Conscience Basics
What is the standard of morality for Catholics?
God’s law and Church teaching.
Name two things conscience is not.
Conscience is not a majority opinion and not a feeling.
True or False: Formation of conscience lasts a lifetime.
True.
True or False: A well-formed conscience can still make mistakes.
True.
Name one type of peer pressure.
Neutral peer pressure – choices made have little lasting consequences.
What are the benefits of forming a good conscience?
Being able to live both a moral and happy life.
What was the “default position” of young adults in Christian Smith’s moral survey?
“It’s personal,” and “Who am I to say?”—each person decides for themselves.
What does it mean to educate your conscience?
Focus on the person and teaching of Jesus Christ, Church teaching, guidance of the Holy Spirit, and advice of others.
What’s the difference between vincible and invincible ignorance?
Vincible: caused by negligence in seeking the truth.
Invincible: results through no fault of your own.
What is a common rationalization for giving in to negative peer pressure?
“Everyone is doing it.”
True or False: Conscience can be simply understood by how something makes us feel.
False. Conscience cannot be simply understood this way.
According to the Second Vatican Council, what is one of the five key ideas about what conscience is?
Conscience always summons you to do good and avoid evil.
What does the acronym SEER stand for?
S – Study the facts
E – Elect your course of action
E – Execute the action
R – Review your decision
Name two other factors that can lead to erroneous judgment according to the CCC.
Ignorance of Christ and his Gospel
The bad example of others
Name the two virtues that help us balance fearful inaction and rash behavior.
Prudence and fortitude.
What is contradictory about Ernest Hemingway’s remark about conscience?
Hemingway made a rule that people should not make rules.
List the three interlocking aspects of conscience as revealed by the Church.
Conscience is part of one’s personal relationship with God.
Conscience is an awareness of God’s call to love.
Conscience is a part of practical judgment of the intellect.
What two principles must Catholics live regarding conscience?
Always form and inform your conscience.
Always obey your certain conscience.
Why can’t conscience be good without the help of faith?
Because human reason is wounded by Original Sin and some mysteries of faith can’t be fully understood without faith.
What is the spiritual practice of “offering up”?
Offering suffering or sacrifice to benefit yourself and others, especially the souls in Purgatory.
What is described as the “most secret core and sanctuary” of our being?
Conscience, where we are alone with God.
Name four practical tasks of conscience.
Urging us to do good.
Keeping us from doing evil.
Guiding us in performing an action.
Judging actions we already performed.
Why is execution the true test of an informed conscience?
Because it takes great resolve to actually do what your conscience tells you is right.
While conscience helps us get close to understanding divine law, what is the ultimate judge?
God’s law is the ultimate judge of what is moral.
List all four strategies for resisting peer pressure.
Know your standards.
Learn effective ways to say no.
Stay away from tempting situations.
Remember the power of prayer.