Moral Dimension
Credibility of a person largely depends on his moral integrity which is manifested in his/her capacity to “walk the talk”. Clergy scandals have caused much damage to the credibility of Church personnel. Formation in the moral dimension effects what Lonergan calls “moral conversion”. It is the clarification and elimination of the view that satisfaction is the same as value [1]. It is also the discovery for ourselves of what is good and right. This applies not just to decisions, but also to action.
|
“Moral transformation challenges the person to move from simple gratification of immediate personal needs to living by consistent principles of ethics and justice. Essential to this type of transformation is a formed conscience based on Christian moral principles. Subsequently, it involves the capacity to deal with moral dilemmas and challenges faced in everyday life. Ongoing transformation requires that the individual grasps the practical consequences of dedication to the common good as well as develop the requisite moral virtues. It also requires an increasing capacity to criticize false value systems that corrupt Christian conscience”.- Len Sperry
|
Moral transformation is facilitated by the following virtues, self-capacities and spiritual practices.
Virtues:
Trustworthiness: The disposition that enables one to relate to others with honesty, fairness, truthfulness, loyalty, dependability and humility.
Fidelity: It ensures treating those to whom one is closely related, i.e., community members, friends, parishioners, ministry groups, etc., with special care and concern.
Spiritual practices:
living ethically: practicing right actions, giving up gossip, practicing truthfulness, confession and making amends
Self capacities:
Commitment: The capacity to commit to a personal, community, or career goal or to a relationship and then to persevere in that commitment.
Intimacy: The capacity to express the self fully in a close relationship with minimal anxiety or fears of rejection.
[1] Lonergan Bernard, Method in Theology, p. 240.
Virtues
Virtue means power, strength, and inner quality. Virtues are the content of our character, the elements of the human spirit. They grow stronger whenever we use them. As a six-year-old once said, “Virtues are what’s good about us.”
We each have Strength Virtues we can rely on and Growth virtues that challenge our character. A lifelong learner never gives up hope that we can awaken a virtue at any moment by choosing to live it. The Virtues Project is all about bringing virtues to life.
Character Formation
Our Character is defined as our moral strength or moral quality. It is what you are when you are alone. In contrast to personality, this is the expression of ourselves to others. How often do we display a different personality from our real character? Ideally, these two should coincide, i.e., our personality should express our character!
This moral quality or character of ours could be acquired and developed. Our present state is the result of several influences that revolves around our lives. We shall take a look at some of them.
- Journeying into the mystery of self-3
- Journeying into the mystery of self-2
- Formation for Moral Transformation
- The Seven contemporary Virtues- 6 & 7
- The Seven contemporary Virtues- 4 & 5
- Viaje al Misterio del
- Journeying into the mystery of the Self-1
- Contemporray Virtues.2&3
- The Seven contemporary Virtues for the Religious-1-Depth
MORAL FORMATION
PERSONAL GROWTH
- Journeying into the mystery of self-3
- Journeying into the mystery of self-2
- Viaje al Misterio del
- Journeying into the mystery of the Self-1
VIRTUES
- The Seven contemporary Virtues- 6 & 7
- The Seven contemporary Virtues- 4 & 5
- Contemporary Virtues.2&3
- The Seven contemporary Virtues for the Religious-1-Depth