The Foundations of
Catholic Ethics

LO’s:
Identify the sources and foundations of Catholic
Ethics.
 Interpret the principles of Catholic Social
Teaching worksheet
 Identify some of your own ethics, do they match
up?
Sufjan Stevens
Prayer

To Be Alone With You Lyrics
I'd swim across lake Michigan
I'd sell my shoes
I'd give my body to be back again
In the rest of the room
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
To be alone with you
You gave your body to the lonely
They took your clothes
You gave up a wife and a family
You gave your goals
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
To be alone with me
You went up on a tree
To be alone with me you went up
on the tree
I'll never know the man who loved
me
Starter Activity

You will receive a card with either an ethical
approach, or a definition to a particular ethical
approach. You are meant to find your match
with another classmate.
Ethics is er-where,
always has been

 “For a monumental struggle against the powers of darkness
pervades the whole history of man. The battle was joined from the
very origins of the world and will continue until the last day, as
the lord has made clear. Caught in this conflict, man is obliged to
wrestle constantly if he is to cling to what is good, nor can he
achieve his own integrity without great efforts and the help of
God’s grace.”
 (Gaudium Et Spes – Pastoral constitution on the
Church in the modern world, 1965)
Sources of Catholic
Ethics

Scripture
Is the inspired Word of God. It is the primary and most
important source as it contains the record of God’s
self-revelation firstly in the life of the people of Israel
and then in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Key ethical teachings come in the form of :
 The Ten Commandments.
 Jesus’ teachings - The Beatitudes.
 ‘Love one another as I have loved you’ (John 15:12)
Tradition

This is the record of the believing
community. What is passed on to the current
community from the ancestors in faith
starting with the apostles and those who have
succeeded them.
It comes in the form of :
Creeds, Decrees of Church councils, Treatises.
And theological works of scholars – These are
all examples of Church tradition.
The Magisterium

This is the teaching arm of the Church which is carried out
by the Pope and the Bishops .
 The Magisterium is able to teach or interpret the truths
of the Faith, and it does so infallibly. (free from error)
 The task of interpreting divine revelation (God’s Self
revelation) authentically has been entrusted solely to the
Magisterium of the Church, that is, to the Pope and to
the bishops in communion with him.
 Examples of the teachings of the church come in
the form of - Papal Encyclicals, Pastoral letters from
Bishops are examples that come from the magisterium
Take a Look…

Pull out a highlighter. Grab a partner.
Split up the reading. After you’ve finished
the sections discuss them with your
partner and match up your notes.
Questions?

♠ What moral values do you hold?
♠ Do your moral values match up with
those of the Catholic Church?
♠ To whom are you morally accountable?