My dear parishioners,
Peace! In other bulletins (4 December, 2016-11 June, 2017) we have considered the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on “conscience.” Now we turn to Saint John Paul II’s encyclical letter Veritatis splendor (6 August, 1993) which addresses fundamental moral issues, including “conscience.” Here we consider Veritatis splendor, 1.
Saint John Paul II (+2005) points out that the questions of moral conscience, is something good or evil, should be sought or spurned, are among the ultimate religious questions. The Commandments of God and all their parts are revealed expressions which help us to recognize the good we should do and the evil we should avoid or repent.
In our technological and scientifically advanced age some are tempted to live as “practical atheists”, as if God does not exist. Saint John Paul II does not despise or reject either science or technology. Nor should we. We also should not despise or reject moral inquiry. There are things we can understand naturally, according to the light of reason. Some of the naturally knowable stuff engineers need to know include energy and power, materials and structures, control systems and statistics. The knowledge and practice of engineering has made possible splendid structures like Sagrada Familia of Antoni Gaudi (+1926) in Barcelona, begun in 1882 and finally consecrated in 2010 by Benedict XVI (b. 1927). Another feat of engineering prowess is the work of engineer Anita Gale, among others, which allowed the space shuttle program of NASA (1981-2011) considerable successes.
There are certain moral principles which can be known naturally. These inform our conscience. The pagan Aristotle (+322 BC) knew about virtue and vice, as is evident in his Nicomachean Ethics, even if he did not have the grace of supernatural divine revelation like Moses or Saint Paul (cf. Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4; Romans 2:14-15). Even in our own day, besides Saint John Paul II, others have written or addressed the natural law. To mention but a few consider: Finnis, John. Natural Law and Natural Rights. New York: Oxford, 2011; George, Robert P. Natural Law Theory. New York: Oxford, 2007; George, Robert P. Conscience and Its Enemies: Confronting the Dogmas of Liberal Secularism. Wilmington, Delaware: ISI, 2016; Haines, David and Fulford, Andrew A. Natural Law: A Brief Introduction. Lincoln, Nebraska: Davenant, 2017. These considerable studies allow for a profound understanding of the difference between good and evil, right and wrong. These natural human studies can help us to form our conscience.
To know the truth about engineering requires sometimes pain and suffering (recall the Challenger disaster of 28 January, 1986 or the Columbia disaster of 1 February, 2003). Moral pain and suffering is no less real if we consider the Nazi Holocaust of World War II (1941-1945) or the GULAGs of Vladimir Lenin (+1924) and Joseph Stalin (+1953). Even closer to our day, the genocide committed by the Islamic State in Syria (ISIS) against Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr