Conscience
is the faculty of human reason that makes practical judgments regarding
what is morally right or wrong. In the search for truth, a person
should always turn to a respected authority for enlightenment. Catholics
are encouraged to turn to the teaching authority of the church, namely
to what’s referred to as the magisterium. But those who act in a way that differs from the letter of the law cannot be presumed to be doing so in bad faith. The
decision to do what is right or wrong always remains a personal one.
Catholics are bound to follow their conscience. In the case of Catholics
who have remarried without the benefit of an annulment, the
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith teaches that Catholics whose
“nullity of marriage cannot be demonstrated” are not permitted to
receive the Eucharist, unless special permission has been given them to
live as “brother and sister.” Read more.
The twelve apostles chosen by Jesus formed the bedrock of the early Church , and their Catholic identity is deeply rooted in their direct relationship with Christ and the mission He entrusted to them. The Catechism of the Catholic Church highlights this foundational role, stating that Jesus "instituted the Twelve as 'the seeds of the new Israel and the beginning of the sacred hierarchy'" ( CCC 860 ). These men were not simply followers; they were handpicked by Jesus, lived intimately with Him, witnessed His miracles and teachings firsthand, and were specifically commissioned to preach the Gospel to all nations ( Matthew 28:19-20 ). Their unique position as eyewitnesses to the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, and their reception of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, established them as the authoritative leaders of the nascent Church, a reality echoed in the writings of early Church Fathers like Ignatius of Antioch, who emphasized the apostles' authority as repre...