Conscience not dictated by theologians – Bishop Grech’s ‘no compromise’ homily

Gozo bishop Mario Grech has broken ranks with a declaration penned by theologians last year, in which they said Christians may vote in favour of the introduction of divorce if they had a ‘formed conscience’ and kept in mind the common good.

In his hard-hitting homily last Sunday, Grech said there was “no compromise on a proper, true and sincere conscience” for Christians.

And referring to the issue of divorce, Grech said the authority that guides Christians’ conscience “doesn’t come from theologians’ opinions or socio-economic considerations, but from the Church’s ministry, and the Pope’s and his bishops’ teachings.”

In October 2010, a declaration on divorce by several theologians offered scenarios where Catholics could be seen ‘forming their conscience’ and still vote for divorce.

The declaration was signed by Faculty of Theology’s dean Prof. Emmnuel Agius, former RTK director Fr Joe Borg, theology lecturer Fr Charlò Camilleri, Cana Movement director Fr Joe Mizzi, Fr Alfred Micallef, former university rector Prof. Peter Serracino Inglott, and even the Archbishop’s pro-vicar general Mgr Anton Gouder.

According to the declaration, Catholics had to form their conscience according to God’s Word, even if they voted in favour of divorce. “One is always obliged to follow and decide according to one’s conscience… They may still, in spite of having all the necessary knowledge and having done everything to find the whole truth, in conscience  not see why to vote against legislation favouring divorce. This one too has the right and the duty to follow what one’s conscience tells one.”

Last Sunday, Bishop Grech said Christians’ conscience must be in line with the Church’s teaching if they are to form a “proper judgement” on the issue of divorce.

Grech said that Christians are “not free from blame” if their judgement does not correspond to the Church’s teaching, “because consciously and freely [they are] breaking moral law, his relation with God, Christ’s father.”

Grech went on to say: “When Christians come to form a proper judgement of conscience on marriage and anything related to it, they have God’s commandments and Christ’s explicit words as a guide... which asserts that any legal measure that breaks a marriage as is divorce, and also adultery, are intrinsically wrong because they are directly opposed to God’s creative will.”

The bishop described the ‘abuse of conscience’ as a “grave crime against humans and God”.

He also outlined a definite understanding of conscience: “a true and sincere conscience is God’s, Christ’s, and the Church’s voice inside human beings” and that an authentic consicence must be in accordance to “the divine will as found in Christ’s and the Church’s teachings.”