SOCIAL NORMS NORMS OF MORALITY CONSCIENCE

Week 7

Societal/Social Norms
Social norms, or mores, are the unwritten rules of behavior that are practice in a
group or society. Norms function to provide order and predictability in society. People
want approval and sense of belongingness, and those who do not follow the norms will
suffer disapproval or may even be outcast from the group. This is how people keep
society functioning, not just with direct rules but also expectations. When people know
what is expected of them, they will comply. While some people seek to be different,
most just want to be part of the group.

Norms of Morality
These are standards on which human acts are based to determine their goodness
or badness. A proximate norm is immediately applicable to the acts while the ultimate
norm guarantees the validity of the proximate norm.

a. Proximate Norm - Proximate Norm of Morality arises from human nature. This is
present in everyone for all to immediately nd out if the action they are about to do
or the act that they have just done is good or bad. Since this norm is in the human
person, it is also subjective. This proximate norm of morality is Conscience.

CONSCIENCE
Conscience comes from the Latin word, CONSCIENTIA, meaning "a joint
knowledge" Or "knowledge with." Based on this etymological meaning, conscience is
not an entity that is devoid of other factors. According to the Catechism of the Catholic
Church (CCC), Conscience is the practical judgment of reason allowing the person to
recognize the moral quality of an act. So, Conscience is
attached with our reason and intellect.

It is considered as God's voice that echoes in the heart and mind of an individual.
Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of man. There he is alone with God
whose voice echoes in his depths (GS 16).

Conscience has the nal say in making moral decisions. It helps a person make
the nal judgment on how to act in a given situation. In addition, it is the inner voice
summoning us to love the good and avoid evil, by applying objective moral norms to our
particular acts, and thus commanding: "do this, do not do that". (CFC 723)

Conscience is further classi ed into different forms:

1. Correct conscience judges a good act as indeed good while a bad act is indeed
bad.
2. False conscience. This conscience judges a good act as bad and bad act as good.
One example is gambling. Gambling in any form is not good at all. In every game, one
wins at the expense of another person's loss. Assessing this situation, one may say that
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 such action is good for it is a form of fun and a game of luck. Thus, the bad act is
perceived as good for pleases and comforts people. That is why, despite the clamor of
ending all forms of gambling in the country, how come until now, it is still prevalent? Are
people unaware of its negative effects to the wider community?

3. Scrupulous conscience describes that one is always afraid of committing errors;

hence, he/she becomes rigorous in everything that he/she does. In other words, such
kind of conscience makes a person very legalistic (a person interprets the letter of the
law alone, not its spirit) in such a way that he/she follow what is literally there in the law
and follows it no matter its effects on his/her life. What matters most is the fact that he/
she will not commit any error.

Ful lling one's Sunday obligation of attending mass is good act. This is in accordance
with the third commandment. Misunderstanding this Church law subjects one to his/her
scrupulous conscience. While it is true that everyone needs to ful ll this obligation, it
does not however bind sick people. So that when a student of a Catholic institution goes
to mass despite being sick, scrupulous conscience is working on the person. In this
case, he/she may not attend mass anymore considering his/her condition but still forces
himself/herself due to his/her fear of committing a sin.

4. Lax conscience is a case where a person keeps on excusing himself/herself from

every mistake committed. It is as if, he/she does not commit any mistake at all.
Intentional violation of traf c rules is one example. Not stopping even when the red light
is on and giving the reason that no one sees anyway as there are no traf c enforcers
around. The driver justi es his/her mistake by saying that anyway he/she will not be
reprimanded since he did not hurt anyone. Another example are students who are just
contented with passing grades and do not exert effort anymore.

5. Certain conscience is a rm judgment that one is not in error. The person always
makes it sure that he will not commit any mistake.

6. Doubtful conscience is a case where judgment is always suspended

because of the uncertainty of the goodness and badness of a human action.
The word 'doubt' denotes the idea that one is not sure of what he/she is doing. A
person's suspension of his/her desire for getting in shape until his/her doctor gives
clearance that he/she is t to go through strenuous activities is one good example. The
suspension gives him/her a reasonable period to assess whether or not such an idea
would really help him/her or would rather bring about a problem on his/her health.

LEVELS OF CONSCIENCE
• Instinctive Level - Dominated by fear of punishment and desire for approval or
reward. - Natural level, it is normal for children (it will not do bad because of fear)

• Moral/Philosophical - Operates not just on what is commanded by authority but from

the judgement or awareness of the inner goodness or badness of an act.
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• Christian Level - One's Christian Faith illumines, clari es and deepens what is
perceive as truly worthy of being a person. It places moral striving as a personal call
to wholeness and holiness.

General Norm: Always follow your conscience

Point to ponder: With the given kinds of conscience above, will you always follow the
general norm which is always follow your conscience?

Challenges to the Formation of Conscience

With all the classi cations of conscience, is it easy to determine whether one's
conscience is geared towards the good or bad? To say, "Let your conscience be your
guide" is easy, but in reality, to act accordingly is dif cult since many voices are heard
within oneself especially in making decisions. This is where the education and formation
of conscience come in. It is good to stress that the formation of conscience is a long
process, not an overnight activity. It is learned through experience and time. It is
therefore important to form one's conscience because it stands as the ethical imperative
of the Church - to mold Christians who are responsible with a well formed and mature
conscience (McTavish, 2011).

While the formation of Conscience is a noble task, there are some factors which hinders
its good formation

McTavish in his article, The Formation of Conscience, cites some challenges in the
formation and education of conscience which are worth mentioning: First, one challenge
can be attributed to extreme relativism, which means, everybody decides according to
what he/she thinks to be the good one, without consulting knowledgeable people or
other authorities. It is indeed detrimental to decision making if a person depends only on
his/her relativistic thinking. There
will be no room for clari cation and proper advice.

Another challenge to the formation of conscience is misinformation. This is to say that

every now and then, one hears reactions, comments and opinions from people. Some
are very convincing and persuasive. Yet, it is not a guarantee that it is the truth. Many
mistakes are caused by misinformation, so, people really need to clarify matters of
which they do not know their truth so as not to make horrible decisions in their actions.

Another factor that could lead to a gross dif culty in forming one's conscience is
individualism. It is a drive towards one's own satisfaction while disregarding other
people. In other words, it is an attitude of "my world and mine alone and
outside of me is not signi cant." To come up with a good formation of one's conscience,
people should brush aside these hindrances mentioned above.
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 Formation of Conscience

To meet the aforementioned challenges, there are suggested ways by which the
Christian moral conscience can be formed and educated.

1. Through Prayer - According to Lipio, prayer is of vital importance in the process of

conscience formation. Persons who wish to have a true Christian conscience must
be faithful in communicating with the Lord in their daily lives (Lipio, 66).

One needs to develop and practice a good prayer life. In this way one's moral
conscience is formed. In prayer, a person is helped to discern what is good and what is
bad, how to accept and correct mistakes, and re ect on concrete experiences. It should
be understood that prayer is not something that is purely spiritual without any
connection to the concrete events of daily life. Rather, prayer is always connected and
relevant to the present and concrete experiences of people. That is why, prayer helps
form one's conscience because it enlightens the mind and one's able to assess properly
a moral situation from a Christian perspective.

2. Through Listening to the preaching of the Gospel - "In the homily, preachers are
exerting greater effort to be faithful to the biblical text and mindful of the condition of the
faithful, providing them assistance in interpreting the events of their personal lives and
historical happenings in the light of faith" (McTavish, 2011). In this way, persons may
see and realize their actions in relation to what Jesus is telling them in the Gospel.

3. Through the Role of the Christian community - as children of God, people always
need to depend on one another especially on matters that they want to be clari ed with
regarding their course of action. People do not live individually but with others. Gaudium
et Spes advises that, "In delity to conscience, Christians are enjoined with the rest of
humans in the search for the truth, and for the genuine solution to the numerous
problems which arise in the life of individuals from social relationships" (Gaudium et
Spes 16). The Christian community can help in looking at issues from different angles,
not just form one viewpoint.

To sum up the three factors mentioned above in forming one's conscience, CFC
explicitly says, " to form the conscience of a disciple of Christ, the key obviously is
Christ and His Spirit, experienced within Christ's community the Church. The formative
process takes place in faith and through prayer, by attending to the Word of God and
the teaching of the Church and by responsiveness to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Critical
re ection on the events and experiences of our life helps us in forming moral judgments.
It is in living out the faith that we form our Christian consciences" (558).

4. Through Multi-disciplinary approach - Other elds of science such as psychology.

economics, civil laws, natural sciences etc. are considered in forming one's conscience.
However, these elds should not be the only measure in decision making but these


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other perspectives should also be considered, and it is where one can derive good
decision.

Thus, the formation of conscience is indeed a great challenge for all, not only for
Christians. TO say that conscience is God's voice is easy, yet in reality one may get
confused because there are con icting voices. That is why it is best to emphasize the
importance of prayer because it is where one can truly be assured that he/she hears
and listens to God's voice. Praying doesn't only mean going to mass alone or reciting
formula prayers, but it is in its broader sense when one is always in touch with the
presence of God in his/her life. It is by experiencing His presence that she/he may be
able to realize what course of action he/she should take, especially in very delicate and
complicated situations. Having a well formed conscience does not happen in a split of a
second, but it is a deliberate and lifelong journey. It is a challenge to form one's
conscience well but a worthwhile one.

Ultimate Norm: The Norms Which Govern Human Conduct Norms of Morality

Ultimate Norm
If the Proximate Norm of Morality like conscience is subjective since it is
dependent on the person, the Ultimate Norm of Morality is objective. These comes in
the forms of laws, decree or ordinances which are derived or formulated based on
higher orders that are found in Nature and the divine aspects of reality.

The Norms Which Govern Human Conduct

LAW
Since not all are able to use properly their intellect and free will and not all really
have a formed and informed conscience at once, people have set for themselves and
for the community standards or guidelines to follow in order to live a morally upright life.
These rules are technically called Law/s. These Laws are enacted as standards of life
and to promote genuine human development.

As stated above, the human person or Nature as a whole is not a pure material
entity but has spiritual aspect. This spiritual aspect of reality reasonably presupposes
that there (God) is a Creator of the universe and the pattern/order of all things that exist.
So, for laws to achieve its noble purpose, they must be based on higher norms/orders
which are called the Eternal Law and the Natural Law.

Eternal Law
Eternal Law can be described as the Divine reason and will commanding that the
natural order of things be preserved and forbidding it to be disturbed. Other de nitions
of Eternal Law are: God's divine plan for all His creatures and the "exemplar of the
divine wisdom as directing all actions and movements". This Law has the following
characteristics:
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A. Eternal - this law is with God who has no beginning and no end. It governs all the
creatures of God from the beginning until the end of time (for the material realities).
B. Immutable - the Eternal Law is not subject to change.
C. Absolutely universal - this Law is applicable to all creatures.

Natural Law
Natural Law is understood as the light of understanding placed in us by God so that we
know what to do and what to avoid. Or the law of human conduct which arises from
human nature as ordered to its ultimate natural end and which is recognized by the light
of reason. Natural Laws are discovered and understood by people with the aid of
reason.

In simple words, Natural Law are the pattern or order of all things which are discovered
through experience and reasoning or even common sense.

Examples of the Natural Law are the following: Fundamental moral principles such as
"Good is to be done and evil is to be avoided", "Never do unto others what you do not
want others do unto you" "the end does not justify the means. "Honor your parents"
"Preserve life" "Do not murder" and others. With the examples above, you might ask
about the Ten Commandments, that are these Natural Laws?

Except for Commandment Number One to Three, the next Seven Commandments are
basically Natural Laws. Actually, people by nature know or will discover these
Commandments using their intellect and conscience.

The Four characteristics of the Natural Law:

A. Universal - This law is applicable to all creatures. Example: the rule, "you shall not
kill" is applicable in all countries.
B. Recognizable - The person will realize or notice the existence of the Natural Law
through observations, interactions with others, and through deeper re ection of his/
her activities or of his/her very own existence.

So, there is no excuse for one not to obey the Natural Law since they are noticeable or
realizable.

C. Obligatory - Since this very law will lead the person to his/her wellbeing and to his/
her desired destiny, there is no better choice for the human person than to obey it. Not
obeying it would lead to the things that the human person would like to avoid in life such
as sickness, calamities, and ultimate to death or total destruction. In reality, most of the
sickness and calamities we experience today are all effect of what people did to mother
Nature or not respecting the order in nature or not following Natural Law.

D. Immutable - Since the Natural Law is in accordance with the divine plan
or with the Eternal Law, it will never change or is not subject to change.
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 "Example: The Ten commandments despite being an ancient set of law is still relevant
all throughout the ages.

Positive Law
The word "positive" means being promulgated or "published." Positive Laws are
the speci c (laws) formulations derived from the Natural Law and the Eternal Law.
These are the speci c application of the Eternal Law or the Natural Law in different
human or societal contexts. Positive laws are formulated since the Natural law often
appears in general forms/principles.

As the Eternal Law is seen or expressed through the Natural Law, the Natural Law
is also seen, expressed or applied through the Positive Law. A Positive Law which does
not respect the Natural Law contributes to the damage on the development of the
human person and of the whole creation.

Positive Law is categorized into two: the Divine Positive Law and the Human Positive
Law.

I. The Divine Positive Law - this is a God-given law which is promulgated for all
creatures or only for a speci c group of community. A good example is the Ten
Commandments which God gave to the Israelites through the prophet Moses. (Divine
means God)

Il. The Human Positive Law - this is an ordinance of reason promulgated for the
common good by one in charge of the community or by a competent authority.
Examples of human positive laws are the ordinances of a certain place or the
constitution of a certain country. Other examples or terms for human positive law are:
Civil Law and the Ecclesiastical Law Law of the Church). To better understand the
meaning of the human positive law, let us analyze all the key words in the de nition.

a. Ordinance - it is a decree or a command and not a request; it demands obedience.

One has to follow it.
b. Reasonable - it means a certain positive law is based on reason and not on mere
emotion. It must be useful or good which means it must attain its goal. A positive law is
also reasonable if it has the following characteristics:
• just/fair
• honest - in harmony with higher laws (Eternal and Natural Laws)
• possible for ful llment/attainment - means realistic
• useful - it is a means or tool to attain a goal
• Relatively permanent - change if no longer effective/no longer serves its purpose
Example: Before, people were allowed to wear slipper when driving a car, now it is
no longer allowed since the shoes gives better protection than the slipper.
• Must be promulgated - made known, announced, published, written, before it takes
effect.

Other descriptions of a Positive Law:

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Territorial or Contextual - The application of the law sometimes depends on the
context (place and time) or territory.
Example: People on the mountains which is usually cold in climate differ in their way of
dressing from those on the lowlands; such as wearing jacket is necessary in Baguio
while people in Cagayan only wear jackets during cold seasons.

A law continues until it is changed by another. (Relatively permanent) As stated above,

time and place may cause change or revision of a certain law. When we were children,
we were not allowed to enter the room without slippers, but now students are not
allowed to enter the classrooms with slippers. Why? Slippers are no longer allowed for
formal affairs and for protection but shoes. Another example is the people on the
mountains who used to wear G-strings (bahag), but now for more descent and body
protection purpose, they are all wearing pants.

The Two General Applications of the Norms of Morality

As we have stated other factors in the application of the Norms of Morality such as time,
place, and others, there are two general applications of the norms of morality. These are
Normative Morality and Descriptive Morality.

Normative Morality
These are laws or norms that are or should be universally implemented. For
example, the dignity and worth of a human life is a universal concept freely embraced
by all individuals regardless of their pro le (religion, ethnicity, gender and others). All
cultures put a high regard for life and attach respect and honor to it. The rule is "you
shall not kill". So, there are laws that crossed all boundaries such as cultures, time,
place, and others. The Commandments Number Four to Ten are good examples of this.

Descriptive Morality
This is the application of a universal law to a speci c place, time, and other
particular conditions of certain communities/ societies. With this, the law becomes
exclusive and applicable only to a certain society. As we have stated above, the
application of a universal law to the people on the mountains may differ from those
living near the sea since their source of income or livelihood may be totally different.
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 Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Lenten Season in the Catholic Liturgical
Calendar (calendar of worship celebrations). Lent is 40 days. As we discussed in CFED
1013, 40 days in the Old Testament symbolizes time for puri cation. It is time for us to
purify ourselves and undergo conversion and return to the Lord if we have not been
doing good in our past days. It is time for repentance and metanoia. Ash is a symbol of
mortality, and people in the Old Testament use it when they ask for forgiveness from the
Lord. Aside from using ash, there are also two things that we (Catholics) do during Ash
Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting and Abstinence. Fasting does not mean you will
not eat the whole day. It means take one full meal a day.

Out of your three meals, you should get full only once, and take little food for the other
two meals. Aside from puri cation, fasting also means sacri ce, that we share in the
sacri ce of Christ who suffered for our sins. Abstinence. This means do not eat meat.
Point to ponder: If you go to a so called "burol ng patay and they will offer you food with
a meat as your "ulam". How do you feel? in line with this, we also respect the body of
Christ which suffered and died for our sins. As Catholics, we are expected to practice
these two. Anyway, we are only required to do these during Ash Wednesday and Good
Friday.

Two days only, while other sects do not eat blood for the whole of their lives. Fasting
and abstinence also means abstain from doing other pleasurable things or from joyous
moments during these days. " Nagfasting ka nga ng food pero naglaro ka naman ng
favorite mong games the whole day, e nawala yung essence ng pagfasting mo” These
two days are the of cial days for us to practice fasting and abstinence. Other Fridays of
the year is just recommended but not obligatory. Why Friday? Because Jesus died on a
Friday. For your assignment, research on the exemptions or who are exempted from
doing fasting and abstinence.

Lesson 9: UNDERSTANDING THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

God strongly revealed His plan for His people through the Ten Commandments.
When Moses and the rest of the Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land, God
was gracious enough to guide His people on what was the right thing to do and what
can open the door of blessings for them. He gave guidelines on how they would live
harmoniously with Him and with the rest of the society.

In full obedience to the command of the Lord, Moses started his sojourn at Mount
Sinai and received the Ten Commandments on tablets of stones. God gave the
Commandments to remind His people that there are certain acceptable guidelines that
they need to follow in order to live a life that would re ect their respect for their own
lives, the lives, honor and dignity of others, and to deepen their faith and fellowship with
Him.

The Ten Commandments was a follow up of the covenant between God and His
people and the promises connected with it. This was revealed When God/Yahweh
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 introduced Himself to Moses as the God of their forefathers starting with Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob.

The Ten Commandments reveals the moral responsibility of a Christian in two (2)
dimensions: towards God and towards others. For people to live a fruitful Christian life, it
is not suf cient that they solely focus their attention on their relationship with God, living
harmoniously with others also plays a vital role. The vertical bar of the cross points to a
loving relationship with God and His sovereignty upon one's life. The horizontal bar of
the cross reminds the human person's responsibility towards fellow human beings and
other creatures. Jesus Himself revealed that people must make peace with others and
continuously make conscious effort to live harmoniously with them.

As Christians who are on a continuous journey towards perfection, the Ten

Commandments is a great springboard for re ection on relevant guidelines that we
must live by to respond to our moral responsibility towards God and others. When we
accept and follow the Commandments wholeheartedly, we are worthy to be called God's
children. However, when we choose to deviate from the Commandments by misusing
our freedom, we separate ourselves from the love of God and the harmonious
relationship with others.

MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS GOD IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

First Commandment - The Lord, am your God... You shall not have other gods besides
me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or
on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth. You shall not bow down before
them or worship them. (Exodus 20:2-4)

The Context when God gave the Ten Commandments to the Israelites

First, In Egypt and in other countries, there was the problem of identifying who
really is the God of all. With this dif culty, most often they identify God with any creature
such as the sun, moon, even the pharaoh, animals and others. Second, all people are
searching for the meaning of life (true contentment) and immortality. Third, the Israelites
were busy worshipping the golden calf.

Why did God-YHWH insist to stick with His covenantal relationship with the
Israelites and even followed it up with the Commandments? Before His covenantal
relationship with the Israelites, there was the human search for the meaning of life and
its elements such as security or stability, harmony, true contentment, and especially the
longing for immortality. With all these human longings, the commandments especially
the rst one is God's gracious answer. This is God's own initiative as part of His salvi c
plan for humanity. As CFC says, "True happiness and our nal destiny are achieved
within the framework revealed in God's laws" (880). As Christ taught, "eternal life is this:
to know you, the only true God, and Him whom You have sent, Jesus Christ" (John
17:3).
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 The Catechism for Filipino Catholics reminds people that knowing the true God is
liberating. It sets people from restlessness in searching for true contentment and
everlasting happiness (883). Not knowing the true God will lead people astray and they
will not achieve the noble human aspirations mentioned above.
God has formed the Israelites as his special possession and gave them the Ten
Commandments to proclaim Him as the true God for all people. The prophet Amos
proclaimed Yahweh as the God of all, and this was ultimately realized by the coming of
Jesus, the savior of all.

Violations against the First Commandment

There are various instances when one shows the sin against the First
Commandment.

Indifference reveals the outright neglect of a Christian to re ect on God's love and
His innate goodness. Indifference neither accepts nor rejects God's power and love.

Ingratitude is the failure to respond to the love of God. Lukewarmness is the refusal to
recognize the sovereignty of God over one's life and all. The grave violation against
the rst commandment is hatred towards God. It is basically a complete opposite of the
love of/for God, denying His existence, goodness and sovereignty.

Furthermore, the rst commandment rejects the submission of Christians to other

"gods" which sometimes are manifested in superstition, idolatry, divination, magic,
irreligion, atheism, and agnosticism. Superstition is a belief on some things but rooted
on unfounded and unknown reasoning. Another violation of the First Commandment is
polytheism which is a belief in more than one God. Polytheism obviously rejects the
principle of having a God since with their number then there is really no god at all.

Divination, another violation of the First Commandment refers to complete reliance on

horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, and interpretation of omens and lots as a basis to
seek guidance in determining the direction of an individual's life. These forms of
divination are direct recourse to other mediums to conceal the future or seek for relief
from temporal sufferings. This is indeed a manifestation that one doubts his faith in God,
his promises, goodness and sovereignty. With the changing of times, there are several
distractions that beset Christians on how they demonstrate their veneration and worship
of God. Christians are more pre-occupied with material possession, gaining more social
stature, acquiring technological gadgets - people spend most of their time ful lling their
temporal needs, such as over pre-occupation to work, addiction to increasing material
wealth, spending more time in television, internet and others. These are unconscious
manifestations of their disregard to the primacy of God, thus a clear deviation from the
rst commandment. Generally, anything or anyone that tries to take over the primacy of
God over the lives of the Christians is indicative of disregard or unresponsiveness to the
divine charity and unconscious veneration of earthly possessions and social stature.

Point to ponder:
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 How is the First Commandment being violated in the Philippine context and at present?
Why are we suffering from many forms of chaos in our country? What are the things that
many people consider as more important than God or even as their god?

Is it really sinful to make or carve an image/statue? Read Exodus 25:10-22.

The rst Commandment has a follow-up reminder of not making graven image or
statues and worshipping them as gods. This follow-up reminder does not prohibit people
from making any image or statues such as statues of heroes and the saints since the
warning emphasizes on not worshipping them as gods such as the golden calf.

In the Book of Exodus where the Ten Commandments is found, there is also a chapter
(25:10-22) which shows God instructing His people to make the images of the Seraphim
and the Cherubim (angels) on top of the Ark of the Covenant. Later on, the Ark of the
Covenant was an image in itself which for the Israelites was a sign of God's presence in
their midst. In the New Testament, there are even images which directly point to God
Himself such as the Dove during the baptism of Jesus and the tongues of re during
Pentecost.

These examples clearly tell that images which remind people of God's presence are not
prohibited since God Himself is also using images or signs and symbols in
communicating with His people. These images are strongly emphasized as reminders of
God or of His presence, and they are NOT to be considered as substitute for Him or
totally equated with Him since this will be very degrading on His part. God as a
transcendent and perfect Being cannot be limited by a permanent image, statue or even
by a permanent name or word or language.

From the above discussion on the use of images, it is also clear that the Catholic
practice of venerating sacred images is not a violation of the First Commandment.
Showing respect to the sacred images was the same with the Israelite's practice of
showing respect to the Ark of the Covenant and the other reminders of God's presence
in their midst.

Veneration should not be equated with adoration or worship. Adoration, praise or

worship is only reserved for God while veneration is for all sacred images. Veneration is
simply giving respect to the sacred images like by touching, kissing and other ways
which may have their cultural origin. CFC says sacred images and statues can offer
valuable help or genuine aid for Christian prayer and worship (892). A biblical example
of veneration was when God asked Moses to remove his sandals and staffs since the
ground where he stood was holy. So, even the ground when God uses is becomes holy.
Another example was when Jesus got angry with the people when they did not respect
the sacredness of the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13).

In venerating sacred images, CFC reminds people to be always aware of the temptation
from these images which is: from merely reminding us of God, they tend to gradually
"become" a god, an idol. An image can either bring the reality it represents to mind, to
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 aid devotion and attention, or it can become a substitute for the reality itself and thus
become an object of idolatry. The Commandment reminds people that God the Creator
is in nitely beyond any of His creatures; no image or mental concept can ever "capture"
Him. Deus simper major - God is always greater (891)

Second Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord, your
God in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

Sanctity of the Name

For the Israelites, a name has great value. A name is very closely connected with
the person if not totally identi ed with him/her. A name also indicates the kind of life that
the person will have or his/her mission. As shown in many instances in the Sacred
Scriptures, there were changes in the names of people such as the names of Abraham
from Abram, Sarah from Sarai, and others. Thus, a name is equated with the identity or
even the dignity of the person. As CFC says, "The name stood for the person, the name
made the person present and active" (895). It is in this context that the Second
Commandment should be understood. Since God is a Holy One, His name, which for
the Israelites is intimately linked with Him, should also be treated with reverence. There
were even years in the history of the Israelites when they did not even mention or
pronounce the name "YHWH" since it is too holy to be uttered. So, they used other titles
such as Adonai (Lord), Eli and others.

Violations against the Second Commandment

Generally, the commandment abhors the misuse of the name of the Lord,
considering the sovereignty and authority that come with it. False representation of God
is profanity, a discredit to is true nature and divinity. This often comes when people
make an oath and using the name of God to curse or invoke punishment. This maligns
the true nature of God and discredits His sovereignty and goodness. It is not within the
realm of humans that God may be compelled to act on our behalf to in ict punishment
on others. This commandment also clearly prohibits the casual use of God's name in
interactions and curse. The blasphemous use of God's name and the act cursing
portrays indecency and disrespect to God, in general.

However, despite the strong prohibition, some people still fall into the trap of using the
name of the Lord in vain. A concrete manifestation of violating this commandment is
through perjury. Though more appropriate to legal situations, perjury pertains to a willful
and voluntary act of telling something with the intention of not ful lling it. It refers to the
act of fabricating the truth in the guise of eluding punishment or reprimand. In relation to
this Commandment, there are many ways on how people and even students violate it in
the Philippine context. Some examples of this are: some of the politicians use the name
of God to make their promises more appealing to people when they campaign before
elections, some of them only attend the Holy Mass before election to be seen by
people, some of them gave donations to the Church or to newly wed couple or even
volunteer to become God- parents during baptism of infants and wedding. For Louisian
students, during face-to-face classes many students attend the Mass for the sake of
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 attendance, even these days, many students pass Sunday re ections without attending
the Mass, and even some copy the re ections of others just to obtain points, and many
others.

Third Commandment: Remember to keep holv the Sabbath day. Six days you may
labor and do all your work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. No
work may be done then either by you or your son or daughter or your male or female
slave, or your beast or by the alien who lives with you..on the seventh day God
rested…..and blessed it and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11)

There are two things that this commandment emphasizes: the time for God and the
respect for the human person. How does one show this respect for God and the human
person? As Scripture and tradition teach, this is shown primarily by worshipping God as
a community, as His people, and respecting others by giving them time to rest. Aside
from worshipping God and resting, what are other implications of the Third
Commandment? How should one make the day of the Lord holy? Is this done only in
the chapel or church? Some people attend the Holy Mass but after their participation,
they go back to their usual lifestyle which is often not consistent with Christian living

So aside from worshipping God in the church, do people also make the day of the Lord
holy in their homes, in their dealings with others, and in their dealings with nature? The
Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP-II) stresses that all of life is worship or
the whole of life must be an act of worship as St. Paul also pointed out in his letter to the
Romans (167-168). Worship should not be separated from the totality of life. There
should be no dichotomy between the two.

Fourth to Sixth Commandment

RECALL: In the rst three commandments, we received the gifts of God's self-revelation
to humanity. We also learned what constitutes a proper response to this self-revelation
and thereby a proper relationship with God. The nal seven commandments are gifts
that primarily reveal God's will for us in our relationships with each other.

After the rst three commandments prescribing our duties toward God comes seven
others laying down our obligations toward ourselves and our fellow human beings.
There is rst a special commandment regarding the important duties of children toward
their parents, and of parents toward their children. This is the Fourth Commandments.
Commandments 5th, 6th, and 7th are concern with actions, 8th is concerned with words
and 9th and 10th are with our desires.

Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother: That your days may be
long upon the land which the Lord your God has given you. (Exodus 20:12)

Family as the Most Fundamental Unit of the Society

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 The fourth commandment underscores the imperative of respecting and honoring one's
parents or elders with a guarantee of individual blessings. God reveals that after one's
moral responsibility towards God, an individual is also called to show respect and to
honor others, having one's parents as the foremost people to whom he/she accords
such. The family is the most fundamental agent of socialization within a society. The
strength of the moral fabric of the family, mutual respect between parents and children,
reverberates and brings positive effect to society.

The moral duty towards parents is not limited to fully submitting to them when they are
still providing for one's needs and education, but it extends even up to their old age,
especially in times « of illness and distress. This support is an acknowledgement and a
gesture of gratitude to parents for the life, love and effort given by them. The material
and moral support is a manifestation of giving back to the parents the immeasurable
love and sacri ces they have unsel shly given to their & children.

The commandment implies that parents are innately good that they are primarily
concerned for the wellbeing and welfare of their children. Their actions and decisions
are geared towards the holistic development of their children and a response to the
growing needs of the society. The parents are always in continuous search for the good
of their children, and that as a simple gesture of gratitude for these unsel sh acts,
children are bound to obey their parents. However, modernity has been contributing to
the corruption of the moral fabric of the family, including the parents. Sometimes, there
are parents who are not mindful of the needs of their children and worse, do all sorts of
abuse towards their children. Some children scorn their parents and show no apparent
trace of respect towards them. However, the Commandment calls for respect and honor
for parents by virtue of their stature as parents.

Honoring our parents is geared towards active obedience. Children are encouraged to
listen to the wisdom of parents on issues pertaining to their lives. In case of con ict of
ideas, the lines of communication should be made open to properly sort out the issues
and draw a win-win resolution to the problem. Obedience does not mean blind, entirely
following the whims and desires of parents, but learning how to communicate one's
views and opinions to further resolve the issues without straining the relationship or
harbor ill feelings towards parents. Most of rebellious children emerged from families &
which failed to communicate with one another. Hatred builds up until each member of
the family gets fed up with each other.

The song "Anak" reminds Christians on the indispensable roles parents play in the lives
of their children that despite the lack of respect and gratitude of the children towards
their parents sometimes, parents endure all the pains and sufferings and always seek
what is good and bene cial for their children. They stick with their children in their most
dif cult times and shelter them with love and security with the many challenges life can
offer.

Point to ponder: How do many young people and students violate this Commandment?
= Re ect on this question in relation to the relationship of the young people with
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 their fellow youth and their studies.

Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill. (Exodus 20:13)

The Primacy of life

The fth commandment emphasizes the importance and the dignity of human life. No
one has the innate right to take this away from his/her own self or from others. Neither it
is a right that can be bestowed on anyone. The primacy of life is anchored on the fact
that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God, thus, must be
accorded full respect. The inherent value of human life implies that in any dealings, one
does not have any entitlements to take away the life of others. It reminds individuals that
even in hatred and anger, there is a need to consider the value of life and must make
continuous effort to respect and honor it. God is the giver of life and He alone is entitled
to end the life He has given.

Violations against the Fifth Commandment

Murder and willful abortion are the direct violations of this commandment. PCP-Il
stresses the crime against the unborn who can neither defend their God-given life nor
cry out in even the feeblest or cries for help. Their cries do reach the heart of the
Creator (382). It further stresses the Church's condemnation of directly willed abortion
(585). Any action that deliberately takes away the life of other people is completely
against this commandment.

Regarding euthanasia, debates have spurred questions on whether it is justi ed and

acceptable or not. It is understood as an action that aids an ailing person to die. It
connotes that an ailing individual is either in extreme pain or in a state of comatose, that
the chance for survival is considered to be too slim and the best option to alleviate the
pain is to shorten the life of the patient. Therefore, death is the only foreseen solution to
ease the suffering of the ailing individual.

God is the giver of life and He alone is entitled to end the life He has given. The act of
euthanasia actually degrades the dignity of people who are sick, vulnerable and
disadvantaged, since they are already regarded as burden and dif cult to bear rather
than people to endure it in the name of love, hope and faith. The Church upholds that as
life is a gift from God, thus sacred, must strictly adhere to the Natural Law, allowing
nature to take its course in ending the life of a person.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explicitly mentions human acts that completely
run contrary to the commandment. These are direct and intentional murder and the
cooperation in it, direct abortion, euthanasia, and suicide. God places primacy on the
value of life, thus must be respected and protected. Directly aborting a fetus and ending
the life of those suffering (or in near-death situation) are direct violations of the
commandment.
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 Suicide, on the other hand, is considered a grave offense that completely disregards the
love of God and the dignity of human life (470).

Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)

Family and Marriage. The Sacrament of Marriage brings together husband and wife into
the bonds of everlasting love, with a promise to stay together "in sickness or in health,
till death do us part." The importance placed upon marriage, especially on remaining
faithful to one's partner, is revealed in one of Jesus' teachings during His public ministry.
Jesus says:

..have you not read that at the beginning the creator made them male and female and
declared, for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife,
and the two shall become one? Thus, they are no longer two but one esh. Therefore,
let no man separate what God has joined. (Mt. 19:4-6)

This commandment also portrays that the expression of love is not merely limited to
sexual intimacy, but more on companionship, shared vision to build a family founded on
Catholic faith, and respect for the dignity of the spouse. However, in order for a
relationship to work, the spouses have to understand and love each other despite their
imperfections, and weathering the hard times together.

True love is founded on mutual trust and contentment of partners towards each other,
with a commitment to be there for each other through thick and thin; a commitment to
ful ll their marriage vows

Violations against the Sixth Commandment

Adultery applies only to married partners. It happens when one or both of the couples
have sexual relations with other partners. The sexual intimacy shared within the context
of marriage must be continually reserved as the expression of affection and the deepest
union that only belongs to married people. Both man and woman must grow in chastity,
enjoying sexual intimacy within marriage.

Adultery, aside from its impact on the relationship between an individual and God, is
also an action that harms society especially the family as the most fundamental unit.
Those who commit adultery have broken their commitments in the sacrament of
marriage, injuring the covenant of the marriage bond. Moreover, they offend the dignity
and rights of the other spouse, and undermine the social institution of marriage by
breaking the contract on which it is based (CCC, 2335).

Moreover, there are other violations of this commandment which include divorce,
polygamy, free unions (cohabitation, concubinage), and sexual acts before or outside of
marriage.
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Marriage is best described in Hebrews 13:4 - "Let marriage be honored among all and
the marriage bed kept unde led, for God will judge the sexually immoral and
adulterers." The commandment explicitly disallows sexual relations outside the bounds
of marriage. Both married couples must be loyal to each other, cherishing and valuing
each other.

SEXUALITY AND MARRIAGE

Sex or Sexuality refers to the whole composition of the human person whether male or
female, and this is wholly good and sacred. Sexual Love is willed by the creator, a
human value and it is wholly good. The purposes of sexuality are procreation (Genesis
1:28,29), companionship (Genesis 2:18, Tob 8:6), and Education/formation of Children/
welfare of family. God's words "and the two shall become one" strongly mandates that
monogamy is really the intended nature of a family. With this, sexual love (sexual
intercourse) is only proper between husband and wife.

There are many violations of the Sixth Commandment in line with the holistic concept of
sexuality or with the re-appropriation of the application of the Sixth Commandment in
our present time. These are also found in the Bible if we search them one by one.
Generally, this is called fornication, but let's enumerate them one by one. Premarital-
sex, masturbation, rape, bestiality, paresthesia, pornography, homosexuality,
prostitution, lesbianism, annal sex, adultery, extra-marital sex, concubinage, polygamy,
polyandry and Incest.

With the many ways of how people today violate the Sixth Commandment and how they
abuse their sexuality and the sexuality of others, there is a need to consistently practice
the values such as modesty, and chastity and to master our sexuality. Modesty is the
sense of shame or respect in the realm of sex, while chastity is cleanliness in one's
sexual life whether one is single, married or whatever gender one has. Mastery of
sexuality does not mean suppressing one's sexual life but nding the proper
development and channel of sexual energy such as sports, physical work, dance, and
the likes.

7TH TO 10TH COMMANDMENTS

The Seventh and Eighth commandments are concerned primarily with our duties toward
two possessions of our neighbor - their material goods and their good reputation.
Since human beings have the tendency to be self-centered and neglectful of the rights
of others, God considered it necessary to lay down the explicit commands: "Thou shalt
not steal" and "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor"

Like the other commandments, these two commandments prescribe more obligations
than those which they explicitly assert. The seventh commandment forbids not only
stealing but every type of dishonest dealing; the eighth forbids not only falsehood but
also many other sins of the tongue such as gossiping, the unlawful revelation of secrets,
and the likes.
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The Ninth and Tenth commandments are closely related with the Sixth and
Seventh. The Ninth forbidding interior sins regarding matters of purity, while the sixth
forbids external acts; the Tenth forbidding those internal sins and the external
performance Of which is forbidden by the Seventh commandment.

In our days there is much dishonesty, due largely to the excessive desire of people for
riches and luxuries. In business, in politics, even at home, many people are SO anxious
on how to enrich themselves that they are entirely unconcerned with the rights of their
fellow human beings. Moreover, crimes of theft and robbery, often accompanied by
violence or even murder, are becoming prevalent.

Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15)

Respecting one's property The commandment recognizes sense of decency regarding

one's material possession, being contented with what one has, and not coveting others'
goods. This commandment is a reminder of the Christian virtues of temperance, justice
and solidarity.

First, Christians must learn to discern that excessive attachment to material possession
instills greediness and vicious attitude of continuously desiring for more even to the
point of stealing and fooling others. Jesus taught His people to put to moderation this
attachment. Worldly goods, though important, must remain subordinate to the spiritual
and intimate relationship with God.

Secondly, justice encourages Christians to accord respect and dignity to what rightfully
belongs to others. When people need to be compensated, any form of stealing from
their compensation is not acceptable. Justice requires people to recognize that others
are working hard for what they are and have. One should not violate the decency of
their hard work and property by unjustly stealing these away from them.

Violations against the Seventh Commandment

How do some students commit the sin of stealing? Stealing may come in various forms,
such as: cheating during exams, tampering documents, working poorly, asking
additional allowance for a requirement that is not really asked in school, and others.

The violations against this commandment include kidnapping and many forms of
exploitation such as exploitation in food, housing and clothing. Violation against this
Commandment also includes stealing from public properties, social structures and
conditions which should serve the common good (CFC, 901-903). This is where the
attention and conscience of some of our present-day government of cials who practice
graft and corruption and perpetuate sinful social structures should be called to. The
Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) mentions in detail the different mentions
actions that amount to violation against the commandment.

In general terms, theft is considered as the taking or using of another's property against
the reasonable will of the owner. CCC enumerates various circumstances through which
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theft is committed in different contexts, such as paying unjust wages, speculation on the
value of goods in order to gain an advantage to the detriment of others, forgery of
checks or invoices, tax evasion, business fraud, willful damage of properties, usury,
corruption, private abuse of common goods, and work deliberately done poorly (508).

Since the common good is essential for the survival of all, CFC further stresses the
need for respect of the dignity and integrity of creation (906).

Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against

others. (Exodus?20:16)

Upholding the Truth This commandment reminds us of the moral imperative of

according respect to others; the value of integrity and honesty towards others and the
decency of speaking the truth about others and not discrediting and dishonoring them
through rumor-mongering or baseless gossips.

The commandment prohibits altering the truth and discrediting the integrity and honor of
other people. Since we Christians worship and honor God who is the truth and who wills
the truth, expectedly, we must also speak truthfully of others as a clear indication of our
respect to God. Speaking against others, and eventually, against the truth is an in delity
against God.

Violations against the Eighth Commandment

According to the CCC, one is guilty of slander if she/he discloses another's faults and
failings to other persons without valid reason, and one is guilty of calumny (a
misinterpretation intended to harm another's reputation) who harms the reputation of
others and gives occasion for false judgments about them by remarks contrary to the
truth (2477).

Moreover, gossips and slander also are violations of the commandment. Gossips
pertain to spreading baseless accusations or statements against others. Slander is
related to gossip but it is with the intention of discrediting others towards their prejudice
or disadvantage.

One concrete example of speaking falsely against others is lying. One lies when he/she
speaks or acts against the truth in order to lead someone into error, thus the presence
of deceit. Lying weakens the fundamental relations towards God and towards others.
Failure to reveal the truth affects others' ability to know, which is a precursor to every
judgment and decision they need to make.

Students are susceptible to gossiping. This usually happens in their circle of friends
when they talked about someone they dislike or hate. When someone commits a
mistake or does not conform to what others are doing, they ostracize that individual,
saying all unpleasant remarks about him/her. In some cases, when they envy others,
they are more vulnerable to bearing false witness against the others. Peer pressure will
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 also force them to connive with their peer in lying just to get away from the troubles their
members are in.

NinthCommandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. (Exodus 20:17)

In the Gospels, Jesus taught about controlling one's sexual desires or not allowing
sexual appetite to take complete hold of one's reason that will eventually cause him/her
to be lustful. Jesus, in His public ministry, emphasized that our thoughts and attitudes
determine the commission of lustful behaviors. He implored His disciples to live not only
to respect others in external manner, but also in internally, through their minds and
intentions.

The Catechism for Filipino Catholics says that Christ perfected this teaching in His
sermon on the Mount when He said: "You have heard the Commandment, 'You shall not
commit adultery.' What I say to you is, anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has
already committed adultery with her in his thoughts/heart" (Mt 5:28). St. Paul also
exhorted his converts saying, "Put to death whatever in your nature is rooted in earth:
fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, and that lust which is idolatry" (Col. 3:5).

To the Ephesians, he wrote, "make no mistake about this: no fornicator, no unclean or

lustful person-in effect an idolater has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of
God" (Eph. 5:5) (868). The commandment recognizes that sometimes, the desire of the
esh overpowers right reasoning and the will. The commandment reminds Christians to
make a conscious effort to continue to ght against the desires and the lust of the esh.
Through God's grace, Christians overcome these lustful desires through 1) chastity, 2)
purity of intention, words and emotions, and 3) prayer

The commandment calls upon Christians to embrace the virtue of modesty. Modesty
guides Christians to look at others and to behave toward others in complete accord with
the dignity of the human person - and not looking at others lustfully.

Violations against the Ninth Commandment

In reality, the spiritual fabric to look at others with modesty is slowly disintegrating with
the onset of mass communication which continually exposes the society to liberality in
relation to purity, faithfulness, and modesty.

The entertainment industry has drastically changed the moral norms pertaining to
relationships. It seems natural to see celebrities switching partners, within a short period
of time. This has unconsciously changed the notion of marriage and true love,
convincing others that casual engagement in sexual pleasure is the fad, and doing it is
normal.

The most vulnerable to the in uence of the negative notion of marriage and love are
young people who are most exposed to mass media. Perhaps for them, it is easy to
enter and leave a relationship; thus, faithfulness and stability which are characteristics
of true love are seen as less valuable.
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Point to ponder: Who will suffer gravely if the family is broken? For young people, which
is being shattered or destroyed if they are into sexual promiscuity or even into early and
unwanted pregnancy?

Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's goods. (Exodus 20:17)

The tenth commandment forbids the lust of the eyes to the excessive desire for material
possession. It prohibits greed and envy which can lead to stealing. The desire to own
excessive material possessions compels others to steal or defraud others.

The greedy and envious desires for material possession serve as precursor to the
commission of other sins like violence and injustice. Greed pertains to the desire for
earthly possessions and goods without limit, completely disregarding spirituality and
growth most of the time. The tenth commandment tells us to be contented with what we
have. Sometimes, people feel jealous of what others possess or achieved. Envy and
sadness over others' success and possessions violates the value of loving one's
neighbor which is the core of the 4th to 10th Commandment.

Covetousness is the root of many evils. When people feel envious of others, they
commit crimes in order to be like others or own what others have. Stealing, murder, and
all sorts of evil take place because of the insatiable desire of human beings for material
wealth and possessions.

In modern times, violations against coveting others' goods are clearly manifested in
stealing money, illegal cutting of trees and vote-padding during elections, using
substandard materials in construction, paying laborers unjustly, and others.

Men and women have to ful ll their physiological needs, however, the desire to meet
this must be within the bounds of acceptable norms. Modesty and contentment are
therefore necessary for all Christians.

When they see others improving, they should look at it as an inspiration and not as a
threat.

The Christian faith reminds people to embrace modesty and contentment and recognize
that God is the source of everything and that He graciously provides for His people.

The Ten Commandments are sum up in the words of Jesus when He said, "You shall
love the lord your God with your whole heart, and with your whole soul, and with your
whole mind.' This is the greatest and the rst commandment. And the second is, You
shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments depend the whole
law and the Prophets."

THE SEVEN THEMES OF THE SOCIAL TEACHINGS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

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The Ten Commandments laid the norms and standards that Christians must follow to
live a moral life. It straightens the paths of the Christians to ensure that they live in
accordance with their faith. The Catholic Church responds to the Commandments in
one way by the articulation of its Social Teachings.

The Seven Themes of the Catholic Social Teachings

1. Life and Dignity of the Human Person

The Commandments clearly articulate the prohibition against violating the dignity
and worth of human life. The commandment against killing re ects the strong sense of
worth God places on human life and the dignity of the human person. This dignity calls
for mutual respect among people. as enunciated by Jesus Himself, we must do to
others what we want others to do us in return. This also calls for respecting the property
of others and not be envious of them.

2. Call to Family, Community, and Participation

The Church places importance in maintaining the bonds within the family. God
established this in His fourth commandment - of honoring parents. God recognizes the
importance and role of parents in the formation of the morality of every individual.
Christians are expected to accord all necessary honor and respect that rightfully
belongs to parents.

This will eventually lead to strengthening the bonds within the community of faith and
the Christians taking part in every endeavor that will deepen their belief in Jesus Christ.
This sense of community is further re ected in the different commandments of God
pertaining to Our responsibility towards others. When Christians faithfully follow these
commandments, they grow in communion with their community and this will later lead to
a peaceful and harmonious society.

3. Rights and Responsibilities

The sanctity and sacredness of life af rms that each individual has natural rights which
others must faithfully and positively respond to. For these rights not to be abused, they
must always be coupled with HTS responsibilities. These rights bring with them duties
and responsibilities towards self, others, families and the larger society.

4. Option for the Poor and the Vulnerable

The Commandments primarily aims to create a community where people respect the
innate beauty of humanity. Fairness and justice must be apparent and enjoyed by every
member of the society. The poor, weak and the vulnerable must be protected against
the abuses and social injustices by the elite and the powerful. Who are the vulnerable in
society? These are the children, the young, women, aged, sick, laborers, poor and
illiterate. These are the usual victims of abuses and exploitations.
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Point to ponder: Who are the ones being always entertained rst in of ces,
establishments, occasions, and even in hospitals? What does it re ect about the society
which these people belong?

5. Dignity of Work and Rights of Workers

The Commandments of not stealing and coveting others' goods clearly shows that
people must learn the value of hard work, to make a living for themselves. When one
works productively, it re ects his/her continuing participation in God's creation. On the
other hand, the Third Commandment reminds us not to abused others by letting them
work excessively with little time to rest and much more if they are not paid justly. Work
must be for the betterment of the human person. It is not sinful to become rich and to
gain fame so long as people's rights and dignity are not abused.

6. Solidarity
When every individual responds positively to his/her moral responsibility towards others,
it contributes to the attainment of a harmonious society where justice, love and solidarity
are mutually shared. Responding to these moral responsibilities shows that everyone
belongs to one human family, that everyone is a keeper of his/her brother or sister. It
portrays one's commitment towards others to ensure that the society is free from
violence and con ict. This solidarity will eventually promote authentic societal progress
and human development.

7. Care for God's Creation

The abundance and bounty of nature re ects the magni cence and greatness of God.
Humanity's care and protection for God's creation express how people should do their
mission as stewards of creation. The care for the environment is very vital in the
sustenance and promotion of life and health. Destruction of nature will eventually lead to
people's extinction.
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