Part IV. The Fourth Commandment

The Fourth Commandment is: “ Honour thy father and thy mother.”¹ By this Commandment not only are children bound to be dutiful in their conduct towards their parents, but these latter are also implicitly bidden to perform all the obligations which nature imposes on them towards their offspring, inasmuch as rights imply corresponding obligations. The mutual obligations of parent and child may be extended to all who hold an analogous position towards each other, and so under this heading theologians commonly treat of the mutual obligations of other relations, and of superiors and subjects, both ecclesiastical and civil.

¹ Summa, 2-2, q. 101, a. 3.