JASThe+Challenge+Of+Forming+Consciences+For+Faithful+Citizenship


 * __Five interesting quotes from the packet:__

1) "We pride ourselves on supporting human rights, but we fail even to protect the fundamental right to life, especially for unborn children." -This quote means that we take too much credit for the good things that we represent, but when we face adversity and the things that we believe in are challenged, we tend to crumble. Especially when the issue deals with abortion. 2) "'charity must animate the entire lives of the lay faithful and therefore also their political activity lived as 'social charity."" -This quote means that since charity, or the act of giving, is expressed and emphasized through our faith it should likewise be emphasized through our political standpoint as well. 3) "Catholic lay women and men need to act on the church's moral principles and become more involved: running for office, working within political parties, and communicating concerns to elected officials." -This quote calls us to get involved. We can't just sit back and whine about the problems in the world. We have to be proactive and get involved in our communities rather than be reactive and just feel sorry for ourselves. 4) "'Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act... (Every person) is obliged to follow faithfully what he (or she) knows to be just and right."' -This quote is telling us two things. First, it is stating that having a conscience isn't a choice, but rather recognizing that you have one is. Secondly, it states that we are the people who are accountable for what recognizing what our conscience is telling us, and act accordingly. 5) "When morally flawed laws already exist, prudential judgment is needed to determine how to do what is possible to restore justice--even if partially or gradually--without ever abandoning a moral commitment to full protection for all human life from conception to natural death." -This quote states that it is the peoples duty the change laws that are morally corrupt, while at the same time not sacrificing other moral ideals, even if the efforts will take time.**