HRE4M1 Unit 1 Human Dignity

(Steps 1, 2, and 4 were done during scheduled days as a class)

Step 3:
5. List 3 Key Principles of Catholic Social Teaching that you find in this article, and select a
quote from Donovan for each.
Three Key Principles of Catholic Social Teaching that I find in this article, are: human
dignity, stewardship of creation, and global solidarity. A quote from Daniel Donovan for human
dignity is, Discrimination of any kind, whether based on race, religion, age or sex, is an insult to
human dignity. A quote from Daniel Donovan for stewardship of creation is, That humans are
made in Gods image and likeness cannot be separated from the idea that God has made us
responsible for, and stewards of, creation. A quote from Daniel Donovan for global solidarity is,
No one is an island; everyone is made for and needs to contribute to the well-being of his or her
family and society.
6. What is the source of human dignity?
The source of human dignity is Gods own image and likeness. It belongs to each one of
us as a person, and it is renewed and reconciled in Jesus Christ. No one can take that away from
any other human being.

Step 5:
10. When you were a child preparing to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation for the first
time, how did you understand conscience? How do you understand it now? What do you think
caused your understanding of conscience to change over the years?
When I was a child preparing to celebrate the sacrament of reconciliation for the first
time, I understood conscience as the little devil and angel on each of your shoulders, trying to
persuade you to do either the right or wrong things. I understand it now as something like an
inner voice in your mind. I cant really tell what caused my understanding of conscience to
change over the years.
11. As you read the definitions underline or highlight the ones that most clearly help you to
understand conscience.
(On another paper)
12. Choose the two definitions that you like the most and write 5 sentences on each as to why
these are the most meaningful to you.
The one by Conscience Reco-something (part of the page is cut off) America (its highlighted
on the other paper though) and the one by Dennis Geaney are the most meaningful for me,
because I didnt really understand the other ones. But the one by Conscience Reco-something is
sort of like the devil and angel thing when I was younger. I think the one by Dennis Geaney is
kind of like when youre in a situation and you have to decide between whats more important,
yourself or others. Pretty tough decision.

S.T.O.P. Model of Decision Making Assignment

Searching
1. Apply the Why question to this story. What are the good reasons for Susanna to take this
job? What might be the negative consequences of her taking the job?
The good reasons for Susanna to take this job are that she needs the money because she
has accumulated a debt of thousands of dollars in school loans and her parents have made many
sacrifices to assist her with her education, while the job market is not very promising. The
negative consequences of her taking the job is that the company performs limited animal testing
but it is completely immoral for any type of testing done on them.
2. Apply the Who question to this story. Who could Susanna turn to help her make her
decision? Where could she look for what guidance the Church could give her? What guidance do
you think the church would give in this situation?
Susanna could turn to her parents to help her make her decision, because they are one of
the reasons why this is even a decision. She could probably read the Bible for some guidance that
the Church could give her. I think that the Church would tell her to not take the job because
stewardship of creation is one of the Catholic Social Teachings.
3. a) What does the principle, The end does not justify means mean?
The principle, The end does not justify means means that you cannot directly do
something evil in order to bring about the good effect that you are hoping for, because a good
end does not justify evil means to achieve it.
b) Explain how this principle can be applied to the above story.
This principle can be applied to the above story, because if she chooses to take the job, she will
be doing something evil to try and give her parents something back for their sacrifices for her
education. She shouldnt use evil means like testing animals to try and achieve a good end for
her parents and herself.
4. Apply the How question to this dilemma. Suppose Susanna decides to turn down the job:
a) How should she tell the company?
She should tell the company that what theyre doing is evil, and that she wouldnt have
applied if she knew what they were doing before she applied.
b) How should she tell her parents?
She should tell her parents that shes really sorry for not taking the job, but it was the
right thing to do and she should hope that they forgive her and let her keep searching.
c) What should she not do if she is turning down the job?
She should not try and ruin the companys reputation and she should also not do anything
regrettable.

Thinking
5. Listed below are some of the options Susanna could do. For each one list reasons why it is a
good idea and reasons why it could be wrong.
a) Take the job, no questions asked.

This is a good idea, because it will give her parents a break, but it is wrong, because
animals will be tested.
b) Turn the job down.
This is a good idea, because it will save some animals from cruelty, but it is wrong,
because her parents will have to sacrifice even more for her.
c) Take the job as long as she is not expected to take part in any animal testing.
I think this is a good idea with the only downside being that she isnt trying to stop the
animal testing either.
6. Suggest at least one alternative action that Susanna could follow.
An alternative action that Susanna could follow is to pray to God and ask for some advice
on how to deal with this difficult situation, because her choice will affect someone or something
very badly.

Others
7. To whom might Susanna turn to for advice to help her make this decision?
a) If Susanna takes the job, who will be affected? How will these individuals be affected?
If Susanna takes the job, animals will be affected. They will be cruelly tested on just so
humans can buy safe cosmetic products.
b) If she turns down the job, how will this affect herself and others?
If she turns down the job, her parents will be burdened even more and their home might
be mortgaged if they dont pay their debts.

Prayer
8. How might Susanna use prayer as a part of her decision making process?
Susanna might use prayer as a part of her decision making process because God will
know what to do and hell give you advice to do the right thing and then youll feel better.

Wrap-up
9. What do you think Susanna should do? Explain.
I think Susanna should take the job, because she will be helping her parents out after all
they have done for her, and shell just have to turn a blind eye against the animal testing. I only
think this should happen, because if she turns down the job, someone else will get it, and animals
will still be tested on, but she wont be able to pay her debts.

Task 1 Option B
An example of a real world situation in which the Catholic Social Teaching of rights and
responsibilities is being violated is on the news article I found. It is about an Indian cartoonist
who drew a cartoon with a picture of a dirty toilet with flies flying around above it with the
words on top saying, National Toilet. The artist, Aseem Trivedi, was accused of sedition and
was arrested by authorities after. This is controversial, because he did not do anything illegal.
Aseem Trivedi is also an anti-corruption activist, so I think the only reason he would make bad
cartoons about Indias government is because they are corrupted. A key point in the Catholic
Social Teaching of rights and responsibilities is that every person has a fundamental right to life
and a right to those things required for human decency. I think maybe a toilet is required for
human decency, but the ones in India are not that good so it isnt decent. And maybe the
government just uses the money on themselves, so the rest of the country has to suffer with bad,
dirty toilets, while the government might use the new, expensive one that cleans your butt after
youre done. Or maybe the whole government is metaphorical to feces and the National Toilet is
the whole country indirectly compared to a dirty toilet full of you-know-what with flies flying
around above it. The actions that my conscience calls me to take to respond to this situation,
knowing that my actions may not solve the problem, are to maybe be like Robin Hood and steal
from the corrupted government and give the money to the poor. The personal costs to me might
be that if I get caught, Ill probably get arrested, and if their justice system is severe, I might get
executed publicly or something.