My dear parishioners,
Peace! Under headings of Judgment, Formation, Choice in Accord, Erroneous Judgment and In Brief, the Catechism of the Catholic Church addresses “conscience” in twenty-nine passages addresses. Here we consider CCC, 1776.
Saint John Paul II (+2005) was a Council Father at the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) and contributed to the writings of that Council, especially Gaudium et spes, the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. The Catechism, when teaching about conscience cites GS, 16. Five points stand out:
Conscience is a law inscribed by God on the human heart. Saint Thomas Aquinas, OP (+1274) reminds us that law is an ordinance of reason and identifies six various sorts of law, the eternal law, the natural law, human law, divine law, the Old Law, ceremonial law, and the law of the Gospel (cf. Summa Theologiae I-II Q. 90, A. 4; Q. 91, 93, 94, 95).
Conscience is not made by man. Unlike human or civil laws the sure law of conscience comes from God. Conscience is not a whim or a fancy or whatever we may want it to be.
Conscience must be obeyed. Because of the source of conscience, namely God, a well formed conscience must be obeyed. The Lord Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life (cf. John 14:6), promised to send the Spirit of truth into our hearts to guide us into all truth (cf. John 16:13). The judgment of conscience tells us this truly is good I should do it” “this is truly evil I should avoid it.” From the beginning obedience to God has not come easily (cf. Genesis 3:1-24). God’s grace can help us recognize the good we should do and the evil we should avoid and act accordingly. We have a responsibility to form our conscience well, aided by both faith and reason.
Conscience calls us to love, to do good, and to avoid evil. The Lord Jesus calls us to show our love for Him by keeping His commandments (cf. John 14:15). Love for God and for neighbor is the basis of the Law and the Prophets (cf. Matthew 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34). The Commandments of God are a revealed expression of the Natural Law (cf. CCC, 1952). Saint Thomas enunciates the first principle of practical reason which is also the same as the first precept of the natural law: do good, avoid evil (I-II Q. 94, A. 2). Saint Augustine (+430) gives a “short precept” “Love and do what you will” (On 1 John, Sermon 7:8).
Conscience is our most secret core and sanctuary where we are alone with God.
The English word “conscience” derives from the compound Latin verb conscire meaning “with knowledge.” Conscience is the application of knowledge to a particular action, binding, inciting, accusing, tormenting or rebuking accordingly (cf. Summa Theologiae A. 13). Saint John Paul II wisely refers to “conscience” more than one hundred times in his encyclical Veritatis Splendor (6 August, 1993).
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr