
-Theft -Running belongings
-Perjury, Slander -Minor lies, gossip
-Adultery -Cheating at a game;test
-Receiving -
Eucharist when
you’ve committed
a mortal sin
III. GRACE
  a spontaneous gift from God to people – "generous, free and totally unexpected and
undeserved" 
 – that takes the form of divine favor, love, clemency, and a share in the divine life of God.
  It is an attribute of God that is most manifest in the salvation of sinners.
KINDS OF GRACE
1. Sanctifying grace -  The permanent disposition to remain in communion with God.

2. Actual grace - God's intervention and support in every day moments of life. Important for
ongoing growth and conversion.

3. Sacramental grace - The gifts specific to each of the seven sacraments.

4. Special grace (charism) - associated with one's state in life and intended to build up the Body
of Christ.

SACRAMENTS, SACRAMENTALS AND CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS

The sacraments of the Church are the fruit of the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

THE SACRAMENTS ARE DIVIDED INTO:

A) Sacraments of Christian Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Eucharist;
B) Sacraments of Healing: Penance and Anointing of the Sick;
C) Sacraments at the service of communion and mission: Holy Orders and Holy Matrimony
(Compendium of CCC 250).
The sacraments touch all the important moments of the Christian life. All the sacraments
are ordered to the Holy Eucharist “as to their end” (Saint Thomas Aquianas).
WHAT IS THIS SACRAMENT?
Baptism
The Sacrament of Baptism is the center of the whole of Christian life, the gateway to life in the
Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua), and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through
Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are
incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission (CCC # 1213).

WHAT IS THIS SACRAMENT?

Confirmation
Baptism, the Eucharist and the sacrament of Confirmation together
constitute the “sacraments of Christian Initiation,” whose unity must be
safeguarded. It must be explained to the faithful that the reception of the
Sacrament of Confirmation is necessary for the completion of baptismal
grace. For “by the sacrament of Confirmation”, (the baptized) are more
perfectly bound to the Church and are enriched with a special strength of
the Holy Spirit. Hence, they are as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly
obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed (CCC 1285).  
Holy Eucharist
At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior
instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the sacrifice of his Body
and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross
throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his
beloved spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a
sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet in
which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of
future glory is given to us (CCC 1323).
 Reconciliation

“Those who approach the Sacrament of Penance obtain pardon from

God’s mercy for the offenses committed against him, and are, at the
same time, reconciled with the Church which they have wounded by
their sins and which by charity, by example and by prayer labor for their
conversion” (CCC 1422).
Anointing of the Sick
“By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the
whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and
glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed
she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the people of God by
freely uniting themselves to the passion and death of Jesus” (CCC
1499).
Holy Matrimony
Matrimony is the sacrament by which a man and a woman unite themselves
before God to found a Christian family. It is a public statement of a man and a
woman that they have entered a relationship of deep and lasting love in which
they hope to foster their own personal fulfillment and bring up new life to
responsible parenthood (CCC 1601, Can 1058, GS 48).
Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to
his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus
it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate,
presbyterate, and diaconate (CCC 1536).
WHAT ARE SACRAMENTALS?
These are sacred signs instituted by the Church to sanctify the different circumstances of life.
They include a prayer accompanied by the sign of the cross and other signs (Compendium of
CCC 351)
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF SACRAMENTALS?
A. Sacramentals are sacred signs that bring us closer to God’s Grace.
B. They help us develop an attitude of prayer, faith, holiness, and devotion.
TYPES OF SACRAMENTALS?
 Exorcism  Holy Vessels  Medals
 Holy Water  Incense  Crosses
 Rosaries  Relics  Bow
 Candles  Blessed  Bells
 Icons Palms  Genuflection
 Holy Images  Bibles  Prayers
 Scapulars
SACRAMENTALS
 Sacred objects needs to be treated with respect
 Sacramentals have been blessed and made holy through the power of the Church’s
prayer.
 Sacramentals or sacred signs or objects are to be treated with reverence and devotion
(passion for the things of God).
FILIPINO CATHOLIC DEVOTIONS
Popular Devotions
1. Santo Nino
The Santo Niño, the Holy Child in English, is a figure of the Child
Jesus which is venerated by Filipinos all over the world though most of its
devotees are from the province of Cebu. The Santo Niño is usually clad
with expensive and flashy clothing which is usually lined with jewelry. The
statue has been in Cebu since 1565 and is the oldest relic in the country. It
is housed in the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño which is located in Cebu
City.

2. Black Nazarene
 The Black Nazarene is the patron saint of Quiapo, a small but popular area of Manila that is also
home to many establishments such as the Quiapo market and several other stores that line the streets. The
Black Nazarene is a life sized image of a “black” Jesus Christ carrying the cross and since the year 1787,
it has been housed in the St. John de Baptist Church or the Minor Basilica. The statue is only brought out
on two occasions, its Feast Day, which is celebrated on January 9 and on Good Friday.

3. Our Lady of Penafrancia

Every third Saturday of September, Naga City, which is located in
the Bicol Region, celebrates the feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. Whether
rich or poor, Bicolanos will be in Naga City to meet their families and
friends to celebrate the feast but most importantly, to venerate the Virgin of
Peñafrancia, whom they fondly call Ina. On the first day of the novena, the
image of the Virgin, which is a copy of the Madonna located in Peñafrancia,
Spain, is transferred from its shrine to the Naga City Cathedral. On the last
day of the novena, the image returns to her shrine through the Naga River
route. This procession fills the banks of the river with spectators and
devotees who chant “Viva La Virgen” upon the arrival of the image. After
the flatboat reaches its destination, the devotees again chant "Viva la Virgen" and the image is carried
back in a procession of thousands to the cathedral.

4. Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Our Lady of Perpetual Help is an image of the Virgin Mary
holding the child Jesus in her arms as the Archangels Michael and
Gabriel hold the articles of the passion, the cross and the nails. St.
Luke is said to have been the original artist of this image.
Novena prayers and mass every Wednesday are held to honor
Our Lady of Perpetual Help. The Baclaran Church known as the
Christian Church with the largest population and the Marian Shrine in
the Philippines, attracts several hundred thousands of people who wish
to show devotion. Our Lady of Perpetual Help celebrates her feast on June 27 and on this date, devotees
gather in the National Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Baclaran for thanksgiving and to pray for
their intercessions.

5. Our Lady of Manoag

The veneration of Our Lady of Manaoag began with the holy
Augustinian fathers in charge of the spiritual administration of the Manaoag
town in the early 17th century. The ivory image of Our Lady of Manaoag
was brought to Philippine shores by Padre Juan de San Jacinto from Spain
via the Acapulco galleon trade.
According to folklore, a native man was journeying home and heard
a Lady's mysterious voice. He was stunned upon seeing the radiant Lady
clutching a Rosary on her right hand and a Child on her left as she stood on
a cloud veiling a treetop. The man then fell on his knees and he soon told
the people of what he had seen. After that incident, on the spot where the Lady appeared, a church was
built in her honor. It was called "Manaoag" and a town quickly grew around it. Legend has it that the
town was born from the Virgin’s call, thus the term, "taoag", which is Filipino for "to call", was used to
name the town.

CHAPTER 3
VOCATION AND CONSCIENCE
 Vocation is from the Latin word vocare, which means “to call” or “to summon.”
 A calling to priesthood, religious life, or marriage.
1. The first aspect of vocation is what is received at baptism.
-This is the universal aspect of vocation that calls each human being to love and serve God and
others, regardless of our background, culture, or race.
2. The second aspect of vocation is more specific and concerns the state of life of a person.
-Whether or not one chooses to be married, to be single, or to join the religious or ordained life,
all of these are equally good paths, with different graces and challenges for each state of life.
3. The third and last aspect is now the personal vocation.
-The most specific aspect, taking into account a person’s particular circumstances, concerns,
talents, needs, and opportunities.
WHAT WORK OR WAY OF LIFE LEADS TO SATISFYING MY DEEPEST HAPPINESS?
 God wants what is best for us and that this will also give us the most joy and deep peace.
Japanese term for vocation called ikigai
 Ikigai is translated as the “reason for being” or the “reason why you wake up each
morning”.
 It is the intersection of a person’s passion or happiness, the person’s skills and practical
needs, and what the world needs.
CONSCIENCE
God speaks to man through his heart, mind and will. It is the voice calling him to
love, to do good, to avoid evil…because in his heart a law is inscribed by God –
we call CONSCIENCE. It is the most secret core, a sanctuary where man is alone
with his creator.

Subjective Axis – (Reason and Human Experience) how we

understand what God wants and how it fits into our own
particular life situation.
Objective Axis – (Scripture and Tradition) is concerned
with understanding what God seeks from us
FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE:
1. Discernment – ability to judge well
S - search
T - think
O – others (consult experts or authorities)
P – pray for enlightenment
2. Moral Demand as Christian
3. Moral Decision or Judgment
TWO CONCERNS IN FORMING THE CONSCIENCE :
 What happens when the person is in ignorance, which leads to an erroneous conscience?
 What happens when one’s conscience differs from the Catholic Church’s teaching?
IGNORANCE
Invincible Ignorance – a form of ignorance that a person cannot remove through his or her
reasonable effort.
The person cannot be held as sinful in the same way that someone who had full knowledge is
sinful; however, the person still committed an evil and must make amends for this and seek to
correct his or her conscience.
Vincible Ignorance - if a person could remove this ignorance through some effort. Thus cannot
be used as a reason for wrong moral judgement.
CASE STUDY ON VINCIBLE AND INVINCIBLE IGNORANCE
John is a college taking up engineering at a good college. He comes from a family with
particular political leanings and is thus exposed to only one side of the political debate. His
friends also share this same political leaning and thus also share similar like-minded articles and
ways of understanding. Many of the articles shared by his family and friends on social media
thus come from blogs or websites with the same political inclination. While some of these
articles have valid points, most of them are just fake news or false data and numbers. These
articles, however, reinforce John’s current understanding of politics in the country.
On occasion, a friend on social media, whose side is different from John’s, would post a
different point of view. However, such articles would be heavily critiqued with ad hominem
arguments or responded to with more fake news, which John, his family, and his friends would
agree with.
 This simply reinforces John’s and John’s family’s worldview. Thus, John develops his
conscience and makes decisions based on the fake news and numbers; he chooses to believe the
side he grew up in and has become closed to other opposing views.
CONSCIENCE AND CHURCH TEACHING
 Gaudium et Spes says the conscience “holds one to obedience.”
 If the person does have a serious disagreement with legitimate grounds, this is called
dissent.
LEVELS OF CONSCIENCE
1. Instinctive – motivated to do good because of fear or punishment and the desire for a reward.

2. Ethical – the capacity to choose good from evil is empowered by the knowledge of moral
norms

3. Christian – Love is the motivation of doing what is right.

KINDS OF CONSCIENCES:
Doubtful – is not sure whether his act is good or bad. Suspends judgment on the lawlessness of
the act and therefore the action is omitted.
Scrupulous – sees an act as sinful even if it is not
Lax – makes light of a serious sin or making it not sinful at all. Tends to follow the easy way and
to find excuses for mistakes.
Erroneous – sees something right as wrong and wrong as right
Certain – is completely sure that the act is exactly what his conscience dictates. It is acting
according to one’s convictions.
Correct – judges good as really good and evil as exactly evil