YOUCAT Lesson 297
YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic
youth
297 Can a person form his conscience?
Yes, in fact he must do that. The conscience, which is innate to every
person endowed with reason, can be misled and deadened. That is why it must be formed into an
increasingly fine-tuned instrument for acting rightly. [1783-1788,
1799-1800]
The first school of conscience is self-criticism. We have the tendency to judge things to our
own advantage. The second school of
conscience is orientation to the good actions of others. The correct formation of conscience leads a
man into the freedom to do what has been correctly identified as good. With the help of the Holy Spirit and
Scripture, the Church over her long history has accumulated a vast knowledge
about right action; it is part of her mission to instruct people and also to
give them directions. 344
“In the formation of their consciences, the Christian
faithful ought carefully to attend to the sacred and certain doctrine of the
Church. For the church is, by the will
of Christ, the teacher of the truth.” --Second
Vatican Council, Dignitatis Humanae
“Christians have a great help for the formation of
conscience in the Church and her Magisterium.”
St. John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor
“Everything that has to do with morality logically is
derived ultimately from theology, at any rate not from secular reasoning.” Max Horkheimer (1895-1973, German philosopher
and sociologist)
1783-1788, 1799-1800
…….1783 Conscience must be
informed and moral judgment enlightened. A well-formed conscience is upright
and truthful. It formulates its judgments according to reason, in conformity
with the true good willed by the wisdom of the Creator. The education of
conscience is indispensable for human beings who are subjected to negative
influences and tempted by sin to prefer their own judgment and to reject authoritative
teachings. –Catechism of the
Catholic Church, Second Edition
…….1784 The education of the
conscience is a lifelong task. From the earliest years, it awakens the child to
the knowledge and practice of the interior law recognized by conscience.
Prudent education teaches virtue; it prevents or cures fear, selfishness and
pride, resentment arising from guilt, and feelings of complacency, born of
human weakness and faults. The education of the conscience guarantees freedom
and engenders peace of heart. –CCC
…….1785 In the formation of conscience the Word of
God is the light for our path,( 54 Compare Psalm 119:105.)54 we
must assimilate it in faith and prayer and put it into practice. We must also
examine our conscience before the Lord's Cross. We are assisted by the gifts of
the Holy Spirit, aided by the witness or advice of others and guided by the
authoritative teaching of the Church.(
Compare Dignitatis Humanae 14.)55 –CCC
…….1786 Faced with a moral choice, conscience
can make either a right judgment in accordance with reason and the divine law
or, on the contrary, an erroneous judgment that departs from them. –CCC
…….1787 Man is sometimes
confronted by situations that make moral judgments less assured and decision
difficult. But he must always seriously seek what is right and good and discern
the will of God expressed in divine law. –CCC
........1788 To this purpose, man
strives to interpret the data of experience and the signs of the times assisted
by the virtue of prudence, by the advice of competent people, and by the help
of the Holy Spirit and his gifts. –CCC
IN BRIEF
…….1800 A human being must always obey the certain judgment of his conscience. --CCC
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