292 THE END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS

YOUCAT Lesson 292

YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic youth

292  May we do something bad so that good can result from it?

No, we may never deliberately do something evil or tolerate an evil so that good can result from it.  Sometimes there is no other course of action but to tolerate a lesser evil in order to prevent a greater evil.  [1755-1756, 1759-1761]

…….Photo above: …..A woman folds her hands in prayer after receiving Communion.   CNS photo by Nancy Wiechec. …..292 

The end does not justify the means.  It cannot be right to commit infidelity so as to stabilize one’s marriage.  It is just as wrong to use embryos for stem cell research, even if one thereby could make medical breakthroughs.  It is wrong to try to “help” a rape victim by aborting her child.

“If a man is truly to will what is good, he must be willing to do everything for that good or be willing to suffer anything for that good.”  Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855)

God is with the company of the just. -- Psalm 14:5b

1755-1756, 1759-1761

II. GOOD ACTS AND EVIL ACTS

…….1755   A morally good act requires the goodness of the object, of the end, and of the circumstances together. An evil end corrupts the action, even if the object is good in itself (such as praying and fasting "in order to be seen by men"). 

The object of the choice can by itself vitiate an act in its entirety. There are some concrete acts - such as fornication - that it is always wrong to choose, because choosing them entails a disorder of the will, that is, a moral evil. –Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

  …….1756 It is therefore an error to judge the morality of human acts by considering only the intention that inspires them or the circumstances (environment, social pressure, duress or emergency, etc.) which supply their context. There are acts which, in and of themselves, independently of circumstances and intentions, are always gravely illicit by reason of their object; such as blasphemy and perjury, murder and adultery. One may not do evil so that good may result from it. –CCC

IN BRIEF

…….1759   "An evil action cannot be justified by reference to a good intention" (cf. St. Thomas Aquinas, Dec. praec. 6). The end does not justify the means. –CCC

…….1760   A morally good act requires the goodness of its object, of its end, and of its circumstances together. –CCC

…….1761   There are concrete acts that it is always wrong to choose, because their choice entails a disorder of the will, i.e., a moral evil. One may not do evil so that good may result from it. --CCC