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, 62.1.
Saint John Paul II (+2005) when considering the “seeking what is true and good” reminds us that “invincible ignorance” may lead to a “mistaken” conscience, warning all the while to not become “accustomed to sin” thereby almost blinding ourselves to the true and the good. The Holy Father cites here the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et spes, 16, of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) which he helped to write. Some four years after the Council ended and ten years before assuming the Chair of Saint Peter in an article entitled “The Problem of the Theory of Morality” Karol Wojtyla wrote the stark words: “As the author of an action that is morally evil, I myself become morally evil.” (Person and Community. New York: Peter Lang, 1993, 137). How does someone become “accustomed to sin”? By repeatedly sinning we may sadly become “accustomed to sin.” On the contrary, by doing virtuous acts we become virtuous. There is a distinction worth noting here between being “morally evil” by doing moral evil and being metaphysically evil. Genesis 1:31 is not negated by the Fall of Man, Original Sin or any of our sins or all of our sins. God’s creation is good. This sentiment is echoed in Acts 10:15 and Revelation 7:14 where we are reminded of the cleansing power of Christ’s blood, which cleanses us from our sins. In our being we are good and even the devil is good in his being. Our deeds (and those of the devils) may be evil, these are what make us morally evil. This is what the Lord came to save us from. This is why we well-form and examine our conscience, so as to walk the straight and narrow way (cf. Matthew 7:13; 16:24; Luke 14:27; John 14:6; 1 Peter 2:21; Isaiah 35:8).
Normally, unless someone has some sort of mental defect, invincible ignorance is not presupposed once one has reached the “age of reason” normally considered to be seven years of age. Just because there may be cases of mistakes made does not mean that everything is a mistake. Vincible ignorance is able to be overcome thanks to prayer and study.
May we never become accustomed to sin(s) large or small. May we seek out and receive God’s saving grace especially in the Sacrament of Penance. May our consciences always be well-formed beneath the Cross of Christ Crucified, the Word of God (especially the Commandments and Beatitudes) as well as the perennial moral doctrine of Mother Church.
God bless you!
Father John Arthur Orr