CHAPTER FOUR

Christian Morality- Ateneo De Davao University

DISCOVERING GOD’S

VOICE IN THE DEPTHS OF OUR CONSCIENCE

Authentic human freedom is not absolute self-directed. Freedom will always be exercised in
relation to one’s dignity as a human being who is created ‘good’ by a perfectly good God and in relation to
other human beings, who are gifted with the same freedom as well. Authentic freedom, therefore is a
shared freedom with others in the community. It is not just doing what I want but doing what is good
for me and for others. It is not just being responsible for the self but also being accountable for others, a
truth aptly captured by a popular Mass hymn:

Walang sinuman ang nabubuhay para sa sarili lamang.

Walang sinuman ang namamatay para sa sarili lamang.

Tayong lahat ay may pananagutan sa isa?- isa.

Tayong lahat ay tinipon ng Diyos na kapiling Nya.

But how do we recognize the limits and boundaries of this gift we call freedom? How do we
know if our decisions and actions are still within the realm of authentic human freedom? How do we
concretely and freely respond to God in love?

1. MORAL CONSCIENCE

The Catechism for Filipino Catholics defines moral conscience as “the inner power which
discerns and calls us to do what is good and avoid evil, according to the law that God has written in
our hearts.” It applies moral law to a particular case, thus, formulating moral obligation
(Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2005, n.372).

It is also “present in the heart of every person, and considered a judgment of reason which at
the appropriate moment enjoins the person to do good and to avoid evil” (Ibid.).

Most people call this as the “voice of God telling us what is right and what is wrong and
making us feel guilty if we have done something wrong” (Knox, 2003: 283). Our moral conscience
therefore leads us to search the divine truth and do what is good This is so because it is believed that
“within our conscience is the law of God and our happiness and dignity depends on following that
law” (The Essential Catholic Handbook, 1978, 31).

This law, written in the heart of the human person, is clearly affirmed by Vatican II:

In the depths of his conscience, the human person detects a law which he does not impose on
himself, but which holds him to obedience. Always summoning him to love good and avoid
evil, the voice of conscience can, when necessary, speak to his heart more specifically: do this,
 shun that. For man has in his heart a law written by God. To obey it is the very dignity of the
person; according to it he will be judged (Gaudium et Spes 16).

“Hence, the more a correct conscience prevails, the more do persons and groups turn aside from
blind choice and endeavor to conform to the objective standards of moral conduct. Yet it often
happens that conscience goes astray through ignorance which it is unable to avoid, without thereby
losing its dignity. This cannot be said of the person who takes little trouble to find out what is true
and good, or when conscience is gradually almost blinded through the habit of committing sin”
(Gaudium et Spes, #16, emphasis added)

Here, in the very same paragraph as Fr. Massingale’s “evidence,” the document expresses the
great importance of a “correct conscience.” It claims that a “correct conscience” allows us to
avoid ignorance and to “conform to the objective standards of moral conduct” (ibid.). It goes on
to say that we are not free from the carelessness of ignorance, but rather, we are responsible for
seeking out the objective truth, not just what our conscience thinks. The Church has always
maintained, and affirms here, that conscience can be clouded, or blinded, by sin. Catholics are
indeed charged with a responsibility to inform our conscience in order to live out the Christian life
in the secular world: “It is their task to cultivate a properly informed conscience and to impress
the divine law on the affairs of the earthly city” (Gaudium et Spes, #43, emphasis added).

The prophet Jeremiah, centuries ago, also spoke about this law written in the human heart.

But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord; I
will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God and they
shall be my people (31:33).

Ian Knox, a priest, theologian and author, calls this law as “a metaphor for the basic urge we
all feel to achieve inner peace, harmony, psychological balance” (284). This does not literally refer to a
set of enumerated rules or laws laid down by God on stone tablets. This is more internal than external,
spiritual rather than physical. This natural inclination in the heart of every person to live in perfect
peace and harmony with God, with the self, with others and with the rest of creation is believed to be
designed by God and inherent in each person. It is the natural drive to be complete and to be whole.
Doing something contrary to this inclination leads to destruction, fragmentation, unhappiness, and
loss of direction.

Our conscience therefore does more than just telling us right from wrong, good from evil. It
moves our will to make a correct choice and decision. It moves us to choose good and avoid evil, to
act on what is true and shun from anything that leads us away from the truth. It brings us back to
Eden, to what we really are, and to heaven - to what we ought to be.

"Conscience is the most secret core and

sanctuary of a person. There he is alone
 with God whose voice echoes in his
depths."

(Pastoral Constitution on the Church in

the Modern World, 16)

But this is easier said than done. Choosing the path that leads to righteousness is not a “walk
in the park.” The human heart, through formed by God to search the ultimate good freely, can also
be ambivalent and can also be corrupted by the human tendency to be narcissistic and self-directed.
With this, the human person's capacity to love and to follow one's conscience is affected.

Taking the above realities as context for our discussion, we need to orient (or review) the
concept of conscience from the lens of Scripture, extra-biblical sources and Christian theologies. We
shall also contrast conscience and superego, inviolability of conscience and erroneous conscience, and
highlight the imperative discussion on how conscience must be formed.

2. BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS

One fundamental way of deepening our theological understanding of conscience is tracing its
very foundation in the Sacred Scriptures. This will shed light on the very nature and role of conscience
in the ongoing struggle for wholeness and perfection, in relation to the salvific mission of Jesus.

2.1 OLD TESTAMENT

‘Syneidesis’, the Greek word for conscience, occurs only once in the Old Testament text. This
can be found in Wisdom 17:11: For wickedness, of its nature cowardly, testifies in its own condemnation,
and because of a distressed conscience, always magnifies misfortunes.

While there is a very limited biblical reference in the Old Testament about conscience, we can
deduce the conclusion that the closest word to it, from the biblical point of view, is the ‘heart’
(McBrien, 1980:1000).

This understanding will lead us to a variety of biblical texts which we can closely associate with
‘conscience’. Psalm 95 says, “Oh that today you would hear his voice. Do not harden your hearts…”
God is also described frequently as ‘probing the heart’ (ver 11:20, Proverbs 21:2, Psalm 26:2).

Another description which comes close to our definition of conscience is fidelity, specifically,
fidelity to the Covenant and to the Law. This is definitely not something new to us. Our biblical
knowledge will tell us about the relevance of the covenant and the law in the faith-life of the chosen People
of God, which can be concretely understood by looking into the very history of the Jews as a people.

The covenant has always been regarded as the reason for Israel's freedom and identity as a nation
and as a community of God's people. Because of Israel's covenant with YHWH slavery ended and new life
emerged. However, such covenantal relationship, like any other relationship bounded in mutual
commitment, demands fidelity and trust. Without such demands and responsibilities, the covenantal
relationship will not be nurtured, and, if left unguided, will eventually fade away and die.

The prophets often became YHWH's spokespersons for Israel to faithfully keep its promises
to the covenant (Ezekiel 11:14-21; Jeremiah 31:31-34). The Decalogue served the concrete guideline
for Israel in nurturing her fidelity to YHWH. Listening to the prophets and following the law as
specified in the Decalogue, these became the scaffolds of a healthy covenantal relationship, as
described in Psalm 1:

Happy are those who do not follow the counsel of the wicked, nor go the way of sinners, nor
sit in company with scoffers. Rather the law of the Lord is their joy, God's law they study day
and night.

We know that there were a number of setbacks in that relationship because of Israel's failure to be
faithful, as narrated in the Bible. Whenever Israel deviates from following the covenant and the law,
everything disintegrates, resulting to misery and suffering, the ultimate consequence of infidelity and
disobedience.

2.2 NEW TESTAMENT

The word ‘conscience’ cannot be found in the gospels. However, there are certain gospel texts
which refer to the inner disposition of the person (Luke 11:33, 4:28-32; Matthew 5:8,20; Mark 7:21)
(McBrien 1980: 1001).

While some Pauline writings contain the same basic tone in reference to conscience, the word
conscience itself occurs twenty-five times in the entire Pauline Epistles, three times in 1 Peter, and
Twice in Acts of the Apostles (both times uttered by Paul).

The following themes run through these New Testament references on conscience.

a. It is the fundamental awareness of the difference between good and evil (2Cor. 1:12)

b. It is a principle of freedom founded on our obligations on our neighbor (1Cor 10:23, 29).

c. Love proceeds from a pure heart and a good conscience and genuine faith (1Tim 1:5).

d. Christ purifies the conscience and not the sacrificial ritual of the law (Heb. 9:9, 10:2, 10:22)
(McBrien, 1980: 1001).

These themes reflect, in a way, the nature of conscience being discussed earlier. They even
affirm the basic notion concerning the role of conscience in the moral demand of doing what is good
and avoiding what is evil. It also affirms, in a consistent manner, the Old Testament view which focuses
on conscience as founded on the inner dynamics of the human person and inner longings to be faithful
and obedient to whatever commitment the self has devoted itself into to achieve happiness and
fulfillment.
 So far, we were able to find out that the Bible itself emphasized, in a direct way, the necessity to
know and follow the truth in the pursuit of happiness and oneness, with God and the rest of creation. For
other people, this is simply human nature. For us believers, this is conscience.

3. CONSCIENCE AS A UNIVERSAL CONCEPT

The belief in the existence of conscience in every human person is considered a universal reality
and phenomenon present in practically all cultures in the world. Even in the primitive society, words like
“heart” or “mind” or “loins” became synonymous with the nature of conscience itself. An ancient
Egyptian text narrates: “The heart is an excellent witness, one must not transgress against its words”
(Peschke, 1996: 163-164).

Since most primitive cultures manifest their religiosity and recognition of a transcendental being'
or a 'being who is completely other" in their rituals, with their different beliefs expressed in their cultural
traditions and norms, it is also clearly evident in historical records that primitive cultures recognize the
necessity to live in harmony with other people and the rest of creation, not just with their gods and spirits.
This desire to be one with others and to live peacefully is expressed not just in their observance of social
and legal norms approved and accepted by their community but with the sincerity of their relationships,
with the Transcendent whom they worship in their rituals and with one another, taking into consideration
the feelings, welfare and needs of the other members of the community.

Such high regard for doing what is good and following the norms are still very much
observable even among the indigenous communities present in our time. It is even believed by many
people today that these indigenous communities are among the most 'conscientious' and 'sincere' in
the exercise of their moral responsibility, considering the present era when most people even doubt,
much more question, the value of following the yearnings of the 'heart' in making decisions and
actions.

Let us narrate a short story to support and elaborate the points we made earlier. When we had our
30-day immersion with the Talaingod Community in Malabog, Paquibato District (Davao City) way back
in our seminary days, we were assigned to a small tribe situated beside a creek. It was during such
immersion that we witnessed how the members of the tribe committed themselves to what is right in any
situation —a character that some people might not share. Individually, their uncompromising attitude in
observing culturally and religiously upheld values revealed their innate desire not only for the establishment
and maintenance of social harmony and stability, but for deepening their relationship with their God.

After completing the immersion program and while we were going back to the parish, one of our
companions unintentionally left our camera along the way. Losing such device is unacceptable for two
reasons: first, the pictures we took in the area during the duration of the immersion (for documentation)
were all in there. second, the camera is very expensive and we can't afford to buy another one. When we
all had given up hope on getting it back (the tribal community is a seven-hour trek from the parish),
a tribe member, suddenly came to the parish about an hour after we arrived bringing the camera
with him. Returning the camera, we can't forget his words when he said in Cebuano: “Maayo gan
ako ang nakakita ani. Kung Kristyano pa ni, dili na ni mauli sa inyoha.” (“It's good that I was the one
who found it. Had this been found by a Christian, this would never be returned to you.)

That sincere remarks about dishonesty among Christians was really disturbing!

An experience of genuine and untainted goodness like this, in a different cultural science, res all
the more the university of the concept of conscience, revealed in the uncompromising desire to choose and
do what is dignified and true, no matter what.

4. CONSCIENCE IN CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY

Most scholastic theologians express that conscience is part of the rational operation of the
human person. This further suggests that conscience is “the process in which the norms of the moral law
are applied to a concrete action which a person is about to perform or has performed, telling the person
what his obligation is here and now or judging his past acts” (Peschke, 1996: 166).

This particular understanding, founded on the role of reason in the judgment and
performance of a moral act, is also accepted by St. Thomas Aquinas, one of the most influential
theologians in the history of the Catholic Church. However, this very intellectual view on the nature of
conscience was not accepted by St. Augustine and the Franciscans. St. Augustine's view on
conscience, in particular, is quite spiritual rather than intellectual, more divine than human. He
believes that conscience is “the place of the innermost encounter between God and man, therefore,
the voice of God. It is the divine center of the human person, where he is addressed by God. In it, he
is aware of God and the soul" (as cited by Peschke, 167).

Today, most theologians accept the Augustinian understanding in explaining the nature of
conscience. It is believed that conscience is not just about reason and rational operation of the human
person. It is not merely the human person's capacity to know and apply the recognized moral norms
in concrete situations. If conscience is only defined in rational terms, then the most rational and the
most intellectual become the persons with the ‘best consciences. They become the most ‘morally
upright’ members of the community. We all know that this is far from being true. Our day-to-day
experiences reveal that, oftentimes, those whom society consider the simple, the uneducated and not
intellectually gifted, are surprisingly the ones who make the most extraordinary good moral decisions and
actions in the most humane and sincere way.

Intelligence and rationality alone are not conscience:

The reason being that “conscience informs a person about his personal calling in the context
of God's plan of creation” (Peschke 167). This is something that intelligence and reason alone cannot
do. It is much, much deeper than that.

Aside from this, “conscience also has a volitive quality. meaning, it inclines and urges a person
to accept the known good and to realize it. But it is not identical with the power of the will since man
may will and do what is against his conscience. Both functions however, perceiving the good and doing
it, must be attributed to conscience (Ibid, 168).
 Ian Knox believes that conscience is not also equated with feelings. Feelings, for him, are not
conscience.

"Feelings of contentment and peace, or feelings of guilt, may (and in fact generally do)
accompany the judgement our conscience makes, but these feelings do not determine the
morality of the action. Some people may do the most horrible things and feel no guilt or
remorse (e.g. Nazi plan for Holocaust in WWIl), while others feel guilt over matters that have
no moral significance at all (e.g. being neat and tidy in one's person) (Knox, 2003: 283-84).

Feelings, therefore, are not conscience.

If conscience is not reason, or intelligence, or feelings, then what is it? A. Auer puts it this way:

Conscience is more than mere reason, more than mere will, more than mere feeling, it is the
depth of human existence, the innermost core of the person in his directedness towards God
and in his ultimate sustenance by him (Peschke, 1996:168).

Karl Peschke believes that it is a faculty distinct from reason, will, and feeling:

It is a faculty situated in the very depth and center of the human person, which accords to
man an understanding of his meaning and destiny, an awareness of the divine purpose behind
the wortd. a perception of his personal calling within God's plan, and an experience of the
imperative character of his calling. Implied in this is the spiritual and emotional urge to
comply with the demands resulting from the call (Ibid., 168).

This assertion made by Peschke expresses the religious and spiritual dimension of conscience.
It is believed that the human person is called to be responsible and accountable with his decisions and
actions before God, keeping in mind and heart his calling to be holy as a sacred being. Thus, obedience to
the dictates of one's conscience becomes imperative, something which can ultimately come from God alone.
Disobedience, on the other hand, leads ultimately to the guilt of shame and sin.

5. CONSCIENCE AND SUPER-EGO

A popular Austrian physician and founder of Psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud described three
different parts of the human psyche as: the id, the ego, and the super-ego. Our studies in Psychology
tells us that the id is “the source of instinctual impulses and demands for satisfaction of primitive needs”
(The American Heritage Dictionary, 2001). The ego is “that part of the psyche that is conscious, controls
thought and behavior, and is most in touch with external reality.” The super-ego is “that part of the
psyche formed through the internalization of moral standards of parents and society”.

Our discussion will focus on the super-ego, in comparison with the understanding of conscience.

Looking at the definition, the super-ego can be comparable to a big storehouse, a database.
Based on its meaning, it is where we ‘store’ all information concerning moral obligations (do's and
dont's) that we learned or accumulated since the early part of our childhood until the present state
of being. Part of this 'personal memory' are the rewards for the good being done and the punishments
for the bad actions committed. Very often, feelings of guilt are experienced whenever we violate any
of these ‘stored’ set of norms, rules, and obligations. This is where certain issues lie.

How do we know if it is our conscience working and urging us to do what is morally right and
not our super-ego?

How do we now distinguish between the guilt that comes from our super-ego and the guilt
that comes from conscience? Is super-ego and conscience the same?

These are among the fundamental questions that needed relevant answers. And the truth is,
there are no easy answers, Ian Knox would say. He believes that distinguishing between the two
requires a great degree of self-knowledge (Knox, 2003: 283).

Genuine self-knowledge, anyone involved in the formation of individuals and communities would
agree, is definitely a long and gradual process in which an individual desiring to achieve such state would
need a regular and constant accompaniment from those who had been considered experts" in the field of
formation. The process may be difficult and the result may not be as genuine as it should be, but nonetheless,
it is achievable and possible.

But why should I bother to distinguish between my conscience and super-ego when both of
which lead me to follow and observe what is considered 'morally right?

It is necessary to know which one is working for the super-ego is not conscience and
conscience is not super-ego. The super-ego is founded on the moral norms and standards set by our
parents and the society we grew up with. Obedience to these accepted norms is primarily rooted in
the fear to disobey the figures and sources of authority, resulting in punishments and suffering. The
sources of authority may be our parents, teachers, bosses, the traffic policemen, etc. The motivation
for living a good moral life is largely determined by external and very often, 'blind obedience to the
established norms set by the identified figures of authority Not doing so would often leave us with
feelings of fear and guilt.

Our conscience points us beyond figures of authority and socially- established norms and
standards. It brings us to our very nature and calling as creatures created by God, called to be holy.
and to live in communion with Him and the rest of creation. It leads us to the ultimate source of our
humanity and guides us to our ultimate destiny– God Himself.

Maturity demands that a person's motive and desire to do good must come from an internal
discernment of morally upheld values and virtues regardless of external pressures contrary or not to
those which he upholds. But this does not mean that the super-ego is gone. As Sean Fagan says: “The
super-ego may also be felt by a morally mature person, but he is not dominated by it. He recognizes
its presence but he has it under control. Such a person can respect law and authority, but his life is
governed more by freely chosen values” (as cited by Knox, 2003:280)

The guilt feelings imposed by the super-ego can be very judgmental and condemning
everytime we fail to follow the moral norms set by society and figures of authority. But that of our
conscience are feelings that lead to understanding, hope and nes life. As the Catechism for Filipino
Catholics expresses: “The guilt feelings could also be the result of merely shame over breaking some
social or cultural “taboo”. Formation of authentic Christian conscience means clarifying the
difference between true moral guilt (a true guilty conscience) and psychological guilty feeling which
do not necessarily involve any moral fault” (Catechism for Filipino Catholics, 1997: 197).

James F. Keenan, in his article, What is Good and What is Right (A New Distinction in Moral
Theology), synthesized a comparative view on Conscience and Super-ego below:

SUPER-EGO CONSCIENCE

Commands that an act be performed for approval, in Invites to action, to love, and in this very act of other-
order to make oneself lovable, accepted; fear of love- directed commitment to concrete self-value
withdrawal is the basis

Introverted; the thematic center is a sense of one's own Extroverted; the thematic center is the value which
value invites; self-value is concomitant and secondary to this

Static; does not grow, does not learn; cannot function Dynamic; an awareness and sensitivity to value which
creatively in a new situation; merely repeats a basic develops and grows; a mindset which can precisely
command function in a new situation

Authority-figure-oriented; not a question of perceiving Value-oriented; the value or disvalue is perceived and
and responding to a value but of “obeying” authority's responded to, regardless of whether authority has
command “blindly” commanded or not
 "Atomized" units of activity are its object Individual acts are seen in their importance as a part of a
larger process or pattern

Past-oriented: primarily concerned with cleaning up the Future-oriented; creative; sees the past as having a
record with regard to past acts future and helping to structure this future into a better
one

Urged to be punished and thereby earn reconciliation Sees the need to repair by structuring the future
orientation toward the value in question (which includes
making good past harms)

Rapid transition from severe isolation, guilt feelings, A sense of the gradual process of growth which
etc., to a sense of self-value accomplished by confessing characterizes all dimensions of genuine personal
to an authority figure development

Possible great disproportion between guilt experienced Experience of guilt proportionate to the importance of
and the value in question; extent of guilt depends more the value in question, even though authority may never
on weight of authority of figure and “volume: with have addressed this specific value
which he speaks rather than density of the value in
question

Distinguishing between these two would draw a significant boundary between clarity and
confusion, freedom and unfreedom, growth and stagnation, death and new life.

Our Christian life teaches us that while we recognize and accept our limitations, weaknesses and
failures, we are invited to be always open to God's love and grace and to the new life that God's loving
forgiveness brings every time we fall and stumble in our moral choices and decisions. It teaches us that,
though we feel sorry for the wrong we have committed, we should be open to make amends, to correct the
mistakes, and to continuously transform ourselves into the image of Christ Himself, no matter how difficult
or how long the process would be, believing that, with God's grace, anything is possible.

Perhaps, Sean Fagan, as quoted by lan Knox, was able to capture this correctly in these words:
 It would be a pity if, whatever the flaws in our early training and the psychic and social influences
at work in our subconscious, we overlooked the definite and obvious possibility that we feel guilty
because we are guilty. If our guilt feeling is the result of a personality disorder we may get help
from a counsellor or psychiatrist. There is no need for repentance. But if our guilt is sin, no amount
of counselling or psychiatry will help. The remedy is simple and easily available. God has given us
the means to cope with sin. His forgiveness is there for the asking (288).

6. INVIOLABILITY OF CONSCIENCE AND ERRONEOUS CONSCIENCE

Conscience is inviolable.

Since conscience is considered as the final arbiter of what is right and what is wrong, the
church believes that “conscience is primary”. This is so because, as Vatican II expresses: “...in our
conscience we are alone with God whose voice echoes in our depths.” If we find the voice of God in our
conscience, then, by all means, we must follow it. St. Augustine affirms this when he wrote:

Anyone on whom ecclesiastical authority, in ignorance of the true facts, imposes a demand
that offends against a clear conscience Should perish in excommunication, rather than violate
his conscience (Ibid: 288).

Such a statement suggests that we are all encouraged to follow the dictates of our conscience.
This is under the presumption that before the act is done, one has already undergone thorough
reflection and discernment on the moral decision to be made and the moral act to be committed,
guided by the teachings of the Church and the Sacred Scriptures. When all the necessary
prerequisites are done, then, whatever the conscience believes to be morally right must be followed.
Vatican IIs Declaration on Religious Freedom declares that we are bound to follow our conscience
faithfully and "no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his conscience. Nor, on the other
hand, is he to be restrained from acting in accordance with his conscience, especially in religious
matters" (n. 3).

Thus, to act against it would mean not being true to ourselves and to the person that God
wants us to become. It means being unfaithful to the calling that God intended us to follow and live.
In short, it means to commit sin.

But this is not as simple as it seems.

We all agree that conscience may not always lead us to do what is objectively morally right.
Conscience can also commit errors because it is not perfect, just like us.

What if this happens? What if, in one particular situation, our conscience erred?

As the teaching of the Church stated, even when it is in error, it is still to be followed always,
in every circumstance. This might appear inconsistent with the "voice of God echoing in our depths"
but it can be explained this way.
 Since conscience is not perfect, then, it can also be mistaken. It can commit mistakes when it judges
something that is really evil to be good or something good to be evil. A lot of factors can contribute to this.
But it can happen primarily because of “hasty judgements, lack of sufficient knowledge, poor discernment,
invincible ignorance, immaturity, pressures, or can even be dysfunctional personality or even stressful
conditions or psychological problems” (LST Notes on Keena’s Fundamental Moral Theology.) But these
factors which led the conscience to error does not, in any hway, diminish nor destroy its dignity. As
Gaudium et Spes expresses:

Conscience frequently errs from invincible ignorance without losing its dignity.

On a similar note, McBrien explains:

Invincible ignorance can be described as an ignorance for which the person cannot be held
morally responsible when an evil act has been committed as a result of which" (1980: 1001).

Further, we cannot impose full accountability on a person under the state of invincible
ignorance: It happens when a judgement is made contrary to the objective criteria of morality and
there is no source of knowledge available. Hence, there is no subjective fault, though there is an
objective error (LST Notes on Keenan's Fundamental Moral Theology).

Thus, if an evil act resulted from invincible ignorance, the human person cannot be held
culpable. The Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states: A person must always
obey certain judgement of his own conscience but he could make erroneous judgements for reasons
that may not always exempt him from personal guilt. However, an evil act committed through
involuntary ignorance is not imputable to the person, even though the act remains objectively evil.
One must therefore work to correct the errors of moral conscience (376).

This suggests that while the human person may not be held morally culpable because of any
evil act done out of invincible ignorance, this does not free anyone from the responsibility of forming
a correct conscience. From the Christian perspective, it is an integral part and demand of discipleship
that one should strive to grow towards maturity in faith and in charity. This implies that one’s
commitment to the values and mission of Jesus must be continuously deepened, nurtured and strengthened
through the constant guidance from the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church.

Formation of Christian conscience therefore, is not just an invitation. It is a Christian and moral
duty and responsibility.

7. FORMATION OF CONSCIENCE

The need to have a well-formed conscience is a necessity considering that our conscience is
not formed perfectly the moment we were born. Using human life as a metaphor, the knowledge and
wisdom we possess at this moment, and the kind of person we are now are products of many years of
learning, re-learning and formation. The same is true with our conscience. It also needs to learn and
re- learn if it has to grow towards maturity and wholeness. Otherwise, it is prone to commit the same
errors in moral judgements again and again. This constancy of committing erroneous judgements
and actions can be disturbing for this might eventually lead to the loss of the sense of sin, something
that every Christian believer or any advocate of good will and goodness, wanted to avoid.

Given the present complex social conditions we are in today, it has become more imperative to
have a well-formed conscience, as stated in the Catechism for Filipino Catholics:

In complex modern conditions, with new sensitivities (e.g. solidarity, social justice, peace),
new demands and hopes (equal rights, liberation movements, feminism), moral judgements
are more difficult and less certain (1997: 196).

This is an affirmation of the difficulty in discerning and making correct moral judgements in
our time. Such difficulty is reflected even in its formation. Like the formation of the human person,
the formation of conscience is also a lifetime process. It doesn't happen overnight.

The Catechism for Filipino Catholics speaks of the formation of a Christian conscience. This
formation happens within the context of one's faith in Christ and in one's active involvement in the Christian
community, the Church. Catechism for Filipino Catholics further suggests the following guidelines:

The formative process takes place in faith and prayer, by attending to the Word of God and
the teachings of the Church, and by responsiveness to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Critical reflection on the events and experiences of our life helps us in forming moral judgements.

It is in living out the faith that we form our Christian consciences.

These formative factors should be considered:

a. Heart - reading and reflecting on Jesus' teaching and actin affective prayer and sacramental
life wherein we encounter the Risen Christ.

b. Mind - attending "to the sacred and certain doctrine of the Church, whose duty
authoritatively teach that truth which Christ Himself and also to declare and confirm those
principles of the moral order which have their origin in human nature itself (Dignitates
Humanae 14) (Ibid: 196).

As discussed in the preceding topics, we are obliged to follow our conscience but we are also
obliged to make sure that it is correctly formed. According to Richard Gula, a notable moral theologian,
forming one's conscience should not only focus on the question "What sort of person am 1?" but also
"What sort of person I ought to become?" "What is the sort of person that God wants me to
become?" (as cited by Knox, 2003: 286).

In other words, the formation of conscience necessitates a deeper degree of self-knowledge,

something that is difficult to achieve by ourselves. Though such formation is primarily persona in nature,
it also has a communal dimension. Our involvement in a Christian community, with its traditions, rituals,
and devotional practices can help shape our spiritual outlook and character, as lan Knox also believes. This
is affirmed by Gula in these words:

The mature conscience is formed and exercised in community in dialogue with other sources
of moral wisdom" (Ibid., 287).

This is an affirmation of the basic truth in human life - that no man is definitely an island. Even the
formation of something personal like conscience can't be done on our own. We need other people to help
us form our conscience well. We need one another in making right judgements and in doing morally correct
actions. We need models of goodness and witnesses of truth and goodness today more than ever. Pope Paul
VI, in his encyclical Evangelii Nuntiandi, writes:

Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to
teachers, it is because they are witnesses” (#41).

In the end, the formation of conscience is not just a personal but a communal obligation and
responsibility.

That is where we need God's grace even more.

8. CONCLUSION

It is in the depths of a well-formed conscience that we are able to hear, discover and encounter
the voice of God, and God himself. This gift that God implanted in the deep recesses of our hearts
allows us to share in the divinity and holiness of our Creator. Our faithfulness and obedience to the
dictates of our conscience, after a serious and sincere reflection and discernment leads us to correct moral
decisions and actions, helping us to be in communion with ourselves, with others, with the rest of creation,
and with God. Even if conscience would err, as imperfect as the human person is, it is still considered
inviolable. Failure to follow one's conscience, despite its inability to lead the person to a morally
correct judgement and action because of invincible ignorance, would mean failure to be accountable
to one's decision and action. This situation of erring conscience makes the formation of Christian
conscience imperative. Though the process is long and tedious, this is not enough reason for us not to
continue shaping our conscience according to the being that God wanted us to become. While our tendency
to be selfish and self-centered always comes in the way, the call to live life to the fullest further inspires us
to continue striving to become the image of Christ himself. We know that we are not alone in this struggle
and we know that we will succeed, for God's love and guidance will never fail.

In the end, Bishop Fulton Sheen perfectly synthesizes this Struggle to be whole in these words:

The worst thing in the world is not sin; it is the denial of sin by a false conscience– for that
attitude makes forgiveness impossible.