Role of Conscience

On Feb. 28, 55 Catholic Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives released what they called a "historic" statement of principles.

I am not sure what is historic about it, as the essential point the statement made — that they can pick and choose what church teachings to believe based on their consciences — is something that politicians of both major parties have done and continue to do.

This statement is a disappointing attempt to try to have a political party dictate the faith on their terms, not the Catholic Church’s. The Catholic Church is neither Democrat nor Republican, and either party’s attempt to dictate to the church what should be believed is wrong.

After several ambiguous statements about abortion, helping the poor and disadvantaged, and providing education and health care to all, the statement says: "We seek the church’s guidance and assistance but believe also in the primacy of conscience." Two important followup questions need to be asked to that: How is that conscience formed? Is it formed by church teachings and divine law or by the world? The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that "when (a man) listens to his conscience, the prudent man can hear God speaking."

Fifty-five Catholic Democrats had a chance to make a powerful, gutsy statement of faith and allegiance to the magisterium, but instead they show a lack of faith in the church they say they are proudly a part of. In fact, it is just more of the same old, same old.