CONSCIENCE What is conscience?

is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed. (CCC) understood as a kind of inner voice (tinig ng budhi) which guides us in our moral life. This can mean our basic tendency toward the good, the voice always summoning us to love the good and avoid evil. (CFC) an awareness of oneself which helps an individual act and thus become the kind of person he or she is capable of becoming Persons inner dialogue with God who calls each one to act like the man/woman he or she is We are exercising authentic freedom in obeying moral laws and our consciences. The objection is based on the common erroneous idea of freedom as doing what I want. Dignity = uprightness of moral conscience Perception of the principles of morality Application in the given circumstances by practical discernment of reasons and goods Judgment about concrete acts yet to be performed or already performed Levels of Conscience FEAR CONSCIENCE A person acts only to escape punishment, to be praised or accepted by authority. The persons sense of good and bad is NOT based on what truly is good and bad. HIS BASIS: The approval/ disapproval of authority. EXAMPLE: Cheating is wrong ONLY IF ONE IS CAUGHT. MORAL/ETHICAL CONSCIENCE A person acts on the basis of his VALUES. It deals with concrete individual values. -If the law is disobeyed, one sees it not only as act against authority but also an act against a true good or value. HIS BASIS: What is morally right. EXAMPLE: Cheating is wrong, even if one is not caught, because it violates the values of personal integrity and social justice. CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS CONSCIENCE The Christian faith illumines, clarifies and deepens what we know is truly worthy of being a person. -We feel the connection with our personal and loving relationship with God. HIS BASIS: After the example of Christ. EXAMPLE: Cheating is seen as acting against the personal loving call of God to our full human flourishing. Types of Conscience Antecedent & Consequent Conscience Antecedent Conscience if the judgment on the morality of an action is done even before a particular action is performed The antecedent conscience functions in either of the following: It exhorts It permits Consequent Conscience if it evaluates an act already committed. The consequent conscience functions in either of the following: It permits

It excuses It reproves It accuses

Certain & Doubtful Conscience Certain Conscience a conscience is certain if it passes judgment without fear of error. Example: a person who is convinced he has paid the PhP 500.00 he owed from a friend has a certain conscience. Doubtful Conscience if it is uncertain about the morality of an act. Example: a person who cannot determine whether letting his wife die by pulling the plug has a doubtful conscience Right & Erroneous Conscience Right or True Conscience it presents good as good and evil as evil. The practical moral judgment agrees or disagrees with the objective norms of morality. Example: A person who decides not to take home office items without the permission of office items without the permission of the authority has a right conscience. Erroneous or False Conscience it mistakenly judges something good to be evil, and something evil to be good. It may result from a malformation of ones conscience due to ignorance (both invincible ignorance and visible ignorance) or wrong information. Example: a student who feels justified to spread slanderous remarks about a fellow student who has previously done the same to her acts with an erroneous conscience. Two kinds of erroneous conscience are especially harmful: a lax conscience makes one think that grave sins are only slight matters, or even virtuous deeds one that is insensitive to the good that ought to be done and the evil that ought to be shunned. For example: one may be a racist or one may have little or no social conscience or be very permissive in sexuality issues. a scrupulous conscience. one that sees sin in everything, or which magnifies mere trifles into enormous crimes. one that frequently thinks that it is sinning when in fact it is not. For example, because of deformative and perfectionistic training in a particular area like sexuality, one may think that one is constantly sinning against the virtue of chastity A weak conscience is one that may know what is right but hasn't the courage or spiritual power to do what is right. Or it may know what is wrong and sinful and yet it does it Example: a woman may know abortion is wrong but she does not have the psychological or moral strength needed to carry the baby to full term. A weak conscience is also one that is easily swayed by the opinions of other people.

Formation of Conscience How are our consciences formed? CFC 725

Our conscience is gradually formed through the natural educational agents of our daily upbringing, our school training, parish catechesis and the influence of friends and social contracts. How do we form a Christian conscience? CFC 726 A Christian Conscience is formed gradually in faith and through personal and ecclesial prayer life. How? 1. By attending to the word of God and the teachings of the Church. 2. By being responsive to the indwelling Holy Spirit 3. By critical reflection on our concrete moral choices and experiences of daily life. Two Types of Formative Factors 1. Heart factors Jesus teachings and actions; our prayer and sacramental life.(Morals) 2. Mind factors sacred and certain doctrines of the Church. (Doctine) Conscience: An INTEGRAL PART of a person Conscience is an integral part of a person. It is present in all persons. It is our core and sanctuary where we can meet God. Nothing is more intimate in us than our conscience. Reminder It is important to educate our conscience so that our conscience can avoid making incorrect judgments about acts to be performed or already performed (CCC 1790b) As disciples of Christ, we are called to form our conscience constantly throughout our lives. We need to form a right conscience that is in harmony with Gods will and law. What must our conscience decide on? Three Essential Aspects 1. The nature or object of the act 2. Our intention as agents or doers of the act, and 3. The circumstances which affect the morality of the act In our discernment we must take into account the STOP formula as we obtain a moral judgment Search Yourself Think What you are about to do [Consult] Others With what thoughts you have in mind Pray About your decision