2250. What is the fourth commandment? (CCC 2197) The fourth commandment is: “Honour your father and your mother.”

2251. How does the fourth commandment show the order of charity? (CCC 2197) The fourth commandment shows the order of charity by indicating that the love of God is followed by the love of one’s parents.

2252. To whom is the fourth commandment addressed expressly? (CCC 2199) The fourth commandment is addressed expressly to children in their relationship to their parents.

2253. What relationships does the fourth commandment regard in a larger sense? (CCC 2199) The relationships that the fourth commandment regards in a larger sense are:
1. the ties of kinship between members of the extended family
2. the duties of pupils to teachers
3. the duties of employees to employers
4. the duties of subordinates to leaders
5. the duties of citizens to their country and its authorities.

2254. What is the reward promised for observing the fourth commandment? (CCC 2200) The reward promised for observing the fourth commandment is “that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.”

2255. Upon what is the family established by the spouses? (CCC 2201) The family is established upon the covenant and consent of the spouses.

2256. To what two ends are marriage and family ordered? (CCC 2201) Marriage and family are ordered to:
1. the good of the spouses
2. the procreation and education of children.

2257. What is a family? (CCC 2202) A family is a man and a woman united in marriage, together with their children.

2258. When did God institute the family? (CCC 2203) God instituted the family when He created man and woman.

2259. Why can the Christian family be called a domestic church? (CCC 2204) The Christian family can be called a domestic church, because it constitutes a specific revelation and realization of ecclesial communion.

2260. How does the Christian family reflect the Father’s work of creation? (CCC 2205) The Christian family reflects the Father’s work of creation in the procreation and education of children.

2261. How are family and society related? (CCC 2207) Family and society are related by the fact that the family is the original cell of society.

2262. What is the duty of the civil authority regarding the family? (CCC 2210) The duty of the civil authority regarding the family is:
1. to acknowledge, protect and foster the true nature of marriage and the family
2. to safeguard public morality
3. to promote domestic prosperity.

2263. How are the duties of family members classified? (CCC 2214-2231) The duties of family members are classified as:
1. the duties of children
2. the duties of parents.

2264. What is the most fundamental reason for the honour owed to parents? (CCC 2214) The most fundamental reason for the honour owed to parents is the fact that the human fatherhood has the Divine Fatherhood as its source.

2265. What is filial piety? (CCC 2215) Filial piety is the respect of the children for their parents.

2266. How is filial respect shown? (CCC 2216) Filial respect is shown by true docility and obedience.

2267. What are the responsibilities of grown children toward their parents? (CCC 2218) The responsibilities of grown children toward their parents are to give them material and moral support in old age and in times of illness, loneliness or distress.

2268. What is the primordial duty of the parents toward their children? (CCC 2221) The primordial duty of the parents toward their children is to educate them.

2269. What are the two aspects of the fecundity of conjugal love? (CCC 2221) The two aspects of the fecundity of conjugal love are:
1. the procreation of children
2. the moral education and spiritual formation of the children.

2270. Who has the first responsibility for the education of children? (CCC 2223) Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children.

2271. When should parents start associating their children with the life of the Church? (CCC 2225) Parents should start associating their children with the life of the Church from their tenderest years.

2272. How do children contribute to the spiritual benefit of their parents? (CCC 2227) Children contribute to the spiritual benefit of their parents by making them grow in holiness.

2273. What school should parents choose for their children? (CCC 2229) Parents should choose a school for their children that best helps them in their task as Christian educators.

2274. Why does the Kingdom of God have precedence over family ties? (CCC 2232) The Kingdom of God has precedence over family ties, because the first vocation of the Christian is to follow Christ.

2275. How does Christ declare the precedence of the Kingdom of God over the family? (CCC 2232) Christ declares the precedence of the Kingdom of God over the family by saying: “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Mt 10).

2276. How does the fourth commandment regulate the authorities in civil society? (CCC 2234) The fourth commandment regulates the authorities in civil society by clarifying the duties of those who exercise authority.

2277. How is the exercise of authority morally regulated? (CCC 2235) The exercise of authority is morally regulated by:
1. its divine origin
2. its reasonable nature
3. its specific object.

2278. In what limits must civil authority be exercised? (CCC 2235) Civil authority must be exercised in the limits of the dignity of persons and the natural law.

2279. What kind of justice must those in authority practice? (CCC 2236) Those in authority must practice distributive justice.
Distributive justice regulates the behaviour of the whole toward the parts.

2280. How should those subject to authority regard those in authority? (CCC 2238) Those subject to authority should regard those in authority as representatives of God.

2281. What is the aim of right criticisms of the ruling authorities? (CCC 2238) The aim of right criticisms of the ruling authorities is to expose what seems harmful to the dignity of persons and to the good of the community.

2282. What are our chief duties as citizens? (CCC 2239) Our chief duties as citizens are:
1. to contribute to the common good
2. to love and serve our country
3. to submit to legitimate authorities.

2283. Why is it morally obligatory to pay taxes, to vote and to defend one’s country? (CCC 2240) It is morally obligatory to pay taxes, to vote and to defend one’s country, because this follows from the duties of citizens to submit to authority and to contribute to the good of society.

2284. When is a citizen obliged not to follow the directives of civil authorities? (CCC 2242) A citizen is obliged not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to:
1. the demands of the moral order
2. the fundamental rights of persons or
3. the teachings of the Gospel.

2285. Where does refusing obedience to civil authorities find its justification? (CCC 2242) Refusing obedience to civil authorities finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community.

2286. When is armed resistance to oppression by political authority legitimate? (CCC 2243) Armed resistance to oppression by political authority is legitimate when five conditions are met:
1. there is certain, grave and prolonged violation of fundamental rights
2. all other means of redress have been exhausted
3. the resistance will not provoke worse disorders
4. there is well-founded hope of success
5. it is impossible reasonably to foresee any better solution.