Page 4 - Michael 2024 May

Saint John Paul ll’s Encyclical Letter Veritatis Splendor

To live in accordance with the truth of the Commandments of God

A genuine crisis conscience is submitted to the truth, to Divine Law,
Pope St. John Paul II writes that theories that are of which the Roman Catholic Church is, by the will of
contrary to the Church’s moral teaching, which en- Christ, the faithful guardian and interpreter. For one can
danger the faith and the salvation of the faithful, circu- be sincere, and yet be mistaken. The Church therefore
late “even in seminaries and in faculties of theology.” exists to help the faithful to form their consciences.
The Pope speaks about the existence of “a genuine That is why the Church teaches that whereas it is true
crisis, since the difficulties which it engenders have that every man has a free will, there also exists “a prior
most serious implications for the moral life of the moral obligation, and a grave one at that, to seek the
faithful” and for social life. At one point, the Sover- truth and to adhere to it once it is known.”
eign Pontiff even mentions these words of Saint Paul: Some people, to justify their sins, could build up
“For the time will come when people will not false arguments, but the word of God is quite clear:
endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they “Saint Paul declares that ‘the immoral, idolaters,
will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their adulterers, sexual perverts, thieves, the greedy,
own likings, and will turn away from listening to the drunkards, revilers, robbers’ are excluded from the
truth and wander into myths...” (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Kingdom of God” (cf. 1 Corinthians 6:9).
With this encyclical, St. John Paul II wants to put “The negative precepts of the natural law (Thou
an end to the confusion that reigns in the minds of too shalt not kill, etc.) are universally valid. They oblige
many of the faithful who have for years been told lies, each and every individual, always and in every cir-
again and again, by false prophets – who call them- cumstance... It is prohibited — to everyone and in
selves Catholic but who are Catholic in name only – every case — to violate these precepts. They oblige
like, ”there is no more sin; there is no hell; if you feel everyone, regardless of the cost, never to offend in
like it, do it; the Ten Commandments are outdated and anyone, beginning with oneself, the personal dig-
no longer valid for today’s society; one does not have nity common to all.”
to worry about what the Church teaches; one can be The Pope reminds the faithful of the existence of
a good Catholic and be saved while going against the mortal sin which, as its name implies, kills our soul
teachings of the Church; one has only to choose what and condemns us to the pains of hell:
one likes, and put the rest aside, etc.” “With every freely committed mortal sin, man
Unfortunately, having heard such falsities for offends God as the giver of the law and, as a result,
years, several Catholics have come to believe them, becomes guilty with regard to the entire law; even
to the great satisfaction of the devil who wants the if he perseveres in faith, he loses sanctifying grace,
ruin of souls and the failure of God’s plan. This mag- charity and eternal happiness... The 1983 Synod
nificent document of the Holy Father (over 178 pages of Bishops not only reaffirmed the teaching of the
long) arrived at just the right moment. It is no wonder Council of Trent concerning the existence and na-
then that many so-called “theologians” were enraged ture of mortal and venial sins, but it also recalled
by this encyclical, since in it the Pope denounces with that mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter
clarity and logic the errors that these same theolo- and which is also committed with full knowledge
gians have been spreading in profusion for years. and deliberate consent.”
Here, therefore, is a summary of this encyclical; the
words of the Pope are set in bold type and in quotes.
In a homily delivered at St. Catherine’s
Keep the Commandments of God Monastery on Mount Sinai in Egypt on Febru-

Saint John Paul II based his encyclical on the dia- ary 26, 2000, Saint John Paul II declared:
logue of Jesus with the rich young man: “Teacher, “The Ten Commandments are not an arbi-
what good must I do to have eternal life? – “If you trary imposition of a tyrannical Lord. They were
wish to enter into life, keep the Commandments” written in stone; but before that, they were
(Matthew l9:l6-21). The observance of the Ten Com- written on the human heart as the universal
mandments is therefore the first condition of salva- moral law, valid in every time and place. Today
tion. “The power to decide what is good and what as always, the Ten Words of the Law provide
is evil does not belong to man, but to God alone.” the only true basis for the lives of individuals,
In that sense, the expression “one must act ac- societies and nations. Today as always, they
cording to one’s conscience” is valid only if our are the only future of the human family.”

4 MICHAEL May/June/July 2024 www.michaeljournal.org