John O'CallagluLn, S.J.
Christian Conscience and Laws of the Church
Sunday mass, b1¡evi4ry, Good Friday fast: what understanding of Church Law avoids "legalism" and laxism?
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The problem of this paper can be posed many ways; one example is given by a pastor who complains, "My assistant doesn't hesitate to skip his breviary on busy days. He claims it isn't a serious sin; he claims it is no sin at all. Now we were taught that skipping even a relatively small part of the divine office without a very serious reason, much more serious than this assistant had, is a mortal sin. What kind of new-fangled morality is my assistant running on? And what is happening to the consciences of our Catholics, even our Catholic priests?" Another example is the mother of a junior at a Jesuit high school. "What are the Jesuits coming to?" she asks. My son's religion teacher-they call it 'theology,' but I know it is religion-tells him that it is not a mortal sin to skip Mass on Sunday. Isn't there anything sacred anymore?" A seminarian says, "I need a priest to say Mass for a retreat group and the 59