Vatican II In A Year Day 305: GS 16-17: Man's conscience & moral freedom
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Nov 1, 2025 Fr. Matthew Schneider delves into the intriguing relationship between conscience and natural law. He discusses how our conscience can reveal God's law to us and explores the complexities of its formation, including the concepts of invincible ignorance and dignity in erroneous conscience. The conversation highlights authentic freedom as a guiding force toward goodness and human dignity, making for a thought-provoking reflection on moral responsibility.
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Conscience Reveals Objective Moral Law
- Conscience reveals an objective moral law written by God in the depths of the human heart.
- Obeying that law is integral to human dignity and how we will be judged.
Teaching The First Line Repeatedly
- Fr. Matthew recalls repeating Gaudium et Spes's opening line frequently in moral theology classes.
- He uses simple examples (calorie needs, gluttony) to illustrate natural law in everyday life.
Form Conscience And Respect Sincere Ignorance
- Help others form their consciences so their subjective judgments align with objective truth.
- Respect people who follow an invincibly ignorant but sincerely formed conscience and avoid forcing them against it.