Moral Life in Christ
Lean Into Goodness
Have you ever met someone who you considered to be good? By following their actions you were able to determine they weren’t just doing good deeds, but that they themselves were full of goodness. Goodness is a fruit that can be cultivated and grown in our lives. When it’s grown into virtue, then goodness becomes…
Read MoreHow the Moral Conscience Leads to True Human Freedom
I am free to follow my conscience. I am sure that you’ve heard a lot about the freedom of conscience. These two words tend to go together in people’s minds. But is this a Catholic concept? Am I really free to follow my moral conscience? Well, Saint Thomas Aquinas would warn us that it…
Read MoreAn Introduction to Human Virtues
The main point of Catholic spiritual growth is not what we do. Spiritual growth is dependent rather on who we become and what kind of relationships we form with God and with our neighbor. That’s why virtue is so important. The human virtues and the divine virtues both make goodness part of who we are.…
Read MoreMoral Principle of Human Dignity
Definition Every moral decision must treat all human beings as persons, concerned with the spiritual and physical dimensions of human nature and attendant to the inherent worth of every individual life. Explanation This is among the most fundamental principles derived from the moral law. Many theologians consider it self-evident. The dignity of the human person…
Read MoreMoral Principle Growth Through Suffering
Definition While suffering is a response to evil, it is not itself an evil. Especially when redeemed by grace, suffering can contribute to our growth as human beings. Explanation Common human experience (natural law) tells us that the experience of suffering can help us develop a good character. When we suffer, we begin to realize…
Read MoreMoral Principle of the Common Good
Definition The common good is the collection of goods that are created and shared by a society that help human beings attain true human fulfillment. Explanation By coming together as a society, people create goods that would not necessarily be available to individuals living on their own. Goods such as culture, education, health care, and…
Read MoreMoral Principle of Legitimate Cooperation with Evil
If we were to try to avoid any and all cooperation with evil we would be unable to act. Obviously such a goal is noble, but unreasonable. Moral reasoning guided by moral principles and enlightened by grace can guide us to choose the best possible good even when evil is unavoidable. One important guiding principle…
Read MoreMMR Vaccines and Abortion
THE PROBLEM The vaccine for Measles, Mumps and Rubella was created using cells from aborted fetuses in the 1960s. While subsequent vaccines have not been created through the direct death of an unborn baby, many of them are created using the cell lines from the same aborted fetuses from which the MMR vaccine originated. So,…
Read MoreParticipating in the Divine Life
Between Catholics and non-Catholic Christians, the question, “How are we saved?” comes up quite often. Mainline Protestants answer this crucial questions with the list of “solas” created by Martin Luther: sola grazia, sola fides – by grace alone and by faith alone. Catholic answer the question differently, but not in the way that Protestants often…
Read MoreNatural Law vs. Laws of Nature: Becoming More Human
I once had an argument with a teaching colleague about homosexuality. He told me, “I don’t understand why the Church claims that homosexuality is against Natural Law. You find homosexuality all over the place in nature.” My response was two-fold. One, you really don’t find homosexuality in nature. What you find in nature is what…
Read More