10 Commandments for Catholics 1

2 Commandment “You shall not…” What it means for Catholics 1 –.. have other Gods before me. - avoid putting anything before God (idolatry) - worship God, both in private and public - do not put faith in superstition - avoid sins of irreligion (e.g. atheism, simony, sacrilege) 2 –..take the Lord’s name in vain - avoid using the name of the Lord, Jesus, Mary and the saints in offensive ways - do not swear false oaths, avoid perjury - a person’s Christian name should be respected 3 -..forget to keep holy the Lord’s Day - recognize Sunday (the Resurrection) through Mass, avoidance of work. - Sunday should be used for rest, family, cultural and social activities - do not make unnecessary demands on others on Sundays

3 4 – dishonor your parents -authority given by God, for our good, is legitimate - family life is the basis for a happy society - parents should educate and encourage their children’s vocations - we need to support authority and uphold good morals within our society’s authorities 5--kill - all human life is sacred from conception to natural death - do not murder – all people are the image of God - legitimate defense is a duty - protect embryos – avoid abortion, avoid reproductive technologies that lead to the destruction of embryos. - suicide and euthanasia are forbidden - we must do whatever we can to avoid war

4 6 – commit adultery -chastity is the integration of sexuality within a person – sexuality is not only physical in nature - we are all called to live a chaste life - men and women are equal in dignity - avoid masturbation, fornication, pornography, homosexual practices - children are a gift from God – avoid artificial contraception - adultery, divorce, polygamy and free union threaten the dignity of marriage 7 – steal - we should share what we have and what we’ve earned - do not take things which don’t belong to you - people should not be enslaved, bought or sold - we need to protect the Earth’s resources - animals need to be protected – not abused - human labour has value in the eyes of God

5 8 – bear false witness against your neighbour - avoid hypocrisy - always tell the truth - do not be afraid to talk about God, spread the Gospel - respect others’ reputations - telling the truth is connected to the Golden Rule - Keep professional secrets; sacramental seal (Reconciliation) 9 – covet your neighbour’ s wife - avoid lust - purify the heart and practice temperance (self-control) - use prayer, chastity and purity to assist in controlling lust - be modest, have patience, decency and discretion 10 – covet your neighbour’ s goods - do not be jealous of someone else’s things, power or advantage - envy is the sadness felt at the sign of another’s goods and the desire to have them for yourself - avoid envy through good-will, humility and trust in God’s providence - we much detach from riches to enter heaven