1. CONSCIENCE

2. In order to respond better to others and to God, and to grow in freedom and responsibility, it is important that we understand what conscience is.

3. What is conscience?

4. ‘myself making a moral judgement’
That is when I decide whether an act is right or wrong, then I am using my conscience.

5. Select decisions from the following list which you believe are determined by conscience.

6. 1. Choosing a subject at school.
2. Cheating in an exam.
3. Knowing someone in your class is stealing.
4. Buying a stereo.
5. Driving over the speed limit.
6. Holding a grudge against a family member.
7. Befriending a new student when your friends dislike that person.

7. Catholics believe there are two important principles to consider when making decisions about right and wrong.

8. First Principle
We have responsibility to make sure that our conscience is properly formed. This means that we must take the trouble to gather all the relevant information:
What the facts of the matter are.
What Scripture and Church teaching have to say.
What the repercussions of your decision may be.

9. Second Principle
Having formed our conscience, we must follow it. Our deepest moral obligation is to follow our conscience in doing what we know is right.
We have been given the ability as human persons created in God’s image to determine right from wrong, and we have a responsibility to act accordingly.