Conscience in the Teaching of the Church From the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World -Gaudium et Spes

Conscience A law –not from oneself - deep within a person Love and do what is good, avoid evil Our secret core and sanctuary Alone with God Fulfilled in love of God & neighbour More correct conscience turns from blind choice guided by objective standards Goes astray through ignorance (sometimes unavoidable, sometimes by choice…)

Conscience vs. superego Maturing ▫Laws & rules imposed by authority  directing actions from within ▫Other-directed  self-directed ▫Others are listened to, but you make own moral judgment It is healthy to distinguish what comes from our conscience and what is from superego

Conscience is not A feeling that something is right or wrong A feeling of guilt (although the feeling can tell us that something is amiss) A fear of punishment

Freud’s elements Id: unconscious reservoir of instinctual drives dominated by pleasure principle (libido) Ego: conscious structure mediating forces of id, the demands of society & the reality of the physical world, and the Superego: (the ego of another superimposed on our own as an internal censor), ▫Stores the “shoulds” and “have-tos” ▫We’re good following authority, bad when we don’t

O’Connell’s 3 Senses of Conscience 1.A Capacity to recognize right & wrong ▫Basic orientation  know the good  Do good / avoid evil (principle of synderesis) ▫Essential to the identity of humans 2.Process of moral reasoning ▫Learn facts, to reason correctly ▫A lifelong process 3.Judgment ▫Acting on what one believes to be right ▫One is “bound to follow one’s conscience.”

Development of Conscience As we mature, our sense of right/wrong (as formed within family 1 st ) As we take account of norms, values, virtues, commandments of Christian tradition As we become aware of our weakness / fragility and need for others and God As we receive sacraments & pray As we grow in humility (we alone are not the final arbiters of right/wrong)

Conscience can be malformed Immoral actions Faulty reasoning Faulty value structures Misinformation Ignorance ▫Vincible ▫Invincible

Symptoms of a misinformed Conscience Rationalization Trivialization Misinformation The end justifies the immoral means (Means to an end) Difficult to reason

To make good decisions: Have an open attitude Avoid “bias” ▫Seeing only 1 side (People will always have some kind of bias)

Active vs. Passive Listening Active: ▫Open to world around us ▫Mind engaged, thinking…  Sorting, evaluating… Passive: ▫No choices: “sit down & listen”

To listen actively Sense of humility Be open to insights & observations of others Don’t presume you have all the answers

L*I*S*T*E*N A GOOD APPROACH TO MAKING GOOD MORAL CHOICES

L = Look for the facts What is the real situation? What is at stake? What are the actions?

I = Imagine Possibilities What are the consequences? What are the options? Are there creative approaches?

S = Seek Insight beyond your own Ask for help from: ▫Family ▫Friends ▫Religion ▫Wise persons ▫Moral principles

T = Turn Inward What are your own feelings? What have you learned from your own experiences? What are your: ▫ Motives? ▫Intentions? ▫Values? (what’s important to you?)

E = Expect God’s Help Pray for help: ▫In choosing ▫Acting on your choice God is with you caring for you and can help when you honestly seek the truth

N = Name your decision Even if you plan to delay, say so Don’t just drift (Not to decide, is to have made a decision.)

To make good decisions: Have an open attitude Avoid “bias” ▫Seeing only 1 side (People will always have some kind of bias)

Active vs. Passive Listening Active: ▫Open to world around us ▫Mind engaged, thinking…  Sorting, evaluating… Passive: ▫No choices: “sit down & listen”

To listen actively Sense of humility Be open to insights & observations of others Don’t presume you have all the answers

L*I*S*T*E*N A GOOD APPROACH TO MAKING GOOD MORAL CHOICES

L = Look for the facts What is the real situation? What is at stake? What are the actions?

I = Imagine Possibilities What are the consequences? What are the options? Are there creative approaches?

S = Seek Insight beyond your own Ask for help from: ▫Family ▫Friends ▫Religion ▫Wise persons ▫Moral principles

T = Turn Inward What are your own feelings? What have you learned from your own experiences? What are your: ▫ Motives? ▫Intentions? ▫Values? (what’s important to you?)

E = Expect God’s Help Pray for help: ▫In choosing ▫Acting on your choice God is with you caring for you and can help when you honestly seek the truth

N = Name your decision Even if you plan to delay, say so Don’t just drift (Not to decide, is to have made a decision.)

Moral Decision- Making (p. 58) Searching for Good, responding to a moral question Reason Openness to new insights Be honest & truthful Exercise prudence Seek wisdom Pray / Be guided by Gospel Be guided by Church teachings Feelings Reflect on personal experiences & circumstances Intuition The community, Social sciences Senses Guided by Gospel