An Apologetical Explanation of the

Formation of Conscience

How can we form a good conscience?

I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men.  (Acts 24:16)

We have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways; we refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to every man’ conscience in the sight of God.  (2 Cor 4:2)

To the pure all things are pure, but to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure; their very minds and consciences are corrupted.  (Ti 1:15)

Every person is morally obligated to form his or her own conscience and then to follow it.  Forming a reliable and accurate conscience is a lifelong effort that includes education in the teachings and moral principles of the Church.  It requires the sound use of reason and the fostering of interior virtue through faith and prayer.

While a person is obliged to follow the dictates of his or her conscience, a badly formed conscience can lead to error.  An individual, therefore, must ensure that his or her conscience is well formed so its dictates will be good and true.  It must be informed and enlightened in order to lead a person on the correct path rather than to guide him or her into making poor choices.  (Cf. CCC 1776-1782)

The conscience is properly formed by attuning it to the truth.  In faith we seek the will of God; by reason we apply our faith to every given situation.  We must learn not only the moral law taught by the Church but also its guiding principles.  We are enlightened by the Word of God in Sacred Scripture, particularly the Gospels, the Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, and the Beatitudes.  We also align our consciences to the will of God through humble prayer, contemplation of the Passion of the Christ, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and through frequent and thorough examinations of conscience.  We must always look to the authoritive teachings of the Church for guidance in making moral decisions.  (Cf. CCC 1783-1785)

With a well-formed and certain conscience, we experience freedom as we rise above the ambiguities surrounding many of today’s moral questions, allowing us to see them as God perceives them rather than as the world perceives them.  We also experience peace within our hearts, knowing that what our faith teaches us is the right path so that we can eschew all other options, which only lead to confusion and sin.  (Cf. CCC 1784)

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 1783.

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