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, 55.

            Saint John Paul II (+2005) acknowledges that his critics rightly acknowledge the “complexity typical of the phenomenon of conscience” as being “profoundly related to the whole sphere of psychology and the emotions, and to the numerous influences exerted by the individual’s social and cultural environment (VS, 55).”

            Here we consider briefly these six aspects of conscience.  First, the complexity of conscience is due in no small part to the very complexity of being human.  We are body-soul composites.  We are creatures of the Creator.  The natural law exists without us but is inscribed within us.  We can know the good to do but do the evil we should not do (cf. Romans 7:19).  Second, the phenomenon of conscience reminds us of the phenomenological method, which allows for a certain examination of our experiences and how we experience our experiences.  After a lion devours its prey it does not seem to consider the age or descendants or antecedents of the prey, the things the gazelle will never get to do having been the lion’s last meal…  These sorts of reflections are proper to the human being as is conscience.  Third, the psychology of conscience reminds us that the object is the key to morality, while psychology can impact culpability.  To the extent we are “not in our right minds” the evil we do is still evil, but our culpability may be lessened due to our psychic incapacity.  Fourth, the impact our emotions have on our conscience can be greater or lesser, for good or for ill.  Classically when considering moral culpability, if something is serious, we know it is serious and we do it of our own accord we are responsible. If something is done under duress, out of fear for example, culpability again may be impacted.  Fifth, there exists a social influence on conscience.  When living in a degenerate society, among degenerates, good morals and living according to a well-formed conscience will be all the more difficult.  When living in a wholesome environment among wholesome folk, good morals and living according to a well-formed conscience should be all the easier.  Sixth, the influence of the cultural environment on conscience is closely related to the social influence already mentioned.  The cultural aspect may be less interpersonal than the social influences.  The root of “culture” is “cult” that is worship.  Various forms of art (music, painting, sculpture, poetry and the like) have been used in the service of God (and the gods) throughout time.  Whenever these lead to the good, thank God!

            God bless you!

            Father John Arthur Orr