Besides the external guideof the moral law, God has alsogiven us an internal guide to helpus determine which actions aregood and which are bad. This isknown as the conscience.

Conscience is a specificaction of our reasons, or intellect,by which we judge the rightnessor wrongness of a particularaction. It is not a feeling or anemotion. Conscience is theapplication of certain principles –found in the moral law - to aspecific, concrete moral situation.

In order to be of any use tous, our conscience must be cor-rectly formed or taught. We areobliged to follow our conscience,but we are also obliged to makesure that our conscience is prop-erly formed.

When our conscience iscorrectly formed and the judg-ments which we make are correct, we have a true conscience. If our judgments are incorrect,we have a false conscience. A false conscience is lax if it fails to see sin where sin actuallyexists. A false conscience is scrupulous if it magnifies the gravity of sin or finds sin where therereally is none. False consciences must be correctly formed.

To form our conscience, we must look to the Church, which speaks the Word of God tous today, and we must listen to her voice. At the same time, we should try to understand theselaws of God so that we may better follow them.

Our consciences are naturally sensitive to natural Divine Laws, which are written on the humanheart when man is created. We must inform our conscience with revealed law (the TenCommandments, Beatitudes, Virtue, Works of Mercy) and Ecclesiastical laws (Precepts andteachings of the Church) as well as civil laws. Man must obey his authorities, recognizingalways the hierarchy of laws. Your conscience will judge in specific situations if you are doingthe right or wrong in accordance with these laws.

Why Be Moral?Sin is very serious and there are consequences for sin. We must repair for our sins through

Penance either in this World or in Purgatory after our death. When we die, our immortal souls are judged,and if we have rejected God and his sanctifying grace (life) by sinning (through Mortal sins) during ourtime on earth then we risk going to Hell. If we have shown God that we love Him , and have kept Hissanctifying grace (by confessing our Mortal sins or not committing Mortal sins) then we will go toHeaven. Now, sometimes we have God’s sanctifying grace, but we have not yet repaired the damagescaused by our sins or we have venial sins to repair for, then our souls go to Purgatory until they arepurified and made ready for Heaven. The four final things are: Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell(Purgatory is not final because all souls in Purgatory will go to heaven). On the lasts day, Jesus will comeagain and there will be a general judgment, after which our bodies will be glorified and they will join oursouls in Heaven, where we will be united with Jesus.

SIN

When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, theycommitted the first sin, ORIGINAL SIN. We all inherit this sin; we are born with it. This sin is washedaway at Baptism, and we are made Children of God. Even though our original sin is washed away, we arestill tempted to sin over and over again (this is called concupiscence).

There are two kinds of sin: Mortal sin and Venial sin. Mortal sin is very serious, and we mustknow that what we are doing is very wrong (it breaks God’s laws), and we must freely consent to it forthe sin to be Mortal. We must confess all Mortal sins. If we die without having confessed our Mortalsins, we risk suffering for all of eternity in Hell. Mortal sins remove God’s sanctifying grace from ourlives (God’s life in us), we need this grace to get to Heaven. Venial sins are less serious, or we committhem without knowledge or free consent. Venial sins lessens God’s sanctifying grace in our souls,therefore it is good to confess even our Venial sins.

Every sin is forgivable, no matter how big! We must be sorry for our sins, confess them to apriest, receive absolution (forgiveness), do the penance (atonement for our sins) and try to sin no more.God’s love and mercy is greater than any sin. Never be afraid to confess your sins. God loves you andwants you to come to Him.

CALL TO HOLINESS

The moral life of the Christian is a call to holiness or perfection. We are called to obedience toGod’s laws in this world – to the spirit and the letter of the law, so that we may share in eternal life at theend of this life. Read the story of the Rich Young Man (Mt 10:17-21).

As (Jesus) was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before Him, and asked Him“Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal Life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call megood? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: “Do not kill, Do not commitadultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.” And hesaid to Jesus, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” And Jesus looking upon him lovedhim and said to him, “You lack one thing. Go, sell all you have, and give to the poor, and you will havetreasure in heaven; and COME FOLLOW ME”.

We are all called to holiness – to keep the Commandments and to follow Jesus. This is the call toperfection. Thus we must learn and keep the moral law.

MORALITY – OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS CHILDREN OF GOD

We know that God made us in His own image and likeness (Genesis 1:27):Vs.27 – So God created man in his own image in the image of God he created him; male and female hecreated them.This means that we have the ability to make decisions, be responsible and to love.

God has invited us into His covenant, which calls us to responsibility (Exodus 19:5-6):Vs. 5 – Now, therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possessionamong all peoples; for all the earth is mine, (vs.6) and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holynation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

In the Old Testament, God gave us the Ten Commandments, to guide us in our way of life in orderto keep the covenant (Exodus 20:1-17):1. I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before me.2. You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.3. You shall honor the Sabbath.4. You shall honor your mother and father.5. You shall not kill.6. You shall not commit adultery.7. You shall not steal.8. You shall not bear false witness/lie.9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s spouse (wife or husband).10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods/possessions.

In the New Testament, Jesus gave us the Great Commandment (Luke 10:27):Vs. 27 – And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul,and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”This commandment includes all of the Ten Commandments, and tells us to live them with ourhearts, our wills, and our very lives. We are to live as children of God, which means loving God,and all of God’s children, our neighbors.

Jesus also gave the Beatitudes to teach us how we should live (Matthew 5:3-12):Vs. 3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”Vs. 4: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”Vs. 5: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”Vs. 6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”Vs. 7: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.”Vs. 8: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”Vs. 9: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”Vs. 10: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom ofheaven.”Vs. 11: “Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against youfalsely on my account.”Vs. 12: “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets whowere before you.”

The Church guides us in making decisions, helping us to know right from wrong. The Churchteaches us what is in the Bible, and what Tradition has revealed to us. To help us to make the rightdecisions, the Church gives us the Sacraments (Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Confession,Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the Sick) to strengthen us. Through prayer and good

habits, we may grow in virtues. Virtues are habits of doing good, such as faith, hope and charity;patience, fortitude, justice and temperance.

Scriptures and Tradition teach us that some actions are very good, they are called the CorporalWorks of Mercy and the Spiritual Works of Mercy. They are listed below.

Corporal Works of Mercy Spiritual Works of Mercy-- Feed the Hungry -- Counsel the doubtful (share faith)-- Give drink to the Thirsty -- Instruct the ignorant-- Clothe the naked -- Correct the sinner-- Shelter the homeless -- Comfort the sorrowful (sad)-- Visit the sick -- Forgive those who sin against us-- Visit the imprisoned -- Bear wrongs patiently-- Bury the dead -- Pray for the living and the dead

We know that by sinning, we break God’s covenant. (i.e. Adam and Eve ate the fruit, Noah’s childrenwere proud, Abraham’s descendants broke the laws, the Israelites broke the law, King David broke thelaw – all the Old Testament Covenants were broken.) However, the Covenant Jesus made for us isforever, and although we may sin, our sins may be forgiven, and we may remain children of God.We may be forgiven by being sorry for our sins, going to confession, doing penance, and trying tochange our lives and no longer sinning.

So… we see that we have a responsibility to keep God’s laws, and because we areGod’s family, we want to keep His laws so as to keep our relationship with God andour neighbors, strong. Now, I know all of what we just read is a lot of information, solet’s find an easier way to know if an action is good or bad. We know Jesus was ateacher, the Messiah, a healer, a friend to the poor, the sick, the sinners, and allpeople. Jesus is not only our Lord, our friend, our brother – but the perfect model.So the easiest way to decide what to do is to ask: “WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?”,then follow His example!

If you will obey my voice and keep mycovenant, you shall be my own possessionamong all peoples; for all the earth is mine,and you shall be to me a kingdom of priestsand a holy nation. Exodus 19:5-6

The First Commandment commands us to be religious, that is, tobelieve in God and to love Him, to adore Him, and to serve Him as the one trueGod, the Creator and Lord of all things.

The First Commandment forbids impiety, superstition, and irreligiousbehavior; and in addition, apostasy, heresy, voluntary doubt and culpableignorance of the truths of faith.

The Second Commandment forbids us to dishonor the Name of God: that is,to use His Name without respect; to blaspheme God, the most holy Virgin, thesaints or holy things; and to swear oaths that are false, not necessary or wrong inany way.

The Second Commandment orders us to maintain always a reverence forthe Name of God and to fulfill the vows and promises to which we have boundourselves.

The Third Commandment forbids us to do “servile works” on Sundays andholy days. Servile works include physical labor and those activities that wouldhinder renewal of soul and body on the Lord’s day.

The Third Commandment orders us to honor God on Sundays and holydays by acts of external worship, and for Catholics the most important of these isHoly Mass. Mass is the greatest act of religion, that is most pleasing to God andmeritorious to us. We are required not only to internal acts of worship, butexternal ones because we are subject to God with our entire being.

The Fourth Commandment forbids us to offend or disobey our parents andsuperiors in authority. This includes our superiors in law and society, as well asour Church leaders.

The Fourth Commandment orders us to love, respect and obey our parentsand whoever holds authority over us. This responsibility does not end when webecome mature. We are to care for our parents as they become elderly and whenthey need our assistance.

The Fifth Commandment forbids us to harm life, either natural or spiritual, ofour neighbor as well as of ourselves. It prohibits murder, suicide, unjustifiedfighting, curses and scandal.

The Fifth Commandment orders us to be of good will toward all,including our enemies, and to make up for any bodily or spiritual evil done to ourneighbor.

The Sixth Commandment forbids impurity of any kind: this means immoralactions, words, looks, books, pictures, and shows.

The Sixth Commandment orders us to be holy in body, conducting ourselveswith the greatest respect for our own person and the person of others, as works ofGod and temples where he dwells with His presence and His grace. The SixthCommandment orders us to uphold the sanctity of marriage and family.

The Seventh Commandment forbids damaging our neighbor’s property.This includes thefts, destructive actions, usury, fraud in contracts and in services,and assistance in any such acts.

The Seventh Commandment orders us to give back the property belongingto others, to repair damages that we are responsible for, to honor debts, and topay a just wage to working men.

The Eighth Commandment forbids all falsehood and unjust damage toanother person’s reputation. This includes false witness, slander, lies, detraction,flattery, unfounded suspicion, gossip and rash judgment.

The Eighth Commandment orders us to speak the truth responsibly and toavoid rash judgment of our neighbor’s actions.

The Ninth Commandment forbids impure thoughts and desires.The Ninth Commandment orders us to practice perfect purity of soul and the

greatest respect for family life.The Tenth Commandment forbids the unrestrained desire for riches, without

regard for the rights and welfare of our neighbor. This includes envy of his goods,but also abuse of neighbor or friendship to achieve success.

The Tenth Commandment orders us to be just and moderate in the desire toimprove our own condition of life, and to suffer with patience the hardships andother sufferings permitted by the Lord for our good, because “we must undergomany trials if we are to enter into the reign of God” (Acts 14:22).

First Commandment:

Second Commandment:

Third Commandment:

Fourth Commandment:

Fifth Commandment

Sixth Commandment:

Seventh Commandment:

Eighth Commandment:

Ninth Commandment:

Tenth Commandment

Think not that I have come to abolish thelaw and the prophets; I come not to abolishthem but to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17

The poor in spirit are those who mayhave material possessions but who are ready togive them up when self-sacrifice is called for.They value heavenly treasure above everythingelse and never lose sight of it.

You may remember the rich you man,who turned away from Jesus because this manwas attached to his many possessions. Thepoor in spirit do just the opposite: when Jesuscalls, they leave all things to follow him.Because their hearts are not filled with things onearth, God fills their hearts with himself.

Mourning, in this Beatitude, means sorrowfor sin and sorrow over the loss, by separation orby death, of someone dear to us.

Jesus promises the sorrowful that they willget the strength they need to stand firm in theirtrials and troubles even to grow through theirsorrows in their friendship with God.

The meek are those who are truly humbleand kind. They don’t think of themselves as beingbetter than other people. They accept andrecognize the gifts God has given them withgratitude and patience and with without complaint.

Blessed is the heart that wants what Godwants! If we desire to be righteous and holy,Jesus will help us and our desire will be fulfilled.Jesus promises joy to those who do God’s will.

Mercy is love shown to theunlovable and to those who have beenunjust and ungrateful. The merciful forgiveothers their offenses. They, in turn, willreceive mercy from God. Jesus said: “Ifyou forgive the faults of others, yourheavenly Father will forgive you yours.” (Mt6:14).

The pure in heart are those who livechaste lives and are free of all excessive loveof earthly things. They have put God first intheir lives. Because they are single-hearted,they can feel God’s presence in this life andwill see him face to face in the next.

Psalm 132 begins: “Behold, how goodand how pleasant it is for brothers to dwelltogether in unity”.

Peacemakers go out of their way toremove the obstacles that keep men apart.They work especially hard to bring sinnersback to God.

Jesus promises that peacemakers willbe God’s special children here on earth andwill enjoy heavenly glory in the family of thesaints.

Jesus suffered everything to witness tothe truth. If we are persecuted because we areloyal to Jesus and His Church, we will know alittle of what he suffered on the Cross to free usfrom sin and death. But we will also share inthe joy of His Resurrection, his gift of eternallife with God.

The eight Beatitudes are the counsels of the New Testament; instead of bringingprohibitions, they are positive exhortations to live in intimacy with Jesus Christ. Each hasattached to it a promise of great rewards. The Beatitudes are the fulfillment of the TenCommandments and the Covenant law of God.

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He who hears you hears me. And he whorejects you rejects me. Luke 10:16

The Church has the authority to make laws and precepts because it has receive this authorityfrom Jesus Christ through the apostles. Thus he who disobeys the Church, disobeys GodHimself.

1. To keep holy the day of the Lord’s Resurrection; to worship God by participating in theMass every Sunday and holy day of obligation; to avoid those activities that would hinderrenewal of soul and body on the Lord’s day.

2. To lead a sacramental life; to receive Holy Communion frequently and the Sacrament ofPenance regularly – minimally to receive the Sacrament of Penance at least once a year(annual confession is obligatory only if serious sin is involved); minimally also to receiveHoly Communion at least once a year, between the First Sunday of Lent and TrinitySunday.

3. To study Catholic teaching in preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation, to beconfirmed and ten to continue to study and advance the cause of the Church.

4. To observe the marriage laws of the Church; to give religious training by example andword, to one’s children; to use parish schools and catechetical programs.

5. To strengthen and support the Church – one’s own parish community and parish priests,the worldwide Church, and the pope.

6. To do penance, including abstaining from meat and fasting from food on the appointeddays.

7. To join the missionary spirit and Apostolate of the Church.

Then the King will say to those at his righthand, “Come, O blessed of my Father, inheritthe kingdom prepared for you from thefoundation of the world; for I was hungryand you gave me food, I was thirsty and yougave me drink, I was a stranger and youwelcomed me, I was naked and you clothedme, I was sick and you visited me, I was inprison and you came to me.”...”Truly I say toyou, as you did it to one of the least of thesemy brethren, you did it to me.” Matthew2:34-36, 40.

Admonish the Sinner

Because sin separates one from God, it is truly an act of love of help another person realize theseriousness of sin and the need for forgiveness. This does not mean humiliating someone in public oracting as if we ourselves have never sinned. Rather, we should quietly and tactfully steer our friendsaway from occasions of sin or encourage those who have sinned to seek forgiveness in the sacramentof Penance, giving them hope that they will be able to overcome sinful ways with the mercy of God.

Instruct the Ignorant

Helping a person to learn or understand the truths that God revealed to us is a second way to nourishanother’s spiritual life. Our religion teachers and parents, of course, do this for us, but there are alsoother ways to practice this work of mercy as well. There are many people who have not heard themessage of the gospel in its fullness. We can often find opportunities to tell them about it.

Counsel the Doubtful

To counsel someone means giving him advice or guidance. Those who most need this counsel arepeople who are weak in the virtues of faith and hope. For example, someone may reject certain beliefsof the faith - or at least questions them - or may fall into despair, doubting that God will forgive him forhis sins. These people need loving guidance and encouragement to strengthen them, thus bringingthem closer to God once more.

Comfort the Sorrowful

Each of us has our own special Crosses that Our Lord asks us to bear out of love for him. This is notalways easy, and this work of mercy reminds us that we should help one another to bear sufferings inour lives. Sometimes a word of love and understanding can help. Sometimes a kind deed can lightenthe burden of someone else’s suffering.

Bear wrongs patiently

It is important to remember that it is better to suffer an injustice than to be guilty of committing oneourselves. We must learn to be patient and strong when we are the victims of injustice. It is by suchactions that we may draw others to Christ.

Forgive all injuries

Not only must we patiently bear these wrongs, we must also forgive those who injure us. The Lord’sprayer says: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Mt 6:12), Thismeans the measure by which we forgive will be the measure by which God will forgive us. By forgivingothers we imitate the love that Christ shows for us.

Pray for the living and the dead.

In the Communion of Saints, we can pray for one another. This act of love is one of the easiest - andone of the most important. We must pray for our neighbor, including our enemies. When we pray forthe dead, remember not only your friends and family, but those souls who are forgotten and have noone to pray for them.

Feed the Hungry

We have been richly blessed by God, but there are many people in the world who have not even foodto eat! We might not be able to give them food personally, but we can support charities and missionsto provide food for the less fortunate. At home, we can feed the hungry in our neighborhoods, donatefood to shelters, invite guests home for dinner or feed a hungry friend after school.

Give drink to the Thirsty

Some countries are not able to provide clean water to drink. We need to give alms to the thirsty aswell. We can be charitable at home by providing for guests in our homes, or volunteering in shelters forthe hungry, thirsty or homeless.

Visit the Imprisoned

There are many people in prison. Some great conversions have happened in prison, and perhaps thegrace they received came through a visitor or some prayers for them. Some people were weak andmade mistakes and are sorry for what they have done. These people need to be encouraged, so thatthey will reform their lives and turn back to God. Some people in prison are even innocent. If they are,we should help them to obtain justice. All people in prison need our prayers.

Visit the Sick

The sick are often frightened and may be in particular need of encouragement. It is not easy for uswho are healthy to understand the needs of the sick. Visiting them may be the strength they need tobear their cross. They may also have practical needs that we can help them with.

Clothe the Naked

So often we think that we have “nothing to wear”, but in reality we have an abundance of clothes.Some people have not a coat for the winter, shoes to wear, some people have no clothes at all. Wecan help these people by donating clothes to charities that will provide for them. We can also donatemoney to these charities to help people in need.

Shelter the Homeless

There are many homeless people in our cities - some kids on the run, some people suffering fromillness, some people who can’t make ends meet. We should pay great attention to their great need.Sometimes we can directly help them by providing clothes, blankets, food, transportation... sometimeswe help by supporting shelters. We can share our homes with people in need too - like a friend whosehouse was damaged in a fire or a flood.

Bury the Dead

By this action we show respect for the body because it is part of the human being. We can practicethis work of mercy by attending a funeral of someone we know - and offering consolation for thebereaved. We must also respect cemeteries, perhaps leaving flowers at a gravesite.

For this reason make every effort tosupplement your faith with virtue.

1 Peter 1:5

The supernatural virtues are those that belong to us as Christians. They are infused inus at Baptism when we receive sanctifying grace. These virtues are gifts from God. They areexercised with the help of God through actual graces, and they bring glory to God as well asdirect us towards Him.

FAITHBy faith, we believe all that God has revealed to us throughChrist and His Church. The gift of faith is necessary, for itenables us to believe such mysteries as the Trinity, and theincarnation, which are beyond the grasp of the human mind.We need faith in order to know our goal, which is Heaven.

HOPEBy hope, we trust in God’s promises of eternal salvation. Hopetells us that God, who promised us eternal salvation, will alsogive us the graces that we need to reach Heaven.

CHARITYBy Charity, we love God above all things for His own sake, andwe love our neighbors as ourselves. With Charity, we are ableto live the Great Commandment (Luke 10:25-28). This virtueenables us to love God above all, simply because He is goodand deserves our love. We love our neighbors, including ourenemies, because God loves them, and they are made inGod’s image and likeness.

The natural or moral virtues enable us to act rightly in our conduct with other men. Thechief moral virtues are the four cardinal virtues. The natural virtue in many ways resemble ahabit. We make an effort, we conquer the obstacles, we grow stronger, it becomes easier, andfinally we love it! Through natural virtue, we conquer sin, and grow closer to God.

PRUDENCE

Prudence is the chief moral virtue, which directs all others. It is also called practicalwisdom. This virtue enables us to determine what actions is required in a givensituation, and it moves us to do the action. The person who acts using good judgmentat all times - knowing the right thing to do in every situation - has the virtue of prudence.Prudence requires that we know what to do and that we have the will to do it.

JUSTICE

Justice is the virtue that prompts us to give to others what is due to them - that is, whatthey deserve. Justice prompts us to pay debts owed to another, to keep promises thatwe have made, to obey laws made by those who have the authority, to keep secretsthat someone entrusts to us, to play games fairly, and to respect the property of others.Justice directs us to act fairly and honestly towards others.

FORTITUDE

Fortitude is the virtue that enables us to confront difficulties or dangers, perhaps evendeath, with courage and hope. With fortitude we are able to act calmly and reasonablyeven in the face of great dangers. Martyrs demonstrate fortitude by choosing to remainfaithful to Christ, despite the terrible deaths that awaited them. We need to develop thevirtue of fortitude to be able to face the difficult moments in our lives.

TEMPERANCE

Temperance is the virtue that enables us to control our passions and desires. Thisvirtue allows us to act moderately and reasonably, so that we may use our bodiescorrectly. We often thing of temperance as applying to food and drink, but it alsoapplies to all areas of our lives. A temperate person is one who eats, exercises, sleeps,works and prays the right amount. He is a person who habitually balances all activitiesof life.

They were filled with all manner ofwickedness, evil, covetousness, malice. Full

of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity,they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God...

Romans 1:29-30

PRIDE: is the chief capital sin, for it is the root of allother sins. It is an excessive, disordered love ofoneself. This leads us to prefer our own desires tothose of God and our neighbor

HUMILITY: it leads one to have a just opinion ofone’s self and to give credit for our successes andgifts to god. Humility is related to the virtue ofprudence, because it enables us to see the correctway to think about ourselves.

COVETOUSNESS: or avarice, means greed. It isan uncontrolled desire for earthly possessions,such as money, clothes and so on. Covetousnessmay lead to others sins, such as lying, cheating,stealing and even murder.

LIBERALITY: It enables a person to give freely ofhis money, possessions, talents, and so on toworthy purposes. Liberality stems from justice andenables one to act fairly with his gifts and to servethe needs of others.

LUST: is the uncontrolled desire for or indulgencein sexual pleasure. As long as attraction iscontrolled and ordered finally to Christian marriage,it is healthy and good. It becomes disordered whenit focuses on our own pleasure instead of being aselfless, true love of another person, and when it isseparated from marriage and its purpose.

CHASTITY: is self-control, moderation and balanceof sexual inclinations. It is also in relation to theexpression of human love. Chastity meanabstaining from sexual relations outside ofmarriage, and using them for their proper purposeinside marriage.

ANGER: is an uncontrolled expression ofdispleasure and antagonism, often accompanied bya desire for revenge. If anger is uncontrolled, bitterand full of hate and we seek only revenge, it hasbecome a vice.

MEEKNESS: is the virtue that enables us to bepatient under injury or insult. A meek person cancontrol his temper even in trying or difficultsituations. This virtue needs a certain amount offortitude.

GLUTTONY: is an uncontrolled desire for andindulgence in food and drink. Our natural desirescan become excessive and be abused.

MODERATION/SOBRIETY: enables one to us foodand drink sensibly - enjoying them in properamounts at suitable times. It is a form of self-control and is related to temperance.

ENVY: is unhappiness or discontent over goodfortune or success of others. We are envious whenwe are saddened at another’s prosperity or whenwe rejoice in another’s misfortune.

BROTHERLY LOVE: enables us to show true lovefor one’s neighbor - praying for him, doing acts ofkindness, helping him in his needs. It stems from avirtue of justice - for we are giving to another whatis owed.

SLOTH: is an excessive carelessness or laziness.It is a lack of desire to do one’s duties, particularlyspiritual ones, because of the effort that is involved.It is not the same as reasonable desire for times ofrest or leisure.

DILIGENCE: enables us to do our work and carryout our religious duties - whatever they may be -with devotion and dedication. It stems from thevirtue of prudence, for we see that hard work at ourgiven tasks is the right way to act.

PREPARATION FOR CONFESSION

Going to confession is just like going to Jesus, to tell Him you are sorry for yoursins. He is glad to have you come to Him. He will forgive you all your sins. You needhelp to make a good confession. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you, our Blessed Mother andyour Guardian Angel to pray for you.

When you go to confession you must tell the name of the sin and the number of timeyou committed if the sins are mortal, otherwise no sins are forgiven.

A sin is mortal, if the following three things are present:1. It must be a big sin.2. You must know that it is a big sin.3. You must really intend to commit the big sin.(If even one point is missing it is no moral sin.)

Things necessary to receive the Sacrament of Penance worthily:1. Examine your conscience2. Be truly sorry3. Have purpose of amendment4. Confess your sins5. Accept your penance

The First CommandmentI am the Lord thy God; thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.• Was I willfully distracted during prayers?• Did I bother others during prayers?• Was I ashamed that I am a Catholic?

The Second CommandmentThou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.• Did I use God’s or Jesus’ Holy Name in anger or fun?• Did I curse (ask God to do evil to someone)?• Did I anger others so as to make them curse?• Did I make fun of holy things?

The Third CommandmentRemember thou keep holy the Lord’s Day.• Did I miss Mass on Sundays or on holy days through my own fault?• Did I come late to Mass through my own fault?• Did I leave before mass was over, without any good reason?• Did I whisper, laugh, talk, or tease others during Mass?

The Fourth CommandmentHonor thy father and thy mother.• Did I disobey my parents?• Did I disobey my teachers and priests?• Did I make fun of old people?• Was I mean to my parents?• Was I mean to my teachers and priests?• Did I wish my parents, teachers, and priests evil?• Did I forget to pray for my parents?

The Fifth CommandmentThou shalt not kill.• Did I think myself better than others? (Pride)• Did I fight and quarrel with boys and girls?• Did I make other boys and girls fight?• Did I slap my little brothers or sisters?• Was I mean to other boys and girls?• Did I call them bad names?• Was I angry?• Was I stubborn?• Was I lazy?• Did I eat or drink too much, or in any other way hurt my body?• Did I hate others?• Did I try to get even with others?• Did I lead other boys or girls into sin by my bad example?• Was I mean or cruel to animals?

The Sixth and Ninth CommandemntsThou shalt not commit adultery.Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.

• Did I have bad thoughts and like them?• Did I tell bad stories?• Did I listen to bad talk?• Did I touch others on purpose in a way that was not pure?• Did I really want to look at or do things that were not pure?• Did I go to bad places that led me to sin?• Did I go with bad boys or girls?• Did I look at or draw bad pictures?• Did I read bad stories?

The Seventh and Tenth CommandmentsThou shalt not steal.Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.• Did I steal anything? How much? Where from?• Did I tell others to steal?• Did I take or keep stolen things given to me by others?• Did I hurt or spoil another’s property? (Books, clothes, furniture)• Did I damage church or school property?• Did I cheat in class or at home?• Did I keep valuable things when found?• Did I envy others?• Was I jealous because others did better than I in class? Had better homes?

Clothing? Were better looking?

The Eighth CommandmentThou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.• Did I tell lies?• Did these lies hurt others? (Calumny)• Did I talk about the sins of others without necessity? (Detraction)• Did I say mean things about others in their absence? (Backbiting)

The Commandments of the Church• Did I ever make a bad confession by keeping back a serious or mortal sin?• Did I ever make a bad confession by not being sorry for my sins when I went to

confession?• Did I ever hurry to confession before I prayed long enough and thought of my

sins?• Did I ever go to confession and not do or say my penance afterwards?• Did I receive Holy Communion without fasting?• Did I receive Holy Communion when I was in mortal sin?• Did I fail to receive the Sacrament of Penance once a year?• Did I fail to receive Holy Communion at Easter time?

THINGS YOU MUST REMEMBER WHENYOU GO TO CONFESSION

1. Remember to be honest and truthful in confession.

2. You must remember that to make a good confession you must be sorry and promiseGod not to sin again and to stay away from the things that lead you to sin.(Arose in your heart real sorrow for sin. The best way is to think of some detail of thePassion of our Lord. Perhaps His crown of thorns, perhaps one nail wound, perhaps thesmarting of his eyes from the blood and sweat and tears. This will make you wish youhad never offended Him by sin and make you willing to do anything or give upanything to keep out of sin in the future.)

3. If you are not sure whether something was a sin, ask the priest about it in confession.Say: “Father, I would like to ask a question.”

4. If you have ever knowingly kept back a mortal sin (made a bad confession), say it right at the start of your confession. “Father, I made a bad confession” (tell when, because no sins have been forgiven since your bad confession).

4. If you have forgotten a big sin in a past confession, say: “Father, I forgot to tell this sinMy (last) confession.”

ACT OF CONTRITION

O my God I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins,because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offended You, my God,who are all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Yourgrace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen

IN THE CONFESSIOINAL

Kneel down, make the sign of the cross. (Be sure to keep your hands away fromyour mouth.)

1. Begin at once. Say, “Bless me, Father. This is my first confession.”If you have been to confession before, say: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.Then tell him how long it has been since your last confession.For example: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It is two weeks since my lastconfession.”

2. Tell your sins following the order of the Commandments. If you havecommitted a serious or mortal sin, tell the number of time you did it.

Listen then to what the priest has to say. Answer any question the priest asks you in the confessional. He will give you penance. Then the priest will give

You absolution by saying, “I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

3. He will tell you to then pray the Act of Contrition. Remember that you areTelling Our Lord you are sorry you have hurt Him. Be sure to mean what youAre saying.

4. After leaving the confession, thank God for the sacrament you have received and promptly and devoutly perform your penance.