What does morality in the Catholic Church mean?

Answer 1

Catholic AnswerMorality in the Catholic Church covers a range of topics. First of all, it covers good acts and evil acts, with regard to their object - what is intended by the act, whether the act, in and of itself is good or evil. Then it looks at circumstances and conditions. Finally it looks at social doctrine, the laws that govern social living. In all of these, the Church starts from Revelation and natural law. This is what She is called to do by Her Savior, whose mouthpiece She is. "She fulfills her mission of proclaiming the Gospel, she bears witness to man, in the name of Christ, to his dignity and his vocation to the communion of persons. She teaches him the demands of justice and peace in conformity with divine wisdom>" - from the Catechism.

.

from

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 19941756 It is therefor an error to judge the morality of human acts of considering only the intention that inspires them or the circumstances (environment, social pressure, duress or emergency, etc.) which supply their context. There are acts which, in and of themselves, independently of circumstances and intentions, are always gravely illicit by reason of their object; such as blasphemy and perjury, murder and adultery. One may not do evil so that good may result from it.

.

2420 The Church makes a moral judgment about economic and social matters, "when the fundamental rights of the person or the salvation of souls requires it." (Gaudium et spes 76 § 5) In the moral order she bears a mission distinct from that of political authorities: the Church is concerned with the temporal aspects of the common good because they are ordered to the sovereign Good, our ultimate end. She strives to inspire right attitudes with respect to earthly goods and in socio-economic relationships.

.