A matter of conscience

Loyalty to the Church coincides with the need to continually search for truth and justice. But it does not in any way prevent the exercise of conscience - the manifestation of one's own spiritual dignity and one's ability to know and act.

Ecclesiastical documents, such as those of Vatican II, make it clear that the Catholic laity have the right and duty to work for the ever-greater spread of the divine plan of salvation. This means there is a clear course for them to follow so that they can play a part in the Church's work.

Nevertheless, the Catholic layman may still find himself in situations where it is difficult to choose between two alternatives: whether to abide, blindly, by the judgment of his Church, or to decide for himself and take responsibility before God for his personal actions.

He certainly cannot expect his spiritual leaders to come up with a ready answer for each and every one of his queries, and to dissolve every doubt which may cross his mind.

Obviously, as a Christian, living according to his faith, he can rely heavily on the Gospel's message, but in the ever-changing circumstances of human experience, the Word of God needs to be progressively understood and correctly interpreted.

It is reasonable to presume - though this is not always the case - that the adult Catholic has a fairly complete knowledge of the official teachings of the Church; such as, for example, the principles laid down in the papal encyclicals.

No one can be truly be called Catholic unless he agrees that the Church is the authorised living interpreter of the Scriptures and unless he recognises her right to guide people in matters of faith and morals.

Yet notwithstanding all his docility to the teaching authority of the Church, an adult Catholic should think for himself and not be content merely to rubberstamp decisions made by others.

There are, no doubt, times when he feels he should take a greater degree of personal responsibility - to have the liberty to take some fundamental decisions which, in the final analysis, may affect his own life and well-being.

This issue is also a concern for the Church authorities, who time and again may feel they are playing on the horns of a dilemma. Bishops, young and old, are very much aware that irresponsible laymen could wreak havoc in the Church through flagrant disobedience. But at the same time, they also realise the incongruity of infantile obedience in adult Christians. They know as well that being a layman in the Church is not equivalent to having a dispensation from clear thinking and responsible action.

To work out a reconciliation of the just rights of superior and subject has always been, and still is, a painstaking problem for the Church. And there are several areas where laymen are better informed than the clergy; for example, the competence of their professions, family problems, social and political issues, to name but a few.

Laymen may offer a sterling service to the Church if they are asked for their advice and are willing to give it. For it is no secret that in this day and age the Church is badly in need of assistance - particularly from those who are well-versed in certain subjects.

We can also learn lessons from recent history. For example, had parents not intervened directly when the government issued the Private School Fee (Control) Regulation in 1982, Church schools would have met the same unceremonious end as that of the clinics run by the nuns.

Church leaders still have much to learn in the fields of human experience and they cannot ignore the important role which the laity has to play in the search for an answer to the questions which crop up from time to time.

Pastors should be wise enough to ask for the prudent advice of competent laymen, acknowledging their freedom and encouraging them to take up tasks on their own initiative while trusting their Christian maturity. This line of action is in conformity with the principle of subsidiarity.

The laity have a part to play in the life and apostolate of the Church. Therefore no one can deny that there is a real need for trust in their goodwill and capacities.

Catholic spiritual leaders should create in their laymen a sense of reasonableness, dedication and initiative, and then permit them to live up to their vocation as Christians in the world, exercising the mission of the Church.

Above all, it should be borne in mind that the role of the magisterium is not to be a substitute for conscience, but just a light and inspiration to it.