This lesson is based on the text, Life in Christ: A Catholic Catechism for Adults, by Rev. Gerard Weber and Rev. James Killgallon (Acta Publications, 1995). The question in bold type is followed by a short answer taken from the text. The text in italics is another answer from the RCIA teacher, Jim Collins. Hyperlinks in red will direct you to documents or websites related to the topic. The entire sequence of lessons forms a comprehensive approach to basic RCIA instruction.
Questions: Sections 35, 36, 38: The 4th, 5th, 7th, and 10th Commandments
What is the significance of the family? A couple (husband and wife) united in marriage and their children from a family whose members are equal in dignity. The family is the most basic and fundamental social unit in society.
What is the fourth commandment?
Honor your father and mother.
For Parents: Have I neglected to teach my children their prayers, send them to church, or give them a Christian education? Have I given them a bad example? Have I neglected to watch over my children; to monitor their companions, the books they read, the movies and TV shows they watch? Have I failed to see to it that my child has been baptized, made his/her first confession and first Communion? Have I failed to see to it that my children have received the sacrament of Confirmation?
For Children: Have I been disobedient toward my parents or other lawful superiors? Have I neglected to help my parents when my help was needed? Have I treated my parents with little affection or respect? Have I reacted proudly when I was corrected by my parents? Do I have a disordered desire for independence? Have I done my chores? Have I neglected to show proper concern for family members in need? Have I failed in my duties as a citizen (paying taxes, voting, defending my country)? Have I failed to respect the rights and freedoms of others? Have I failed to visit and care for my aging parent(s).
Whom must we obey? Children must obey their parents. We must also obey the Church and the civil government. We must obey our parents and others who have legitimate authority over us.
Does the fourth commandment oblige us to love our country? It obliges us to fulfill our duties as citizens of our country, to respect it s laws and institutions, to cooperate for the common good, and to love and defend our country when the cause and the means it uses are just. Yes, we are obliged to love our country. See Just War
Are there limits to this obligation? The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. CCC 2242. This obligation is limited to our obligations to any authority. We are only obliged to follow the authority of our superiors when their wishes conform to the dictates of Christian morality.
What is the fifth commandment?
What are the sins against the fifth commandment?
The
You shall not kill
Have I easily gotten angry or lost my temper? Have I been envious or jealous of others? Have I injured or taken the life of anyone? Have I been reckless in driving? Have I risked my life and the lives of others by driving under the influence? Have I been an occasion of sin for others by way of conversation; the telling of jokes religiously, racially, or sexually offensive; dressing immodestly; inviting somebody to attend certain shows; lending harmful books or magazines; helping someone to steal, etc.: Have I tried to repair the scandal done? How many persons have I led to sin? What sin or sins were involved: Have I neglected my health? Have I attempted to take my life? Have I mutilated myself or another? Have I been drunk or used prohibited drugs? Have I eaten or drank more than a sufficient amount, allowing myself to be carried away by gluttony? Have I participated in any form of physical violence? Have I considered euthanasia, or suicide? Have I consented to or actively taken part in direct sterilization (tubal ligation, vasectomy, etc.)? Have I consented to, advised someone about, or actively taken part in an abortion? Have I caused harm to anyone with my words or actions? Have I desired revenge or harbored enmity, hatred, or ill feelings when someone offended me? Have I asked pardon whenever I offended anyone? Have I insulted or offensively teased others? Have I quarreled with one of my brothers or sisters? Have I been brutal towards animals? Have I been a racist in thoughts, word, or action? Have I discriminated against others because of sex, race, color, social conditions, language, or religion? Have I, in anger, desired the injury or death of another? Have I hated anyone? Have I used rude, abusive language toward others?
Is it ever permitted to take the life of another? To kill in legitimate self-defense is not sinful. Only in certain circumstances such as in a just war or when your own life or the life of a loved one is in mortal danger.
Why are abortion and “mercy killing” against the fifth commandment? The Church teaches that the human person has a right to life from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. Abortion takes away the right of an unborn child to live. Mercy killing (euthanasia) determines a time when someone should die denying God to determine that time. See Euthanasia
How are we obliged to preserve our own lives and health? We are obliged to use every ordinary means to preserve them. We are not required to use extraordinary means to preserve life when those means would be futile or unduly burdensome. Prayer, reflection, and consultation are needed to make proper decisions. God gave us life. As good stewards of our own lives we are obliged to take proper care of our health and to maintain our lives as best we can.
How serious a sin is it to mutilate the body unnecessarily, to deprive it of an important function or to shorten one’s life? Sterilization, except in the case of legitimate removal of a diseased organ, is very wrong because it closes off the possibility of new life being formed. The use or trafficking in illegal narcotics is sinful because it does grave harm to ourselves or others. Suicide or shortening our lives knowingly can be mortal sins. Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, a gift from God. To deprive them of an important function or to shorten our lives are very serious sins.
Is it permissible to participate in medical experiments or to donate organs? If medical experiments contribute to healing of individuals and the improvement of public health, if they do not involve disproportionate or avoidable risks to the subject, and if the subject has given informed consent, then they are morally acceptable. This is also true or organ donation. Yes. As long as premature death (suicide) is not the means to this end. The human body must always be given proper respect.
What is hatred? Hatred is a matter of the will, not of feelings. Hatred, willing evil on another person, is the opposite of love.
Is war morally acceptable? Peace is the primary focus. Conditions for a just war are: (a) the damage inflicted by the aggressor to the nation or community of nations would be lasting, serious and certain; (b) all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; (c) all serious conditions for success must be present; (d) the use of arms must not involve more serious evils and disorders than those to be eliminated. War is morally acceptable only for certain good reasons: See website link.
Is a Christian obliged to serve in the military? The state, in order to protect a nation’s common good and to insure peace, may impose the obligation on its citizens of serving in the military. A Christian may be obliged to serve in the military, but a Christian may choose to serve the military as a non-combatant.
Are religious and racial prejudices against the fifth commandment? Prejudice is an unreasonable emotion and always opposed to charity. This includes joining organizations which promote prejudice (KKK, Nazi Party, etc.) Yes, because they are a form of hatred.
May we seek revenge or refuse to forgive injuries? No, since this would contradict what Jesus taught us. We are called to a higher standard as expressed in the Our Father: Forgive us our trespasses and we forgive those who trespass against us.
What is scandal? It is any evil action, or one which has the appearance of evil, that does spiritual harm to another. It consists of engaging in a sinful act which may encourage others to do likewise.
How serious are sins of hatred, scandal, cooperation in sin and uncharitable words and actions? The seriousness of such sins is determined by the seriousness of the harm done to our neighbor. These sins are serious depending on how serious the damage is done or intended..
What are the seventh and tenth commandments?
What are the sins against the seventh and tenth commandments?
You shall not steal. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
Have I stolen from an individual or from the workplace? How much money? Or how much was the object worth? Have I given it back or a least have the intention of doing so? Have I done or caused damage to another person’s property? To what extent? Have I harmed anyone by deception, fraud, or coercion in business contracts or transactions? Have I unnecessarily spent beyond my means? Have I spent too much money because of vanity or caprice? Have I given alms according to my capacity? Have I been envious of my neighbor’s goods? Have I neglected to pay my debts? Have I knowingly accepted stolen goods? Have I desired to steal? Have I given into laziness or love of comfort rather than diligently to work or study? Have I been greedy? Do I have an excessively materialistic view of life? Have I wasted or damaged the goods of others; wasted time? Have I cheated others? Have I exploited those who work for me? Have I damaged private or public property or defaced it with vandalism? Have I gambled with funds necessary to pay my obligations to family, my own welfare, or for providing for the poor? Have I engaged in business fraud? Have I shared my wealth (time, talent, treasure) with the poor?
How is the seriousness of sins against the seventh commandment determined? It is determined by the seriousness of the harm done either to the individual or to the community. It is determined by the value of what was taken and the intention to harm.
When is there an obligation of making restitution? Whenever there has been a violation of justice, one is bound to make full restitution. If the one harmed or the heirs cannot be found, the guilty person is obliged to give the stolen goods or their value to the poor or to use them for some charitable cause. Restitution in some form is required.
What does the Church say about the right to private property? The Church says that the right to private property is a natural right, one that may not be taken away. We have a right to private property as long as that right is not in conflict with the common good.
Is justice between two individuals the only form of justice about which Christians should be concerned? Christians must be concerned about all forms of justice and injustice: decent and humane social order, respect for fundamental rights, dignity of persons. We also need to be concerned about social justice.
Why is concern for justice a religious concern? It was a concern for Jesus: (1) Jesus came to free all men and women from sin and the effects of sin: injustice, war, discrimination are against this; (2) Jesus came to unite all men and women: discrimination or injustice separates them; (c) Jesus came to establish the Kingdom of God here on this earth. This embraces work, politics, education, recreation as well as prayer and religious beliefs. It is a religious concern because sins against justice are sins against God or neighbor, the two great commandments.
What does the Church say about justice? See documents listed in the textbook. Our concern with justice is an extension of our love of neighbor, focusing on the need for justice for all.
Closing Prayer:
Prayer before meals: Bless us, O Lord, and these your gifts which we are about to receive from your bounty through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.