Russell B. Connors Jr - Christian Morality: In the Breath of God

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CHAPTER 1: 1

CHAPTER 2: 15

CHAPTER 3: 28

CHAPTER 4: 43

CHAPTER 5: 58

CHAPTER 6: 72

CHAPTER 7: 89

atholic Basics: A Pastoral Ministry Series offers an indepth yet accessible understanding of the fundamentals of the Catholic faith for adults, both those preparing for lay ministry and those interested in the topics for their own personal growth. The series helps readers explore the Catholic tradition and apply what they have learned to their lives and ministry situations. Each title offers a reliable introduction to a specific topic and provides a foundational understanding of the concepts.

Each book in the series presents a Catholic understanding of its topic as found in Scripture and the teachings of the Church. Each of the authors has paid special attention to the documents of the Second Vatican Council and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, so that further learning can be guided by these core resources.

Chapters conclude with study questions that may be used for small group review or for individual reflection. Additionally, suggestions for further reading offer dependable guides for extra study.

The initiative of the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership led to the development of an earlier version of this series. The indispensable contribution of the series editor, Dr. Thomas Walters, helped ensure that the concepts and ideas presented here are easily accessible to a wide audience.

ach book in this theology series relates to standards for theological competency identified in the resources listed below. Three national church ministry organizations provide standards for certification programs that serve their respective ministries. The standards were developed in collaboration with the United States Catholic Conference Commission on Certification and Accreditation. The fourth resource is the latest document, developed to identify common goals of the three sets of standards.

Competency Based Certification Standards for Pastoral Ministers, Pastoral Associates and Parish Life Coordinators. Chicago: National Association for Lay Ministry, Inc. (NALM), 1994.

These standards address three roles found in pastoral ministry settings in the United States. They were the earliest to receive approval from the United States Catholic Conference Commission on Certification and Accreditation. Copies are available from the National Association for Lay Ministry, 5420 S. Cornell, Chicago, IL 60615-5604.

National Certification Standards for Professional Parish Directors of Religious Education. Washington, DC: National Conference for Catechetical Leadership, 1998.

NCCL developed standards to foster appropriate initial education and formation, as well as continuing personal and professional development, of those who serve as directors of religious education (DREs). The standards address various areas of knowledge and abilities needed in the personal, theological, and professional aspects of the ministry. Also included is a code of ethics for professional cat echetical leaders. Available from the National Conference of Catechetical Leadership, 3021 Fourth Street NE, Washington, DC 20017-1102.

NFCYM Competency-Based Standards for the Coordinator of Youth Ministry. Washington, DC: National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, 1996.

This document lays out the wide range of knowledge and skills that support ministry with young people, as well as the successful leadership and organization of youth ministry wherever it may be situated. The standards are available from the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, 415 Michigan Avenue NE, Suite 40, Washington, DC 20017-1518.

Merkt, Joseph T., ed. Common Formation Goals for Ministry. A joint publication of NALM, NFCYM, and NCCL, 2000.

Rev. Joseph Merkt compared the documentation of standards cited by three national organizations serving pastoral, youth, and catechetical ministries. The resulting statement of common goals identifies common ground for those who prepare persons for ministry, as well as for the many who wear multiple hats. Copies are available from NALM, NCCL, or NFCYM.

everal acknowledgments are in order. First, I am grateful to Bishop Anthony Pilla, from the Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio, and to a group of colleagues at St. Mary Seminary in Cleveland for providing the invitation and the setting to study the Catechism of the Catholic Church when it was first published several years ago. Those conversations-which led to a series of articles on the Catechism by Bishop Pilla-continued to nourish me with ideas and insights as I wrote. I am indebted to Amy Clancy and to Rita Chilar from the Theology Department at the College of St. Catherine where I currently teach. Their proofreading was helpful as was Rita's "technical assistance" (helping me figure out some of the mysteries of my computer). My thanks also goes to my wife, Patty, not only for her proofreading of the text, but for listening to me talk through so many of my ideas-especially over breakfast. This book is better (as am I) because of the way she listens and because of the way she speaks up.

ears ago, when I was just starting to study moral theology, a friend of mine used to enjoy teasing me about the nature of my discipline. His area of graduate studies was Christian faith itself. So when we were at social gatherings and people would ask what he studied, he'd reply, "I focus on God-God's love, God's grace, God's Spirit." Then the question would turn to me, but before I could explain what I studied, my friend would jump in and say, "Oh, he does moral theology-you know, all the rules and regulations of Catholicism. It's the dark side of the Good News; somebody's got to do it."