OCIA Session 15: Catholic Morality II – Catholic Social Teaching and Conscience

Welcome back! Last time, we talked about the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes - God’s blueprint and Jesus’ call to greatness. Today, we move into the second half of Catholic morality: Catholic Social Teaching and the conscience. This is where our faith gets very practical. Catholicism is not just about private prayer or Sunday worship. It shapes how we live in society - how we work, vote, spend, serve, and treat people. It’s faith in action.

Conscience: God’s Voice Within

Let’s start with the conscience. Many people think conscience is just a little voice saying “follow your heart” like in a Disney movie. Not quite.

The Catechism defines conscience as “a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act.”

In plain English: conscience is the inner compass that helps us discern right from wrong. But here’s the catch - conscience needs to be formed.

A well-formed conscience listens to Scripture, Tradition, the teaching of the Church, and prayer.
A poorly formed conscience listens to convenience, culture, or feelings alone.

So when someone says, “I’m just following my conscience,” the real question is: Is your conscience formed according to Christ and His Church?

Humor Break

Think of conscience like your GPS. If it’s updated and working, it’ll guide you safely. If it hasn’t been updated since 2002, you’ll end up in a cornfield. The Church helps keep our conscience updated.

Catholic Social Teaching (CST)

Now, let’s talk about Catholic Social Teaching. This is the Church’s wisdom about how to build a just society and live holy lives in community. It’s not optional. It flows directly from the Gospel.

The Church summarizes CST in seven key principles:

Life and Dignity of the Human Person – Every person is sacred, from conception to natural death.
Call to Family, Community, and Participation – We’re made for community, not isolation.
Rights and Responsibilities – We all have rights, but also duties to one another.
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable – How we treat the least among us shows our faith.
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers – Work has dignity; people are more than profits.
Solidarity – We are one human family, across nations, races, and classes.
Care for God’s Creation – Stewardship of the earth is part of discipleship.

Interactive Reflection

Look at those seven. Which one speaks to you most right now? Why? Maybe you feel a tug toward caring for the poor, or defending life, or protecting creation. Write it down. This may be God nudging you toward service.

Why This Matters

Faith is not just about “me and Jesus.” It’s about transforming the world. As Pope Benedict XVI said: “A faith without works is dead.”

When we defend the unborn, we live out the dignity of life.
When we serve in soup kitchens, we choose the option for the poor.
When we recycle and care for creation, we honor God the Creator.

Catholic morality is always personal and social.

Humor Break #2

Catholic Social Teaching is basically Jesus saying: “Don’t just sit in the pew and nod. Get out there and do something.”

Parish Connection

How does this look in a parish? Lots of ways:

Pro-life ministries defending the dignity of life.
St. Vincent de Paul societies feeding the hungry.
Youth groups doing service projects.
Social justice committees working for fair housing or immigration reform.

Your parish is the training ground for living CST in the real world.

Interactive Activity

Pair up or reflect quietly. Ask: “Where do I already live Catholic Social Teaching in my life? Where could I grow?” Share one action you could take this month - big or small - to live your faith socially.

Conscience in Daily Life

Here’s the big connection: Catholic Social Teaching gives the vision, conscience gives the direction. Together they help you act rightly in the world.

Before a decision, ask: What does the Church teach? What does Scripture say?
Then listen in prayer.
Then act with courage.

Action Step

This week:

Pick one principle of Catholic Social Teaching and live it. Example: donate to a food pantry, pray for life, or volunteer at a parish ministry.
Each night, do a conscience check. Ask: “Where did I love well? Where did I fail to love?” Bring it to prayer.

Closing

Catholic morality isn’t about rules that restrict us. It’s about a vision that frees us to live fully. The Ten Commandments and Beatitudes give us the framework. Catholic Social Teaching and conscience show us how to live it out in society.

Next time, we’ll talk about Prayer I - an introduction to Catholic prayer forms. Because morality without prayer is just activism. But with prayer, it becomes holiness. Until then, remember: faith is not private. It’s public. And when Catholics live it authentically, the world is changed.

next class:
OCIA Session 16: Prayer I – Introduction to Catholic Prayer Forms