Thursday, December 21, 2017
Youcat commented through CCC – Question n. 376 – Part IV.
(Youcat
answer - repeated) Every citizen has the duty to cooperate loyally with the
civil authorities and to contribute to the Common Good in truth, justice,
freedom, and solidarity.
A deepening through CCC
(CCC 2242)
The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil
authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the
fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities,
when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its
justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political
community. "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and
to God the things that are God's" (Mt 22:21). "We must obey God
rather than men" (Acts 5:29): When citizens are under the oppression of a
public authority which oversteps its competence, they should still not refuse
to give or to do what is objectively demanded of them by the common good; but
it is legitimate for them to defend their own rights and those of their fellow
citizens against the abuse of this authority within the limits of the natural
law and the Law of the Gospel (GS 74 § 5).
Reflecting and meditating
(Youcat comment) A Christian, too, should love his homeland,
defend it in various ways in times of need, and gladly offer to serve civil
institutions. He should exercise the right to vote and even run for office and
not shirk the duty to pay just taxes. Nevertheless, within the State the
individual citizen remains a free man with fundamental rights; he has the right
to offer constructive criticism of the State and its organs. The State is there
for the people, not the individual for the State.
(CCC Comment)
(CCC 2246)
It is a part of the Church's mission "to pass moral judgments even in
matters related to politics, whenever the fundamental rights of man or the
salvation of souls requires it. The means, the only means, she may use are
those which are in accord with the Gospel and the welfare of all men according
to the diversity of times and circumstances" (GS 76 § 5).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment