How is Catholic morality supported and guided?

Mission Lab

Catholic morality is supported and guided, first of all, by natural law, which remains unchangeable throughout history. Man’s reflection on his own nature and experience, aided by God’s guidance, has shown that the principles and rules of natural law are valid for all times, people, and places. As such, natural law is the foundation for the establishment of all moral rules and civil law.

Catholic morality builds upon this foundation. The structure of Catholic morality is supported and guided by the grace and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially by the liturgy of the Church and the celebration of the sacraments. Catholic moral life is essentially a spiritual worship, therefore, it must be nourished continually by these supernatural means.

The graces and Gifts of the Holy Spirit help us to hold each other in high esteem. The Holy Spirit unites us to one another in Christ, through His life of grace, so that we become a community of love.

Moreover, through His actual graces, the Holy Spirit causes us to have the desire and the power to do things which are pleasing to our heavenly Father. The Spirit makes clear what Jesus taught us in the Gospel, and He gives us the help we need to fight Satan and to remain true to Jesus and the Catholic Church no matter what the situation. Without these actual graces, it would be impossible to do anything which might win our own Salvation or the Salvation of others.