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.

            Saint John Paul II (+2005) further considers the “judgment of conscience” in light of Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans 2:14-15:  “For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature those things that are of the law; these having not the law are a law to themselves:  Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to them, and their thoughts between themselves accusing, or also defending one another,”  Here Saint Paul, inspired by God, confirms the existence of the Natural Law.  This gives a theological meaning to the concept of the Natural Law (see also TOB 25:1 and note 39; Catechesis of 23 April, 1980). 

            The Greek word  used by Saint Paul for “conscience” here is suneidesis and sometimes is understood as “co-perception.”  It is found in more than thirty verses of Sacred Scripture.  

            The Saint from Krakow was already familiar with the teachings of the Angelic Doctor before he began his studies in Rome at the University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, also known as the Angelicum.  Saint Thomas Aquinas, OP (+1274) addresses the “conscience” in his Summa Theologiae I Q. 79, A. 13 alone more than thirty times.  For Saint Thomas the conscience is not a power but an act, namely the application of knowledge concretely (cum alio scientia).  Saint Thomas recognizes that the conscience witnesses, judges, incites to action or binds.  Saint Thomas cites the Gloss on Ezekiel  1:6 of Saint Jerome (+420) to the effect that conscience or “synderesis” is the first natural habit. In ST I-II Q. 19, A.5-6, Saint Thomas further addresses conscience, even citing Romans 14:23, such that “all that is not of faith, i.e. all that is against conscience, is sin.”  Saint Thomas also raises the question of an “erring conscience” whether it “binds” or “excuses” and whether or not the ignorance is “voluntary” or “involuntary.”  ST I-II Q. 96, A. 4 addresses the power of human law in relation to conscience (just laws bind, unjust don’t) with reference to Proverbs 8:15; together with the eloquent citation from Saint Augustine (+430) to the effect that an unjust law is “no law at all.”  There are at least seven further references to “conscience” in the Summa of Saint Thomas (II-II Q. 33, A. 7; Q. 44, A. 1; Q 67, A. 2.4; Q. 75, A. 1.3; III Q. 80, A. 4.5; Sup. Q. 87, A. 2; Q. 98, A. 8.2).

            May the judgements of our conscience always conform to God’s holy will and law.

            God bless you!

            Father John Arthur Orr