Moral Formation
Part 1 – Personal Morality
Christian moral formation
involves a journey of
interior transformation…
which brings about a
deep personal conversion
to Christ. (NDC p.163)
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Catechist Track
October 28, 2015
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Overview
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“Love one another
as I have loved you”
Guidelines from NDC
Primary Christian moral guides
Affective dimension of moral living
Conscience formation
Stages of moral development
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Human Experience
1. How did you learn to be a moral person?
2. What supports you personally in living
a moral life?
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Moral Formation
Aim: Help bring about the personal
transformation and conversion of the
learners
Tasks:
 Teach the content and implications of
Christ’s moral teachings
 Encourage witness of Christian living
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Message: Christian Moral Guides
Ten Commandments:
- Guide us in maintaining a
loving relationship
with God and others
- Name our primary obligations to God and
our neighbor
- Assist us in using our freedom responsibly
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Message: Christian Moral Guides
Beatitudes
- At the heart of Jesus’ teachings
(CCC #1716)
- Call us beyond the commandments
- Point the way to everlasting happiness
- Shed light on the actions and attitudes of
Christian life. (NDC p. 182)
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Message: Christian Moral Guides
Some Practical Ideas for Beatitude Catechesis:
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Identify ways to practice “be-attitudes”
Illustrate each beatitude or find pictures to fit
Compare the beatitudes to the values of the culture.
Re-write the beatitudes using other words
Identify people in the parish who live the beatitudes
Choose a beatitude to practice for a certain time
Use the beatitudes for an examination of conscience
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Message: Fostering Christian Attitudes and
Virtues
Attitudes -- pre-dispositions to think, feel and
act in a certain way
empathy
– Often caught from others
– Acquired through experience,
both direct and indirect
Resource: www.worldempathy.com
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Message: Virtues
Virtues – habits of the mind and will that
support living a moral life.
Virtues are the result of God’s grace & practice.
Theological Virtues
 Faith
Given to us at
 Hope
Baptism
 Love
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Cardinal Virtues
 Prudence
 Justice
 Fortitude
 Temperance
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Message: Fostering Virtues
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Sharing stories of virtuous people
Resource: www.goodnewsnetwork.org
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Using activities such as:
– Discussing or llustrating particular virtues
– Practicing a particular virtue for a time
Promoting regular prayer and reception of
the sacraments
Being a witness of a virtuous life
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Message: Conscience Formation
Conscience is a judgment of reason by which a person
recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act.
CCC #1796.
Each person is obliged to form his or her conscience –
a lifelong task NDC 165
Each person is obliged to follow the certain judgment of
his or her conscience. CCC #1800
Catechists have “the moral responsibility to nourish the
development of properly informed consciences in
those entrusted to their care.” NDC 166
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Message: Importance of
Making Good Choices
The choices we make
– affect our relationship with God
– have real consequences for ourselves,
others and the world
– shape who we are becoming
– ultimately affect our eternal
happiness
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Message: Lawrence Kohlberg’s Theory of
Moral Development
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Developed after more than 18 years of
research
Moral development refers to the reasons that
people give for the choices that they make.
Moral reasoning develops in three levels:
Self-centered (Pre-conventional)
Other-centered (Conventional)
Principle-centered (Post-conventional)
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Message: Method for
Discussing Moral Dilemmas
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Clarify the action in question
Identify the people and
circumstances involved
Identify the possible consequences
Consider alternative actions
Identify and reflect on the relevant
teachings of Jesus and the Church
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Message: More About Moral Dilemmas
Some possibilities for discussion:
– Dilemmas suggested by learners
– Choices made by characters in Scripture, current
movies, and TV shows
– Lyrics of popular songs
– Social networking situations
– www.mrrydalch.com/uploads/5/5/9/9/.../ethical_di
lemma_scenarios.doc
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Summary
Moral Formation…
 About the what and why of Christian living
 Involves the heart as well as the head
 About forming conscience and developing
skills of making moral decisions
 A lifelong task – a continuous journey of
conversion – walking with Christ, learning
from him, going on mission with him
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Relection - Discovery - Integration
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What aspect of moral formation in tonight’s
presentation caught your attention and why?
Virtues
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Prayer and
Sacraments
Conscience
Formation
Moral
Development
What value do you see in Kohlberg’s theory of moral
reasoning for catechists?
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Response
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What is one thing that you will do to help your
students (or a group you are involved with)
grow morally?
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Watch your thoughts; they become your words.
Watch your words; they become your actions
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
- Moral Discernment by Richard Gula
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Written Assignment for Catechists
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In a one-page paper answer the following two
questions:
 What area of moral formation do you think is
most needed by your learners or by a
particular group of adults in your parish at
this time?
 How would you address this need? Be as
specific as possible and identify the group
you have in mind.
Due: Nov. 4
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Alternative Assignment for students not
currently involved in catechesis)
Write a one-page reflection paper focusing on
some aspect of moral formation that was
discussed in class or taken from Ch. 6 of the
NDC.
Due: Nov. 4
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Closing Prayer
Father, guide us as you guide creation
according to your law of love. May we love
one another and come to perfection in the
eternal life prepared for us. Grant this
through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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