What is Human Dignity?

1. What is Human Dignity? It is the belief that one is rooted in his or her creation in the image and likeness of God. Each person consists of a spiritual and immortal soul, intelligence, and free will. The human person is ordered to God and called therefore to love. the access and right to the fullness of life i.e. Water, food, clothing, and shelter.

2. What is Social Ethics? Ethics is a systematic way of thinking that provides a coherent set of values and principles to guide people’s moral lives. It is shaped by everything they have learned about human behaviour, including their own experiences. the Catholic Church has its own ethical teachings based on moral theology i.e. Rooted in theology- Mark 12: 29-31 (The Greatest Commandment- Love) and natural law- reason and experience- capacity to know and draw on experiences that lead to sound ethical decisions).

3. What is the Common Good? the conditions of social life that allow all people as both groups and individuals to reach their full fulfillment. a system of ethics that is based on maximizing the happiness or good of the greater number. i.e. Human Papilloma Virus (HPV- STD/ Cervical cancer/ skin to skin contact with already infected partner/ etc.) expected sexual intercourse vs. abstinence debate

4. What is Social Justice? ensures the respect and dignity of each human person. it is linked to the common good and to the exercise of authority when it allows the conditions and rights that are due to each individual. the practice of generosity, kindness, and sharing of goods and resources with all peoples and cultures. creating an encounter with God and following it up with intentional actions (personal realtionship). the Charter of Christian living/ the New Law- “The Beatitudes”- Matt. 5: 1-12

5. What is Natural Law? Natural Law acknowledges the capability of reason, reflecting on experiences in order to reach valid ethical conclusions. to be aware of the present economic, political, and social realities of the times, and to be informed as much as possible in order to make moral decisions in light of the Gospel the ability and intelligence to see the logic of some positions and to make the judgement based on experience to guide us to conclusions.

6. What is Relativism? the theory that any ideas or thoughts are valid to the individual that possesses them. the approach that does not necessarily lead to logic, in that, two completely different points of view can be correct at the same time i.e.- sex before marriage individual choice that is based on what is good for the individual.

7. What is conscience? It is present in the heart of the human person, is a judgement of reason which allow the person to do good and avoid evil. It allows for our capacity to reason and innately calls us to asses all our actions and to strive towards the good. It shapes individuals and in turn, shapes our society, first through our family, our immediate relationships, and so on.

8. What is the Principle of “Double Effect?” the decision to do something that will have two effects at the same time; one good and one evil. an action that will have as a direct intention something good, while at the same time causing some unforeseen harm or evil i.e. administration of morphine is permissible when the following is present simultaneously: 1. the action itself is good or morally neutral 2. the good effect does not come through the evil effect 3. the evil effect is not directly intended 4. their is good reason to allow the evil effect

9. What is Human Freedom? it is the power given by God to act or not to act, and so to deliberate action’s on one’s own responsibility. the more that one does that is good, the freer one becomes. the possibility of choosing between good and evil and thus attaining its proper perfection when all actions are directed towards God.

10. What is Charity? it is the theological virtue by which we love God above all things and our neighbour as ourselves for the love of God. It is the bond of perfection and the foundation of what gives life, inspiration, and order- 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3, “Without charity, I am nothing and I gain nothing”. the practice of giving to worthy causes or people in need

11. Gaudium et Spes (The Church in the Modern World) written by His Holiness, Pope Paul VI on December 7, 1965 in response to our relationship as Christians in society (1 of 4 constitutions written after Vatican II)- Chapter 1, “Dignity of the Human Person” Sacred Scripture teaches that we were created "to the image of God," and is capable of knowing and loving his Creator God did not create man as a solitary, for from the beginning "male and female he created them" (Gen. 1:27)- holy Scripture reminds us that our innermost nature is as social beings, thus we are called to relate to one another in companionship and cannot live out nor develop our true potential without one another. Scripture also reminds us that God saw "all that he had made, and it was very good" (Gen. 1:31). Conscience is the most secret core and sanctuary of a person. There he or she is alone with God whose voice echoes in the depths of one’s heart- the conscience therefore reveals that law which is fulfilled by love of God and neighbour.

12. In Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons created in the Image of God written by the International Theological Commission in July 2004 we exist in relationship to others, God and the world- we are not isolated individuals we participate with the Holy trinity in the divine law through his or her being being made in God’s image and likeness gives us the foundation of our human dignity- importance of our shared responsibilities, both civic and religious

13. Donum Vitae (The Gift of Life) an important Church teaching written in 1987 we are to be treated as persons from the moment of conception the personhood of the tiny organism that develops without interruption from the time of conception personhood flows from being made in God’s image, including all persons from our biblical heritage as well as the embryo

14. The Role of Scripture in Ethics? the Catholic Church does not subscribe to the concept of “sola scriptura”, to which the only legitimate moral principles are those found in the bible. any study of the Scriptures should include the following four features: Exegesis- the meaning of the text in its original context i.e. Inspired by God and written by humans in a specific period of culture, history, and economics Hermeneutics- the meaning of the text for today i.e. The text must not be taken literally and we must therefore filter the text through our own language, symbols, icons, etc. Methodology- the use of Scripture for moral guidance i.e. Moral theology as actions and decisions- what we should do and not do vs. what we should become in the world- use of parables Theology- “faith seeking understanding”- St. Anselm (11th century), seeking for a fuller understanding of what it means to be human i.e. To be a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, not the Church and its morality. – St. Augustine (4th century), “My heart is restless until I rest in thee”.

15. What are Catholic Social Teachings? Catholic social teaching is a body of doctrine developed by the Catholic Church on matters of poverty and wealth, economics, social organization and the role of the state. Its foundations are widely considered to have been laid by Pope Leo XIII's 1891 encyclical letter Rerum Novarum. According to Pope Benedict XVI, its purpose "is simply to help purify reason and to contribute, here and now, to the acknowledgment and attainment of what is just…. [The Church] has to play her part through rational argument and she has to reawaken the spiritual energy without which justice…cannot prevail and prosper“. According to Pope John Paul II, its foundation "rests on the threefold cornerstones of human dignity, solidarity and subsidiarity". These concerns echo elements of Jewish law and the prophetic books of the Old Testament and recall the teachings of Jesus Christ recorded in the New Testament, such as his declaration that "whatever you have done for one of these least brothers of Mine, you have done for Me."

16. Rerum Novarum(Of New Things) is an encyclical issued and written by Pope Leo XIII on May 15, 1891. it was passed on to all Catholic bishops, and addressed specifically the condition of the working classes. Pope Leo XIII sets out the Catholic Church's response to the social instability and labour conflict that had risen in the wake of industrialization and that had led to the rise of socialism. The Pope taught that the role of the State is to promote social justice through the protection of rights, while the Church must speak out on social issues in order to teach correct social principles and ensure class harmony. recognized that the poor have a special status in consideration of social issues: the modern Catholic principle of the "preferential option for the poor" and the notion that God is on the side of the poor found their first expression in this document.

17. What is the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB)? The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) is the national assembly of the Bishops of Canada. It was founded in 1943 and officially recognized by the Holy See in 1948 and after the Second Vatican Council (1962–65) became an integral part of the life of the universal Church. the Conference is involved in matters of both national and international scope in areas such as ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, theology, social justice, aid to developing countries, the protection of human life, liturgy, communications and Christian education. the Conference also provides the Bishops with a forum where they can share their experience and insights on the life of the Church and the major events that shape our society.