Just a Matter of Conscience (part 1)

We’ve all seen the cartoon or movie wherein a character stands smack dab in the midst of some momentary moral conundrum, suddenly the “devil” appears on one shoulder and an “angel” on the other – each entity trying their hardest to sway the will of the poor creature in the decision to be made. This visual representation of “conscience” at work, while certainly funny within the context of a cartoon, in real life however is a scenario that provides little more than a distraction from an otherwise important issue for all people – especially those who follow Jesus As Catholics, we should know of the importance that conscience plays in our participation in the moral choices that we face each and every day. We may have even heard that the primacy of our conscience is paramount – that to not follow our conscience, even if erroneous, is, well, sinful. In my ministry with college students over the last seventeen years I have found however that a young persons understanding of what the Church means when it talks about conscience is very often lacking. What many regard as “conscience” is really little more than what I come to refer to as a personal “moral opinion” which is frequently shaped by numerous, conflicting sources that run contrary to what Scripture and the Church teach us. Even well-intentioned believers sometimes simply seek biblical support for their already held opinion and call it “God’s will.” Both situations constitute the rampant condition so often referred to as “moral relativism.” Pope Benedict XVI (then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger) gave a homily to the College of Cardinals just before entering the conclave that would ultimately elect him as the Successor to (now) Saint Pope John Paul II in which he said, “A dictatorship of relativism is being formed, one that recognizes nothing as definitive and that has as its measure only the self and its desires.” He went on to say, “Having a clear faith, according to the Creed of the Church, is often labeled as fundamentalism.” I believe what he wants us to understand is that as followers of Jesus Christ, when talking morality and/or conscience (or any matter of faith really), the issue of both Scriptural and Church authority in our lives and our obedience to that authority should always be at the center of our discussion. But, we’ll get to that.

The Conscience: what it is, where it resides, and how it works.

As opposed to the oversimplification depicted with the “devil and angel” scenario that began this article, our conscience is found not outside on our shoulders but inside at the junction where heart and mind meet. It is at this juncture where the moral law that has been written on our heart and mind meet. It is at this juncture where the moral law that has been written on our hearts by God meets, as john Henry Cardinal Newman described, “the law of the mind” as formed by both God’s Holy Word and Church’s authoritative teaching. In this way the conscience of both mind and heart work together to lead each of us, as the Catechism says, “to do good and avoid evil at the appropriate moment.” Basically instead of seeing our conscience as some more battle between good and evil (angel and devil) it is certainly more advantageous to view it as a collaboration of heart and mind to lead us in the way of righteousness. While serving a primary instrument to help us choose good at the right moment, our conscience also helps us know subsequently when we have not done so. “Following our conscience” can lead us then to seek forgiveness for our actions or omissions which in turn leads to a further development and formation of conscience when we are faced with the same situation or choice in the future. When the Church talks about conscience it always does so from the context and assumption that as Catholics ours is “properly formed.” In essence it is our responsibility not only to FOLLOW our conscience but to also FORM that conscience in the proper way. Knowing a little more about what our conscience is, and how it works, the obvious question is what then is meant by “proper.”

Part Two will address this important aspect.

Deacon Tom Jewell has been a part of the Office of Campus Ministry at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY since 1997. He is the Campus Minister responsible for Liturgy & Music and Faith Formation. In 2005, Deacon Tom became the founding Director of Oasis511which serves as the Student Center for Campus Ministry and home to their Student Peer Ministers, Friends-In-Faith. With over 26 years in ministry in the Diocese of Rochester, he was ordained as a Permanent Deacon in 1998.