Term
|
Definition
| social conditions that allow for all citizens of earth, individuals and families, to meet basic needs and achieve fulfillment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
The idea that because all people are created in God's image, they have fundamental worth. This
notion is the foundation of Catholic social teaching. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The basic political, social, and economic rights that every human being claims, by virtue of their human dignity as beings created by God. Society cannot grant these rights and must not violate them. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Terms of friendship and charity toward our brother and sisters in society |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A letter from the Pope addressed to members of the universal Church regarding topics related to social justice, human rights, and peace. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The Church's commitment, and mandate to its members, to engage in conscious efforts to fight against, if not overcome, social sin. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A broad part of the human community that is distinguished by common values, traditions, standards of living, or conduct. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Based on the Latin word for "pivot", four virtues that are viewed as pivotal or essential for full Christian living: prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The virtue by which a person is inclined toward choosing the moral good and avoiding evil; sometimes called the rudder virtue, because it helps steer the person through complex moral situation; related to conscience and one of the four cardinal virtues |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The cardinal virtue concerned with rights and duties within relationships; the commitment as well as the actions and attitudes that flow from the commitment, to ensure that all persons-particularly the poor and oppressed-to receive what is due them |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The cardinal virtue by which one moderates her or his appetites and passions to achieve balance in the use of created goods. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Also called strength or courage, the virtue that enables one to maintain sound moral judgment and behavior in the face of difficulties and challenges; one of the four cardinal virtues. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The name for the God-given virtues of faith, hope, love. These virtues enable us to know God as God and lead us to union with God in mind and heart |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| God's act of bringing a sinful human into right relationship with him. It involves removal of sin and the gift of God's sanctifying grace to renew holiness. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The free and undeserved gift of God's loving and active presence in the universe and in our lives. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A profound change of heart, turning away from sin and toward God. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The deliberate attempt to interfere with the creation of new life as a result of sexual intercourse. It is considered morally wrong by the Church, which teaches that a married couple must remain open to procreation whenever they engage in sexual intercourse. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The fertilization of a woman's ovum (egg) with a man's sperm outside her body. The fertilized egg is transferred to the woman's uterus. The Church considers the process to be a moral violation of the dignity of procreation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The process by which a man's sperm and a woman's egg are united in a manner other than natural sexual intercourse. In the narrowest sense, it means injecting sperm into a woman's cervical canal. The Church considers it morally wrong because it separates intercourse from the act of procreation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Sexual activity between two persons, at least on of whom is married to another. Prohibited by the Sixth Commandment |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A declaration by the Church that a marriage is null and void, that is, it never existed. Catholics who divorce must also have the marriage annulled by the Church to be free to marry again in the Church. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The virtue by which people are able successfully and healthfully to integrate their sexuality into their total person; recognized as one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Also, one of the vows of the religious life. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Intense and uncontrolled desire for sexual pleasure. It is one of the seven capital sins. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Sexual intercourse between a man and a woman who are not married. It is morally wrong to engage in intercourse before marriage, and it is a sin against the Sixth Commandment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Self-manipulation of one's sexual organs for the purpose of erotic pleasure or to achieve orgasm. The Church considers masturbation to be a sin because the act cannot result in the creation of a new life. It is also wrong because it is self-serving, and God created sex not for self-gratification, but to unify a husband and wife in marriage. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A written description or visual portrayal of a person or action that is created or viewed with the intention of stimulating sexual feelings. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A sexual attraction to members of one's own gender. The Church teaches that homosexual activity is morally wrong. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Using another person's thoughts, creative ideas, writings, music, and so forth without permission and presenting them as one's own. It is a form of stealing and a sin against the Seventh Commandment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The sin of taking funds that are not yours, from a business, an organization, or the government. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Making amends for something one did wrong that caused harm to another person or led to loss. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Making things right with another person or people who have been harmed by an injustice, or returning or replacing what rightfully belongs to another. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Freely giving money or material goods to a person who is needy. It may be an act of penance or of Christian charity. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Social conditions that allow for all citizens of the earth, individuals and families, to meet basic needs and achieve fulfillment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The body of teaching by the Church on economic and social matters that includes moral judgments and demands for action in favor of those being harmed |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An attitude that we do not own the gifts God has given us but are trustees of those gifts. We have an obligation to share our time, talents, and material treasures with others. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A call from God to all members of the Church to embrace a life of holiness. Specifically, it refers to a call to live the holy life as an ordained minister, as a vowed religious (sister or brother), in a Christian marriage, or in single life. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Jealousy, resentment, or sadness because of another person's good fortune. It is one of the capital sins and contrary to the Tenth Commandment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A moral obligation for individuals and for the Church that requires special attention to those who are poor, considering their needs first and above all others. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Revealing something about another person that is true but is harmful to his or her reputation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Ruining the reputation of another person by lying or spreading rumors. It is also called slander and is a sin against the Eighth Commandment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Injuring another person's reputation by telling lies and spreading rumors. It is also called calumny. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The conscious and deliberate rejection of a dogma of the Church. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Keeping safe a truth that must not be shared with others because to do so would be immoral or illegal. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The teaching that limited violence is morally acceptable in defending yourself or your nation from an attack |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Another name for the death penalty, a sentence sometimes given to people who commit serious crimes. The Church teaches that the necessity for capital punsihment in today's world is rare. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| War involves many evils, no matter the circumstances. For a war to be just, it must be declared by a lawful authority, there must be just cause and the right intention (such as self-defense), and weapons must be used in a way that protects the lives of innocent people. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Refusal to join the military or take part in a war, based on moral or religious grounds. Conscientious objectors must seek official approval of their status from the government. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The competition between nations to build up stockpiles of weapons of all kinds, including weapons of mass destruction. Many of these stockpiles are large enough to destroy the world several times over. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The deliberate termination of a pregnancy by killing the unborn child. The Roman Catholic Church considers such direct abortion a grave contradiction of the moral law and a crime against human life. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Manipulating the genetic code of plants, animals, or human beings to alter it in some way. Such activity with human DNA is considered a violation of the sanctity of life. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A direct actionm or a deliberate lack of action, that causes the death of a handicapped, sick, or dying person. Some people attempt to justify it as an act of mercy intended to relieve suffering, but the Catholic Church rejects that position and considers euthanasia a violation of the Fifth Commandment against killing. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Deliberately taking one's own life. It is a serious violation of God's Law and plan. It is usually accomplished as a result of serious mental and emotional anguish, and in such cases is not considered a free or deliberate act. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An action or attitude-or the failure to act- that leads another person to sin. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Worship of other beings, creatures, or material goods in a way that is fitting for God alone. It is a violation of the First Commandment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Attributing to someone or something else a power that belongs to God alone and relying on such powers rather than trusting in God. It is a sin against the First Commandment. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An offense against God. It is the abuse of a person, place, or thing dedicated to God and the worship of God. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Our God-given instinct to be in right relationship with God, other people, the world, and ourselves. The basis for natural law is our participation in God's wisdom and goodness because we are created in the divine likeness. The fundamental expressions of natural law reamin fixed and unchanging, which is why natural law is the foundation for both personal morality and civil norms |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The Law of Moses, the Ten Commandments. It contrasts with the New Law of the Gospel |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Another name for the Ten Commandments. Also called the Law or the Law of Moses |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The law of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, it is a law of love, grace, and freedom. It is distinguished from the Old Law, or the Law of Moses |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Sometimes called the commandments of the Church, these are obligations for all Catholics that are dictated by the laws |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The name given the official teaching authority of the Church, whose task is to interpret and preserve the truths of the Church revealed in both the Scriptures and Tradition |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An official teaching of the Church based on the Revelation of God by and through Christ. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The gist of the Spirit to the whole Church by which the leaders of the Church- the Pope and the bishops in union with him- are protected from fundamental error when formulating a specific teaching on a matter of faith and morals |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The "interior voice" of a person, a God-given internal sense of what is morallt wrong or right. Conscience leads people to understand themselves as resonsible for their actions and prompts them to do good and avoid evil. To make good judgments, one needs to have a well-formed conscience |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The denial of the existence of God |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Buying or selling of something spiritual, such as a grace, a Sacrament, or a relic. It violates the honor of God |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An action that shows deeper reverence for something sacred. For example, on Good Friday, individuals in the assembly venerate the cross by bowing before or kissing it |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Speaking, acting, or thinking about God in a way that is irrelevent, mocking, or offensive. It is a sin against the Second |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The sin of lying while under an oath to tell the truth. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| In the Old Testament, the "seventh day" on which God rested after the work of Creation was completed; for Catholics, Sunday, the day on which Jesus was raised, which we are to observe with participation in the Eucharist in fulfillment of the Commandment to "keep holy the Sabbath" |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Another name for Sunday and holy days of obligation. Catholics are required to attend Mass on these days and refrain from any work that might stand in the way of relaxation and renewal of mind and body. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Dealing with the goodness or evil of human acts, attitudes, and values; involves matters such as right judgement,decision-making skills, personal freedom and responsibility, and so on |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The teachings og Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount in which he describes the actions and attitudes that should characterize Christians and by which one can discover genuine meaning and happiness. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The gift from God that allows human beings to choose from among various actions, for which we are held accountable. It is the basis for moral responsibilty. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An action so contrary to the will of God that ut results in a complete separation from God and God's grace. As a consequences of that separation, the person is condemned to eternal death. To be a mortal sin requires three conditions: it must involve grave matter, the person must have full knowledge of the evil act, and the person must give his of her full consent in committing the act. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A less serious offense against the will of God that diminshes one's personal character and weakens but does not rupture one's relationship with God. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A practice or a habit that leads a person to sin. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A good habit, one that creates within us a kind of inner readiness or attraction to move toward or accomplish moral good. The Theological virtues are faith, hope, and love. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The people in society who are responsible for making and enforcing civil laws. They have a responsibility for safeguarding human freedom and human dignity |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Deliberate refusal to obey a law prescribed by the state, usually on moral grounds. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The laws that govern society. Civil laws should reflect the natural law that God has placed in every human heart. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A supernatural gift of God by which our sins are forgiven and we are made holy holy. It restores our friendship with God. |
|
|
