Ordinary 22

What happens when obedience meets freedom of conscience? The Church teaches we are free to follow our conscience when it is properly formed. The mistake most people make is in not recognizing what "properly formed" means.

We must start with the teachings of the Church. The authority of the Church comes from Jesus and is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Reformation, leading advocate of individual freedom of conscience (Bible alone is authority debate), rejected authority of the Church. The Catholic position recongizes that authority. Therefore the teachings of the Church occupy a position of authority.

The Church teaches the ideal concept. We must understand what virtues and principles are involved in the matter. Only then can we use our conscience to determine if our choice is an acceptable one in the situation we find ourselves. The situation does not define the matter but may mitigate it. Situational ethics approaches it backwards and says the situation defines right and wrong. Right and wrong are defined by the Church. We are praying about the application of that teaching in a situation that was not defined.

Catholics are expected to be obedient to the extent it is possible.