The Importance of Character and
How to Form it in Young People
Daniel S. Mulhall
NCCYM
December 2014
Quick Survey
• 1. Youth Ministry programs should focus
solely on the spiritual formation of young
people.
• 2. YM programs are responsible for the
spiritual, emotional, moral development of
young people.
Recent Articles of
Interest
Everything We Think We Know
About Mass Shooters is Wrong
http://www.esquire.com/features/ma
ss-shooters-1014
by Tom Junod Esquire October 2014
Recent Articles of
Interest
Why Kids Sext
By Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, Nov
2014
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/a
rchive/2014/11/why-kids-sext/380798/
What Do We Learn from These
Articles?
• Young people live in a world not of there
making and out of their control
• Young people are capable of acting with or
without guidance
• Adults can make a difference in the lives of
young people.
The Importance of Catholic Formation
• The Catholic School, Congregation
on Education, March 19, 1977
Serving Humanity
• Catholic formation “serve humanity until it reaches
its fullness in Christ.”
• Evangelization = mission of the Catholic formation
– “proclaim the good news of salvation to all, generate new
creatures in Christ through Baptism, and train them to
live knowingly as children of God.”
• Catholic formation is “privileged means of
promoting the formation of the whole” person
• Centers to develop, consider and convey “a specific
concept of the world, of man, and of history”
Forming Christian
Character
• the simultaneous development of man's
psychological and moral consciousness “
• “need to ensure the presence of a Christian
mentality”
• Use Christian thought to develop a sound criterion of
judgment of behavior, concepts, and values
• Form students of strong character, capable of living
healthy, wholesome, and holy lives and making a
positive contribution to society.
• Dialogue with culture
Human Formation
• Through a living encounter with cultural
inheritance, integral formation occurs
– Art, Music, Rituals, Traditions
– Values, Beliefs, Attitudes, Behaviors
• Consider absolute values in a life-context; insert
them into a life-framework.
• Catholic formation
– helps young people relate study to real-life situations;
– stimulates the use of intelligence
– Encourages them to Identify the meaning of experiences
and their truths
Catholic Formation
• Christ is the foundation of the whole educational
enterprise
– Renews life; shapes thoughts, actions, and will
• Committed to the development of the whole
person
• Cultivates human values
• Worldview: Redeemed by Christ
– Shapes understanding of culture and formation of the
individual
– Focus on virtues and virtuous living
• Understanding in the light of the Gospel
Integration of Faith and Knowledge
• Knowledge valued
• No particular Catholic method or methodology
• Wrong to consider subjects as adjuncts to faith or
apologetics.
• Education helps pupils assimilate
–
–
–
–
Skills
Knowledge
Intellectual methods
Moral and social attitudes
• Develop personality and active member of community
• Aim is acquisition of values and the discovery of truth
Role of Youth Minister
• Guide—Helps the young person to deepen
faith; enrich knowledge through faith
• Form the mind, heart and personality of YP
• Help YP discover Truth, discover Christ
What Is Character
• Character Strengths and Virtues (CSV) (Peterson and
Seligman, 2004)
– Character is a set of abilities or strengths that can be taught,
practiced, and learned
• CSV
– Have intrinsic value
• They cannot be wasted like gifts or aptitudes
– Not the opposite or a rival of a desirable trait (i.e., steadfast
and flexible are opposites but both are valuable);
– Habitual patterns of behavior that remain relatively stable over
time)
– Nurtured by society
– Lead to happiness and well-being
How Children Succeed
• Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power
of Character
• By Paul Tough
Six Core CVS
1. Wisdom and Knowledge (strengths that involve
the acquisition and use of knowledge)
– Creativity
– Curiosity
– Love of Learning
– Open-mindedness
– Perspective/Wisdom
• coordination of "knowledge and
experience" and "its deliberate use to
improve wellbeing."
2. Courage
(strengths that allow one to
accomplish goals in the face of
opposition)
– Bravery
–Persistence
–Integrity
–Vitality
3. Humanity
(strengths of tending and befriending
others)
–Love
–Kindness
–Social Intelligence
4. Justice
(strengths that build healthy
community)
–active citizenship / social
responsibility / loyalty / teamwork
–fairness
–leadership
5. Temperance
(strengths that protect against excess)
–Forgiveness and Mercy
–Humility and Modesty
–Prudence
–Self-regulation and self control
6. Transcendence
(strengths that forge connections to the larger
universe and provide meaning)
– Appreciation of beauty
– Appreciation of excellence
– Gratitude
– Hope
– Humor and Playfulness
– Spirituality or a sense of purpose and
coherence
Virtue
(Latin: virtus, Greek: ἀρετή "arete")
• Moral Excellence
• A positive, morally good trait or
quality that provides the foundation
and principle for a good moral being.
• Promote collective and individual
greatness.
• The opposite of virtue is vice
• Virtues are good habits (Aristotle)
Catholic Perspective on
Virtues
• Theological Virtues
– Faith
– Hope
– Love
• Cardinal (Hinge) Virtues
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–
–
–
Prudence
Temperance
Justice
Fortitude
Angela Duckworth
• Character is just as important as intellect for
success
• Key Character Traits for Successful Living
–
–
–
–
–
Self-Control
Willpower (delayed gratification)
Motivation
Conscientiousness
Grit (a passionate commitment to a single mission
and an unswerving dedication to achieve the
mission; stick-to-it-ness, commitment to get the job
done no matter what)
Carol Dweck
Mastery-Orientation
• NO relation between people’s abilities or
intelligence and the development of masteryoriented qualities.
• Requires the right mind-set.
– People become more able over time
– They think about learning, not grades or how smart
they are.
– They focus on effort and strategies instead of
worrying
• Growth Mindset essential
Essential Strengths
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Grit
Self-control
Zest
Social intelligence
Gratitude
Optimism
Curiosity
Faith Formation and CSV
• Preparing people for a lifetime
– Skills and understanding to live happy, healthy, holy,
and wholesome lives
– Preparing the whole person
What We Can Do
Dweck
• Focus on people‘s efforts, not abilities.
• Praise successful effort and strategies, not intelligence
• Give feedback about effort or strategies -- what the
student did wrong and what he or she could do now
• Help YP value effort and understand that sustained effort
over time is the key to outstanding achievement
• Teach YP to relish a challenge and appreciate the
satisfaction in overcoming difficulties
• Help YP focus on and value learning, not outcomes
• outcomes are not a sign of intelligence, only current
status of skill set or work on task
• Put children in charge of their own self-esteem
What We Can Do
• Incorporate CSV into all activities
• Provide opportunities to practice
• Provide opportunities to overcome obstacles
– Try and fail; pick oneself up and try again
– Learn from mistakes
• Establish rules, make sure everyone knows and
understand the rules, make sure everyone
follows the rules (prefrontal cortex)
– Rewards and penalties
What We Can Do
•
•
•
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Think and talk about the importance of CSV
Incorporate CSV into all aspects of the program
Encourage group identity
Encourage optimism
Present CSV as developed over a lifetime
Teach a new way to think
– Take responsibilities for decisions and actions
– Take steps to learn from success and failures (losing
is something you do, not who or what you are)
What We Can Do
• Encourage
– Cognitive flexibility –the ability to see alternative
solutions to problems, think outside the box
– Cognitive self-control—ability to inhibit instinctive
response and use a more effective, less obvious one.
(you thought you had a good idea but didn’t)
• Provide
– Comfort in times of stress
– Challenge for Excellence
– Guidance and stability
Young People Need
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Learn to think deeply and differently
Develop internal motivation
How to persevere when faced with difficulties
How to deal with failure
How to overcome obstacles
Guided by faith in Christ and the Church