V: Catholic Action: Conscience

This formation of conscience in the principles of Catholic Action has especially been one of the focuses of Pope Leo XIV. Since social action is something that is eminently practical, it is necessary that we apply principles to concrete circumstances. To apply universals to particular cases is quite difficult and requires prudence and a certain conscience. Thus, from the beginning, we need to form this strong conscience in order to carry out the Apostolate. This is referred to as the principle and predominant end of the Apostolate by the Popes.

This formation of conscience has a four-fold character, religious, moral, social, and apostolic.

First, since the Apostolate is a fundamentally religious duty, the individual who engages in the Apostolate must understand that this duty is a religious one, i.e., it is one that is meant to offer worship to God. Many enter the Apostolate inspired by merely cultural or sentimental concerns. These must give way to the concerns of piety.

Second, beside the duty of religion, those in the Apostolate must be formed in the other virtues, prudence, justice, temperance, and fortitude. We must understand and keep in mind our duties towards our selves and our neighbors. The development of these virtues must be continual and ordered towards the ideals of Christian perfection.

Third, the conscience must be formed in its social duties, i.e., in its duties towards society. It is the formation of the social duties that is most hated by the secularists. Many consider it fine or at least inoffensive for Christian men to be formed in our religious or moral duties. It is fine for us to go about our liturgical duties and the ascetical life. Yet, when it comes to our social duties, how the evangelical precepts effect how we relate to others, they draw the line. Yet, we must consider these questions. It is a fundamental aspect of being human that we live in society, therefore Christ came to redeem this aspect and rules this aspect with his law. It would be manifest impiety for us to refuse to obey Christ in this aspect.

Bishop Civardi explains,

social education teaches us how we should translate the evangelical precepts and counsels in social life; that is, in the life of the working man, the professional man, the citizen, the elector, the legislator; how social and political problems should be solved in the light of Christian thought, and on the lines marked out by the Church. There is special need of such an education to-day. The political and social scheme of society to-day attributes, as a rule, to every citizen certain rights that for long were denied to him. The people is, to-day, not merely a spectator in the theatre of public life, but an actor.

Unfortunately, in the modern era, a “double morality” has formed. Men see their moral and religious duties at home and in Church as fundamentally distinct from their moral and religious duties in society.

From this, a great difficulty arises. How are we to reform our consciences that have been so damaged by secular currents? Pius XI tells us that we simply need to turn to the Church and listen to her,

The Church is able to set both public and private life on the road to righteousness by demanding that everything and all men become obedient to God “Who beholdeth the heart,” to His commands, to His laws, to His sanctions. If the teachings of the Church could only penetrate in some such manner as We have described the inner recesses of the consciences of mankind, be they rulers or be they subjects, all eventually would be so apprised of their personal and civic duties and their mutual responsibilities that in a short time “Christ would be all, and in all.” (Ubi Arcano n. 43)

Lastly, the conscience must also be Apostolic. Every Catholic has an Apostolate entrusted to him, whether it be to lead a nation or to lead a home. The conscience should be formed in such a way as to already be aware of this duty, pushing us to seek out how to better form us for this apostolate and bring to bear those means for carrying it out more effectively.

It is supernatural charity that brings about this Apostolic spirit within us, to love Christ and desire for him to reign in all places and to love our neighbors and nation so much as to have Christ rule over them. This loves motives action, and action to make this desire a reality.

This apostolic spirit will lead us to desire all that preparation necessary for carrying out as effectively as possible our apostolate. Further, the apostolic spirit will lead us to multiply, to desire that others participate in the apostolate as well.

In summary, when we consider the ends of Catholic Action, we can consider the immediate, intermediate, and ultimate ends of Catholic Action. The immediate end is the formation of consciences in their religious, moral, social, and apostolic duties. The intermediate ends are carried out in a number of different ways, but, generally, it is carried out in the Parochial Apostolate, the Intellectual Apostolate, the Domestic Apostolate, the Educational Apostolate, and the Social Apostolates, along with many others. Ultimately, the last end of Catholic Action is to establish the reign of Christ, both individually and socially as a religious duty.