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.” We then turned to Saint John Paul II’s encyclical letter Veritatis splendor (6 August, 1993) which addresses fundamental moral issues, including “conscience” more than one hundred times. These reflections were begun earlier (6 April, 2018-30 May, 2018). Here we now consider a passage from Veritatis splendor, 57.2.
Saint John Paul II (+2005) when considering the “judgment of conscience” reminds us that “Conscience makes its witness known only to the person himself.”
When considering mortal sin, we are reminded of three conditions which all coexist: grave matter, committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent (cf. CCC, 1857). When “conscience makes its witness known” to the person himself this does not impact the gravity of the matter at hand or the quality of consent, only the aspect of “full knowledge.” It is presupposed by Mother Church that by the age of reason, give or take seven years of age, we know what is right and wrong, what is grave matter. The Ten Commandments, and all their parts, specify what is grave matter (cf. CCC, 1858). “Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin” (CCC, 1859; cf. Mark 3:5-6; Luke 16:19-31). Sadly, our relativistic age which denies the reality of sin may even impact our personal understanding of what is sinful or not. If there is no such thing as sin in general, how could there be sins of greed or pride or vanity or lust or gluttony or sloth or wrath? The vices are also called “Capital Sins” (cf. CCC, 1876). The classic example of a case involving lack of “deliberate consent” arise in hostage situations, where the kidnappers demand that “X” be done or the hostages will be hurt or killed. In such a case the “X” may be grave matter and it may be known to be grave matter, but such action(s) are not taken with deliberate or full consent.
When “conscience makes its witness known” to the person himself this is an interior act or reality. We may have sat next to Billy or Suzie in Sunday School or were raised by the same parents, but we never fully know what is going on within someone else. This was part of the reason why St. Thomas More (+1535) kept his own counsel. This way, had his wife or daughter or friends been asked by Henry VIII +1547) or his henchmen “Has Thomas More made known to you his mind, his thinking, his understanding?” they themselves could honestly answer “no.”
When it comes to the “witness of conscience” we may be able to fool some of the people some of the time, we may try to fool ourselves, we may even think we have fooled God (impossible). But, there is a reason some people have trouble sleeping…
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr