Conscience Quote by Kaya Oakes
““But one of the rather open secrets about Catholicism is that plenty of Catholics don't toe the line as hard as the Vatican does. Each Catholic examines her conscience, and if her conscience says that an abortion done to save the life of the mother keeps at least one person alive, or if a condom worn by a guy with AIDS keeps AIDS from spreading, or if a cancer-racked body needs to depart the world painlessly, then so be it. The God we believe in, after all, is a God of mercy and compassion.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New York Times, 2015
Catholics often prioritize personal conscience and mercy over strict institutional rules, especially in life‑and‑death moral dilemmas.
In simple terms: Personal conscience can outweigh church authority.
Key Takeaway
Act with compassion, not just rule‑following.
Themes
morality
conscience
religion
mercy
Mood
thoughtful
reflective
Type
ethical
theological
When to use this quote
- medical decisions
- family planning
- end‑of‑life care
Key Concepts
ethical pluralism
personal autonomy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile personal ethics with institutional teachings?
- When should mercy override law?
A Different Perspective
Balancing individual conscience with communal doctrine can cause conflict.
![“[D]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without a conscience a man may never be said to grow old. This is an age of very old young men.” quote by Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/076/hesketh-pearson-35291_age_d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-w_14010.jpg)