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Friday 16 October 2015

Inviolability of the Conscience? Help Me Out Here....

I'm not a theologian or a philosopher, heck I'm not even a very good or very smart or very industrious person --
But my understanding of the concept of the inviolability of conscience was essentially that a person must not be compelled to do something he, after sufficient formation and study and prayer, believes is wrong.

NOT that every person is entitled do anything he thinks is right.
“If people come to a decision in good conscience [i.e. that something the Church teaches is sinful is not sinful] then our job is to help them move forward and to respect that."
 The Church's job is to respect a decision to do something sinful? Her JOB?

Not just get out of the way, (well, he thinks it's okay so it's okay for him,) but help them to persevere in that sin.

(I knew I shoulda gone to seminary so I could understand episcospeak.)
Conscience can remain in ignorance or make erroneous judgments. Such ignorance and errors are not always free of guilt.
And what about the conscince of him who helps the sinner to move forward, respects the sinful decision, enables the sin? 
(The story the good bishop tells is beautiful and touching but not really to the point - the woman in question did not come to any decision. Or rather, she seemed to have come to a decision that she knew what the Church's practice was, and at least in that one instance, she would obey Her.)

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