Final Exam Essay Questions (4 Questions—20 Points—5 Points Each)
1. The text refers to the three traditional sources of morality for helping to determine the
gravity (or seriousness) of the sin one commits: the object chosen, the intention, and the
circumstances. In separate paragraphs provide a definition and an example of each of the
above terms.
 Object Chosen: the specific thing – a thought, word, or deed - the person is choosing to do or
leave undone
o Some are intrinsically evil: selling illegal drugs, killing an innocent person,
stealing, deliberately harming another person’s good name, rape, adultery, murder,
blasphemy
o Others are inherently good: feeding the poor, refusing to ridicule a classmate,
visiting the sick, telling the truth.
 Intention: the outcome or goal of the person choosing the object
o The motive in performing an act
o A good act can be made morally wrong by intent: cleaning our neighbor’s house
with the intention to rob it
o However, a good intention does not make a morally wrong act right: rape,
blasphemy, murder, morally good
 Circumstances: specific conditions or facts surrounding or affecting a moral decision
o Can increase or diminish the goodness or evilness of an act
o The culpability that comes with murder may be reduced if the murderer has been
threatened
o On the other hand, the culpability that comes with rape is not lessened by the
presence of alcohol
2. Pick one of the commandments, identify this commandment, and in separate paragraphs
provide a) at least two examples of a grave “objects chosen”, which would violate this
commandment, b) a scenario of serious sin being committed with a “venial object chosen”
but with a “grave intention,” and c) a scenario where the “circumstances” make an
intrinsically evil “object chosen” a venial sin.
 5th Commandment: you shall not kill
 2 Grave Objects Chosen: murder, abortion
 Venial Object Chosen with Grave Intention: the sin of scandal trying to lead someone else
into committing a mortal sin
 Circumstances Lessen a Mortal Sin to a Venial Sin: suicide is the ultimate rejection of God’s
gifts of hope and love, yet mental illness or suffering can lessen the act’s consequences. Prayer
once the person has died also places him/her back in God’s love and mercy.
6. What is a balanced view that the Catholic Church teaches about end of life care? The
answer should contain meaningful sentences that discuss or explain a) death in terms of the
“eternal perspective,” b) why we have hope of an afterlife, in other words, what has Christ
achieved or won for us on the cross and how do we access (obtain) it? c) explain “the
perfect healing” or “a happy death,” and d)
provide a “balanced view” of end of life
care based upon the points a. through c.
 Death in the Eternal Perspective: the soul is eternal. Death marks only the end of the physical
body, not the soul.
 Reasons to Hope for an Afterlife: because Jesus will have died in vain if there was not an
afterlife. He redeems our souls through his Passion and Death. We further our path to salvation
by accepting God and using him as our moral compass to guide us in our actions, words, and
thoughts.
 Perfect Healing: occurs right before death, the understanding of what Christ had to endure on
the Cross
 Balanced View on End of Life Care: Euthanasia is never acceptable because it is not a human
right to take another’s life. Suffering, although painful, is necessary to grow closer to God, along
with sacrifice. If the burdens outweigh the benefits, then it is permitted to refuse further
treatment. These extraordinary means are optional and have no moral weight.
8. What is conscience? What is conscience not? List and provide a short explanation of at
least four solid ways of “forming” a good conscience.
 Conscience is: the last and best judgment concerning right and wrong. It is a judgment of the
intellect (or mind) based upon our knowledge of right and wrong. It is like a sanctuary where we
are alone with God and where God can speak to our heart.
 Conscience is not: something we “have,” an inner voice that speaks to us, the lessons our
parents drummed into us growing up, nor is it a feeling of guilt or innocence
 1. Read Scripture: the more time we spend with God’s Word in study and prayer the more it
influences our daily life and practice
 2. Study Church Doctrine: gives guidance on complex moral decisions that may have to be
made
 3. Partake in the Sacraments of Penance and Reconciliation and Eucharist: the graces you
receive from these Sacraments will strengthen your desire to seek moral truth and to follow it
 4. Reflect on Moral Choices Made: the more you practice identifying your good and bad
decisions the more trained your conscience becomes at recognizing sinful choices before you
make them