Part A: Read Moral Principles

• The Ten Commandments – Ten Moral Principles:  Read Deuteronomy 5:6-7, 11, 12, 16-21, in your Bible or here online. 
• Read: Ten Essential Moral Principles in Catholic Teaching  is a summary of ten essential principles of Catholic morality that are found consistently in Catholic moral teaching. Read this summary by clicking the link above or in the Downloadable Guide (pages 10-11).

Part B: Moral Decision Making

In “Moral Decision Making and Personal Discernment: A Catholic Approach” the Catholic Bishops of the United States identify key elements of moral decision making and personal discernment, including…

• openness to God’s wisdom as manifested in many sources: family, Church, Scripture, sacraments, communal and private prayer, stories of the saints, data from the physical and social sciences, etc.
• objective standards, core principles, values and norms for behavior that are basic to human nature
• the ability to exercise “prudential judgement” in the process of moving from absolute values to general norms to specific judgements in issues of morality
• attentiveness to the teaching of the hierarchy
• faithfulness to one’s conscience: “With all the input and support possible, both from individuals and communities, one must still face the future based on decisions made before God in the recesses of one’s own heart.”

Read the article “Moral Decision Making and Personal Discernment: A Catholic Approach” from Human Sexuality: A Catholic Perspective for Education and Lifelong Learning by the Catholic Bishops of the United States, by clicking the link or in the Downloadable Guide (pages 12-14).

Part C: Analyzing a Moral Dilemma

Use the following process to analyze a moral dilemma and discern a moral choice.

1. Think of the moral dilemmas or situations that you face at work, at home, and in living in the world today. Select one of these situations that is important to you right now, and  apply the following moral decision-making process to that situation. (You can also select a moral decision that you have already made and evaluate it using the moral decision making process.)
2. Review the key elements of moral decision making and personal discernment that you read in the article, “Moral Decision Making and Personal Discernment.”
   • Openness to God’s wisdom as manifested in many sources: family, Church, Scripture, sacraments, communal and private prayer, stories of the saints, data from the physical and social sciences, etc.
   • Objective standards, core principles, values and norms for behavior that are basic to human nature
   • The ability to exercise “prudential judgement” in the process of moving from absolute values to general norms to specific judgements in issues of morality
   • Attentiveness to the teaching of the hierarchy
   • Faithfulness to one’s conscience: “With all the input and support possible, both from individuals and communities, one must still face the future based on decisions made before God in the recesses of one’s own heart.”
3. Apply the five step process below to addressing a current dilemma you are facing or to  evaluate a moral decision you have already made. Record your thoughts in your journal.
   1. Do you understand the whole situation? Are there any questions that need to be asked in order to make sure the entire situation is clear? Do you have the facts straight?
   2. What moral values are at stake in this situation? List the values at stake.
   3. What possible responses to this moral situation can you think of? How do you apply the moral teachings of the Ten Commandments, of Jesus in the Gospels, and of the Catholic teachings to this situation? Which moral teachings apply in this situation?
   4. What are the pros and cons of each possible response? What are the consequences, good and bad, as far as you can determine?
   5. Now what would you recommend as a resolution of this moral situation or dilemma? What are the strengths in your recommendation? What are the consequences?
4. Reflect on your experience of using the moral decision making and discernment process in your journal:
   1. What was easy about analyzing a moral problem? What was difficult?
   2. What are the benefits of applying moral values (moral principles) from the Ten Commandments, the teachings of Jesus, and Catholic moral principles to moral dilemmas?
   3. How difficult is it to apply these moral principles to moral dilemmas?
   4. What did you learn about making moral choices from this activity?