Sir - It was heartening to read of The Irish Times/MRBI opinion poll showing that the overwhelming majority of Irish Catholics say they rely on their own conscience in making moral decisions. And just as encouraging were the ensuing letters from two priests, underscoring the centrality of conscience in Catholic theology.
In a time when Church leaders talk more frequently and with more volume on the subject of Church authority than on the concept of individual conscience, Catholics could not be faulted if they misunderstood or underrated the role of conscience. But, as your poll demonstrates, Catholics today seem to understand their rights in the Church better than ever - Church teachings regarding sexuality and reproduction, which most Catholics reject, have forced us to create a workable and honourable ethic on our own.
While the Irish bishops have waged a war against contraception for thirty years, Catholics in Ireland, as elsewhere, simply do not believe that the use of artificial contraception is evil. Nor did most Irish Catholics agree with the bishops when, four years ago, those churchmen wanted to deny a 14 year old raped girl access to abortion. And Church prohibitions against condoms, even in a married partnership when one partner has AIDS, just make no sense to most Catholics.
It would be better, and certainly easier, if our Church spoke to us sensibly on these and other moral matters. Still, we know that when we are faced with moral decisions, we have the right and the responsibility to act as our conscience dictates, even when it disagrees with Church teaching. - Yours, etc.,
President,
Catholics for a Free Choice, 1436 U Street NW,
Washington DC, US.