Catechism of the Catholic Church · Part Three › Section One › Chapter Three · Article 3 (§§2030–2051)
Paragraphs · 22
The Catechism's text is under copyright, so each paragraph is quoted briefly here with a link to the full text at vatican.va.
The Church, Mother and Teacher
- §2030 — It is in the Church, in communion with all the baptized, that the Christian fulfills his vocation. From the Church he receives the Word of God containing the teachings of "the law of Christ."vatican.va
- §2031 — The moral life is spiritual worship. We "present (our) bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God," within the Body of Christ that we form and in communion with the offering of his Eucharist.vatican.va
I. Moral Life and the Magisterium of the Church
- §2032 — The Church, the "pillar and bulwark of the truth," "has received this solemn command of Christ from the apostles to announce the saving truth." "To the Church belongs the right always and everywhere to announce moral principles, including those pertaining to the social order, and…vatican.va
- §2033 — The Magisterium of the Pastors of the Church in moral matters is ordinarily exercised in catechesis and preaching, with the help of the works of theologians and spiritual authors.vatican.va
- §2034 — The Roman Pontiff and the bishops are "authentic teachers, that is, teachers endowed with the authority of Christ, who preach the faith to the people entrusted to them, the faith to be believed and put into practice."vatican.va
- §2035 — The supreme degree of participation in the authority of Christ is ensured by the charism of infallibility. This infallibility extends as far as does the deposit of divine Revelation; it also extends to all those elements of doctrine, including morals, without which the saving truths of the faith cannot be preserved, explained, or observed.vatican.va
- §2036 — The authority of the Magisterium extends also to the specific precepts of the natural law, because their observance, demanded by the Creator, is necessary for salvation.vatican.va
- §2037 — The law of God entrusted to the Church is taught to the faithful as the way of life and truth. the faithful therefore have the right to be instructed in the divine saving precepts that purify judgment and, with grace, heal wounded human reason.vatican.va
- §2038 — In the work of teaching and applying Christian morality, the Church needs the dedication of pastors, the knowledge of theologians, and the contribution of all Christians and men of good will.vatican.va
- §2039 — Ministries should be exercised in a spirit of fraternal service and dedication to the Church, in the name of the Lord. At the same time the conscience of each person should avoid confining itself to individualistic considerations in its moral judgments of the person's own acts.vatican.va
- §2040 — Thus a true filial spirit toward the Church can develop among Christians. It is the normal flowering of the baptismal grace which has begotten us in the womb of the Church and made us members of the Body of Christ.vatican.va
II. The Precepts of the Church
- §2041 — The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. the obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the…vatican.va
- §2042 — ") requires the faithful to participate in the Eucharistic celebration when the Christian community gathers together on the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord.vatican.va
- §2043 — ") completes the Sunday observance by participation in the principal liturgical feasts which honor the mysteries of the Lord, the Virgin Mary, and the saints.vatican.va
III. Moral Life and Missionary Witness
- §2044 — The fidelity of the baptized is a primordial condition for the proclamation of the Gospel and for the Church's mission in the world. In order that the message of salvation can show the power of its truth and radiance before men, it must be authenticated by the witness of the life of Christians.vatican.va
- §2045 — Because they are members of the Body whose Head is Christ, Christians contribute to building up the Church by the constancy of their convictions and their moral lives.vatican.va
- §2046 — By living with the mind of Christ, Christians hasten the coming of the Reign of God, "a kingdom of justice, love, and peace." They do not, for all that, abandon their earthly tasks; faithful to their master, they fulfill them with uprightness, patience, and love.vatican.va
In Brief
- §2047 — The moral life is a spiritual worship. Christian activity finds its nourishment in the liturgy and the celebration of the sacraments.vatican.va
- §2048 — The precepts of the Church concern the moral and Christian life united with the liturgy and nourished by it.vatican.va
- §2049 — The Magisterium of the Pastors of the Church in moral matters is ordinarily exercised in catechesis and preaching, on the basis of the Decalogue which states the principles of moral life valid for every man.vatican.va
- §2050 — The Roman Pontiff and the bishops, as authentic teachers, preach to the People of God the faith which is to be believed and applied in moral life.vatican.va
- §2051 — The infallibility of the Magisterium of the Pastors extends to all the elements of doctrine, including moral doctrine, without which the saving truths of the faith cannot be preserved, expounded, or observed.vatican.va
Scripture cited · 12 verses
Romans 12:1 · Romans 12:8 · Romans 12:11 · 1 Corinthians 2:10 · 1 Corinthians 2:11 · 1 Corinthians 2:12 · 1 Corinthians 2:13 · 1 Corinthians 2:14 · 1 Corinthians 2:15 · Ephesians 1:22 · Ephesians 4:13 · 1 Timothy 3:15