Chapter 25: The Person and Society INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM.

Chapter 25: The Person and Society

INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM

ANTICIPATORY SET Free write confidentially about how the words of Pope Bl. John Paul II’s address to young people could apply to you.

1. Holy Citizens of the City of Man (pp. 564-568)

BASIC QUESTIONS What is the vocation of a Christian? What are the three states of life in which the Christian

vocation can be lived? KEY IDEAS The vocation of a Christian is to spread the Kingdom

of God in the City of Man through Christian life and service in order to reach his or her true home in Heaven.

All Christians are called to live holiness in Holy Orders, the consecrated life, or as laity.


GUIDED EXERCISE Review the quote from Ad Gentes Divinitus (p. 565) and then free write confidentially about how you might live a more profound Christian life during the next year.


FOCUS QUESTIONS According to St. Augustine, of what two cities are Christians on earth citizens? They are citizens of the City of God and the City of Man. What are these two cities? The City of God is the world to come, and the City of Man is the present, earthly world. What grave obligation does each Christian have toward the City of Man? He or she has the grave obligation to continue Christ’s work to bring about the Kingdom of God on Earth.


FOCUS QUESTIONS How should a person externalize his or her interior Christian life? He or she should do so through service to God and neighbor. Who is the model of Christian living? Christ is the model. What does it mean to live as Christ lived? The Christian vocation requires people to keep the Commandments and to imitate the virtues of Christ in everyday life.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the main theme of this text? Every human person is made for union with God. What makes possible a person’s union with God? It is made possible by the Incarnation, Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What does God give to overcome the weakness of Original Sin? God gives supernatural grace. What is the proper response to Christ’s redemption? Each person should respond to Christ’s redemption by living the two Great Commandments.


GUIDED EXERCISE Think/Pair/Share using the following question: What does it mean to say Christians “are in the world,

but not of the world” in the Epistle to Diogentus? Then discuss the following question: To what extent do you think the various ways that

Christians related to the world in the first centuries of the Church are still valid today?


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the visible, structured, ordered Mystical Body of Christ on Earth? The Church is the Mystical Body of Christ on earth. What is the purpose of the Church on Earth? The Church’s mission is to extend the Kingdom of God throughout the world. Who has the responsibility to extend the Kingdom of God on Earth? Each of the faithful, within his or her various state in life, has this vocation.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What are the three fundamental states of Christian life? The three states are Holy Orders, the consecrated life, and the lay state. How does a person choose a state in life? A state in life is a vocation from God, which is discerned by prayer, appropriate counsel, and confirmation by the Church. Extension: A vocation to Holy Orders is confirmed by the ordaining bishop, consecrated life by the religious superior who accepts the candidate’s vows, and marriage by the Church.


GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Work with a partner to create and complete a table that summarizes the three vocations by naming them, defining them, and then identifying their functions.


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 1-3 (p. 584) Practical Exercise 1 (p. 584) Workbook Questions 1-8 Read “The Vocation of the Laity” through the

sidebar “The Lay Apostolate” (pp. 569-572)


CLOSURE Write a paragraph summarizing how you are called to be a holy citizen of the City of Man.


ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Free write for a few minutes about something that most interested you about the material in this lesson.


ANTICIPATORY SET

Mini-lecture about which vocation is best.

2. The Vocation of the Laity (pp. 569-572)

BASIC QUESTION What is the vocation of the laity? KEY IDEA The vocation of the laity is the call by God to sanctify

oneself and others in family life, in work, and in other activities.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the most common vocation in the Church? The vocation of the laity is the most common. Where is the vocation of the laity lived? It is lived wherever married or unmarried lay people find themselves.


FOCUS QUESTION How does a person seek holiness within family life? Through the Sacrament of Matrimony, husbands and wives “find their proper vocation in being witnesses of the faith and love of Christ to one another and to their children” (LG 35). Extension: In marriage, a person can become holy by loving his or her spouse and children.


FOCUS QUESTIONS How do Christian spouses witness the Faith to their children in practice? They do so by their example, words of instruction, and encouragement. What can children learn in a healthy Christian family? They can learn the Faith, the importance of loving and serving others, and how to face the world.


GUIDED EXERCISE Work with a partner to create a bullet-point list according to the Catechism, no. 2427 (p. 570), about ways work can help make a person holy.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Why can work be sanctified? Work can be sanctified because it is part of God’s will for people. Extension: A person grows in holiness by doing God’s will. How can a Christian witness attract others to Christ? Classmates, friends, and others may want to know the source of a Christian’s virtue and happiness. This interest can begin a dialogue. How can a person attract people to Christ through work? He or she can attract others to Christ by performing duties well and by maintaining a cheerful and positive attitude.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Why do lay persons have the right and duty to spread the Gospel? All lay persons are called to spread the Gospel by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation. What are apostolic works? Any work of service or charity can be an apostolic work. Extension: Apostolic works include an extremely wide range of activities, from offering up some work for a friend, to giving a thirsty person a drink of water, to volunteering to teach religious education, to operating schools and hospitals, to a bishop instructing the faithful about the principles of the social teachings of the Church, or to the Pope convening an Ecumenical Council.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the first step to carry out an effective apostolate? The first step is a firm and vital relationship with Christ. What is the soul of the Church’s whole apostolate? The soul of the Church’s apostolate is charity, drawn especially from the Eucharist.


FOCUS QUESTION How do Christians build up the Body of Christ? They build up the Body of Christ through the fulfillment of those duties proper to their own vocations. For example, a priest fulfills his priestly duties by celebrating the Eucharist, hearing Confessions, teaching and preaching, and the like. A lay person can work in a secular occupation, take part in civic organizations to promote the common good, love his or her spouse and children, and witness to Christ in everyday activities.


FOCUS QUESTION What attitude should a person performing an act of service have toward the person receiving the service? The person performing a service should consider the person he or she serves as someone made in the image of God and in light of Christ’s words in Gospel of St. Matthew: “‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me’” (Mt 25:45).


GUIDED EXERCISE Choose one of the virtues and free write for a few minutes about (1) how that particular virtue is necessary to be an effective worker and (2) how the exercise of that virtue can help sanctify your work.


GUIDED EXERCISE Work with a partner to identify “places and situations” to which the Gospel can be brought only by people like you.


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Question 4 (p. 584) Practical Exercises 7 (p. 584) Workbook Questions 9-14 Read “Living our Faith in Society” (pp. 572-575)

2. The Vocation of the Laity pp. 569-572)

CLOSURE Write a paragraph summarizing the vocation of the laity.


ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Free write for five minutes about what St. Josemaria Escriva’s prayer means and how it might apply to your own life.


ANTICIPATORY SET Review the definition of a society: A group of persons bound together organically by a

principle of unity that extends beyond each individual member.

Brainstorm different societies to which you belong.

3. Living Our Faith in Society (pp. 572-575)

BASIC QUESTIONS What is a society and why do people form them? What are the principles of a well-ordered society? KEY IDEAS A society is a group of persons bound together

organically by a principle of unity that extends beyond each individual member; people form societies because human beings are social creatures who need each other—from the family, to personal and civic voluntary groups, to the state—in order to develop and reach their potential.

In order for any society to help its members, it must respect human dignity, observe the principle of solidarity, and respect a just hierarchy of values.


GUIDED EXERCISE Discuss the following question: Can a person live without other people?


FOCUS QUESTIONS How does the Catechism define a society? A society is a group of persons bound together organically by a principle of unity that extends beyond each individual member. What is the purpose of authority within a society? The purpose is the good of each individual member and, ultimately, every human person.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What are two natural human communities? The family and the state are natural human communities. What are examples of voluntary societies? Examples include cities, neighborhoods, civic or social organizations, schools, faith groups, and organizations that help members achieve personal, cultural, recreational, or professional goals.


FOCUS QUESTION How are human relationships related to the Blessed Trinity? The Blessed Trinity is a mysterious relationship of three divine Persons in perfect communion in one God. Made in the image of this interpersonal God, human beings live in an imperfect relationship with one another and God, always striving after the perfection of the community of the Persons of the Blessed Trinity.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Is society a bad thing? Although all human societies are flawed, they are essential for the life and development of the human person. Why is society flawed? Many people have rejected the idea of objective truth and God himself.


FOCUS QUESTION What are the basic principles under which every well-organized society must operate if it is to help each member fulfill his or her human vocation? A society must respect human dignity, observe the principle of solidarity, and respect a just hierarchy of values.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What does it mean to say society must respect human dignity? “The human person…is and ought to be the principle, the subject and the end of all social institutions” (GS 25 § 1; cf. CCC 1881). Extension: Societies exist for human beings; human beings do not exist for societies. What is a good test of how well a society respects human dignity? How a society treats its weakest members is a good measure of how well it respects human dignity.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What is the common good? The common good is the “sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or individuals, to reach their fulfillment more fully and more easily” (GS 26 § 1; cf. GS 74 § 1; quoted in CCC 1906). What are the three essential elements of the common good? They are respect for persons, the well-being and development of society, and peace and security.


FOCUS QUESTION What is the principle of subsidiarity? The principle of subsidiarity maintains that for the betterment of persons, “a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to coordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good” (CA 48 § 4; cf. Pius XI, Quadragesimo Anno I, 184-186). Extension: A society should not do for a person what he or she can do him- or herself; a higher-level society should not do for a lower-level society what it can do for itself; and ample opportunity must be given to lower authorities and forms of society to resolve any issues that may arise before intervention by a higher authority is attempted.


FOCUS QUESTIONS What does it mean to say society must respect a just hierarchy of values? A society must place spiritual values above material ones so people are free to pursue their vocations from God. What should lay people do if a society lacks the principles of a well-ordered society? They should attempt to reform society.


GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Work with a partner to create and complete a table to organize the material on a well-ordered society, identifying its three principles, explaining them, and offering an example of each principle being violated either currently or in history.


CLOSURE Write a paragraph summarizing why people form societies and what makes for well-ordered societies.


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Question 5 (p. 584) Practical Exercises 2-3 (p. 584) Workbook Questions 15-20 Read “Faith, Law, and Social Justice”

through “Conclusion” (pp. 575-580)


ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Work with a partner to complete Practical Exercise 2 about ten wise laws.


ANTICIPATORY SET Mini-lecture about one example of properly opposing an unjust law.

4. Human Law and Responsibility for the Common Good (pp. 575-580)

BASIC QUESTIONS When must human law be obeyed? What responsibilities do people have for the common

good? KEY IDEAS Human laws are a requirement of a well-ordered

society; to be obligatory, however, human laws must be founded on the moral law given by God.

Each person has a personal, political, and social responsibility to advance the common good.


FOCUS QUESTIONS How do laws help society? Law is necessary for a well-ordered community and ensures basic rights, provides for fundamental common needs, and promotes justice in how people interact. What underlies every law? A standard of morality and justice underlies every law.


FOCUS QUESTIONS From what standard must every just law derive? Every just law must derive from the revealed moral law. What is an example of a just law that is rightly founded on the moral law? One example is a law against slander. Such a law corresponds to the moral law’s prohibition against falsely defaming someone.


FOCUS QUESTION What is an example of an unjust law that violates the moral law? One such example is a law that allows people to buy their way out of a military draft so those who can afford it need not serve, while the poor must.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Why do people have to obey just human laws? They must obey just human laws because they are an application of the divine law to human affairs and they were enacted by legitimate human authority, which ultimately comes from God. What is the proper relationship between legal and moral? They should coincide but often do not. Legality does not necessarily imply morality; many immoral acts are legal, but this is no excuse to perform them.


GUIDED EXERCISE Discuss what St. Thomas Aquinas would probably say about laws that violate reason.


FOCUS QUESTIONS Why do immoral laws have no authority? Immoral laws have no authority because human authority cannot declare moral what God declares immoral. What are some examples of immoral laws? Some examples of immoral laws include legislation permitting slavery, abortion, euthanasia, destruction of embryonic stem cells, and same-sex “marriages.”


FOCUS QUESTIONS What should be the Christian attitude toward unjust laws? He or she is not bound in conscience to cooperate with unjust laws and may be morally required to oppose them. What would be wrong with the following statement if it were made by a politician: “I am personally opposed to abortion; however, abortion is protected by law, and as a lawmaker I must guarantee women’s right to abortion”? This false position either equates civil law with God’s law or maintains that civil law somehow takes precedence over the moral law.


FOCUS QUESTION What did Bl. Pier Giorgio Frassati mean when he said, “Charity is not enough; we need social reform”? Even as people strive to meet the immediate demands of loving neighbor and caring for the needy, they must work to change social systems that produce inequities in human rights and do not respect human dignity.


GRAPHIC ORGANIZER Complete the following table to enhance your understanding of the three ways the Christian faithful should participate in the advancement of the common good.


GUIDED EXERCISE Think/Pair/Share using the following question: What is the relationship between the practice of the

corporal and spiritual works of mercy and social justice?


HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT Study Questions 6-16 (p. 584) Practical Exercises 4-6, 8 (p. 584) Workbook Questions 21-28


CLOSURE Explain each of the following statements in one or two sentences: A civil law can be just or unjust. The civil law must be scrutinized by a well-formed

conscience. “Legal” does not necessarily imply “moral.” Everyone has an obligation to help form a more just society.


ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT Free write confidentially about how you have contributed toward the common good. If you cannot recall any instances, think of ways to do so in the future.


THE END

Chapter 25: The Person and Society INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM.

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Transcript of Chapter 25: The Person and Society INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM.