ANSWER by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM on May 28, 2004

Dear Ana: The Church teaches us to follow our conscience. In the Bible we also see this teaching. James 4:17 says, "Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin." and also in Luke 12:47-48, "And that servant who knew his master's will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. 48 But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating." Both of these passages are predicated upon what the person knew and believed was the right thing to do, what the Master's will was for him to do. Upon that knowledge and belief those who fail to follow through and act on that believe will be punished. Luke 12:48 gives us the teaching that those who are ignorant of what is right, or what God wills of them, and they sin out of this ignorance shall received a lesser punishment. We must DO what is right and what God wills to the level of which we know and understand what is right and what is God's will. One cannot act if one does not know. Thus issue of knowledge of what is right or knowledge of God's will for oneself must be acted upon. It is our conscience that tells us to act upon what we know. Thus if our conscience tells us something and we do the opposite we are hypocrites to our own belief. For example, I believe that Bingo is wrong. It is a form of gambling that is condemned by a doctor of the Church, St. Francis deSales. So, since I believe Bingo is wrong, I would be sinning if I played that game. Remember what James said? "Whoever knows what is right to do and fails to do it, FOR HIM IT IS A SIN." For me playing Bingo is not the right thing to do. If I played Bingo, it would be a sin FOR ME, but not for others who believe Bingo is okay. This does not mean that there are not eternal objective truths, there are indeed objective Truths. There are certain things that are objectively sin whether we belief it or not. Even if we do not believe something is a sin, if we do it, we still sin. This is where INFORMED CONSCIENCE comes in. We have an obligation to INFORM our conscience so that it will have accurate information about what is right or wrong and thus know how to act morally. How do we know our conscience is informed? By testing our conscience against Church teaching. If our conscience tells us something different than official Church teaching, then our conscience is dead wrong. In that case, we need to work hard to bring our conscience in line with the Truth that is taught by the Church. Nevertheless one is to follow their conscience. If there conscience is wrong, they will pay for the consequences of their action. A conscience can be evil. I am reminded of the Charlie Mason mass murder case in 1969. Susan Atkins, one of the Mason followers, kill the actress Sharon Tate and actually tasted her blood. She was called the Vampira of the group. When she was convicted of murder, she was asked if she had any remorse at all for what she did. Susan replied, Why should I feel guilty for doing what was right for me." This is not like my story of Bingo. Bingo is neutral morally; murder is not. Murder is wrong regardless of Susan Atkins conscience. Her conscience was seered and degraded into evil. While she followed her conscience, she may well follow it into hell if she does not repent someday. Bottomline: we all know of people who do not practice what they preach. That is what violating conscience is: not practicing what one's conscience tells them to do. One can try to excuse themselves by saying that their conscience says that homosexual sex is not a sin. They will be following their conscience, which they have a right to do, but the act of sex outside of marriage between and man and a women is STILL objectively sinful and those who do it, whether homosexual or heterosexual, will be held accountable for their actions We all have the freedom to follow our conscience know matter what it is, but we will be held accountable. That is why it is wise to INFORM one's conscience so that what God teaches, the conscience teaches. And we have a moral obligation to inform our conscience. On the Judgment of Conscience here is the essay from the Catechism: I. THE JUDGMENT OF CONSCIENCE 1777 Moral conscience, present at the heart of the person, enjoins him at the appropriate moment to do good and to avoid evil. It also judges particular choices, approving those that are good and denouncing those that are evil. It bears witness to the authority of truth in reference to the supreme Good to which the human person is drawn, and it welcomes the commandments. When he listens to his conscience, the prudent man can hear God speaking. 1778 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. In all he says and does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and right. It is by the judgment of his conscience that man perceives and recognizes the prescriptions of the divine law: Conscience is a law of the mind; yet [Christians] would not grant that it is nothing more; I mean that it was not a dictate, nor conveyed the notion of responsibility, of duty, of a threat and a promise.... [Conscience] is a messenger of him, who, both in nature and in grace, speaks to us behind a veil, and teaches and rules us by his representatives. Conscience is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ. 1779 It is important for every person to be sufficiently present to himself in order to hear and follow the voice of his conscience. This requirement of interiority is all the more necessary as life often distracts us from any reflection, self-examination or introspection: Return to your conscience, question it.... Turn inward, brethren, and in everything you do, see God as your witness. 1780 The dignity of the human person implies and requires uprightness of moral conscience. Conscience includes the perception of the principles of morality (synderesis); their application in the given circumstances by practical discernment of reasons and goods; and finally judgment about concrete acts yet to be performed or already performed. The truth about the moral good, stated in the law of reason, is recognized practically and concretely by the prudent judgment of conscience. We call that man prudent who chooses in conformity with this judgment. 1781 Conscience enables one to assume responsibility for the acts performed. If man commits evil, the just judgment of conscience can remain within him as the witness to the universal truth of the good, at the same time as the evil of his particular choice. The verdict of the judgment of conscience remains a pledge of hope and mercy. In attesting to the fault committed, it calls to mind the forgiveness that must be asked, the good that must still be practiced, and the virtue that must be constantly cultivated with the grace of God: We shall . . . reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 1782 Man has the right to act in conscience and in freedom so as personally to make moral decisions. "He must not be forced to act contrary to his conscience. Nor must he be prevented from acting according to his conscience, especially in religious matters." God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary