The moral teaching of the Catholic Church firmly holds that it is not acceptable to commit an evil act, regardless of the intention or the potential good that may result from it. This principle is rooted in the understanding that the morality of an action is determined by its object, intention, and circumstances, and that an intrinsically evil act cannot be justified by a good outcome.
Key Principles
Intrinsic Evil: Certain actions are considered intrinsically evil, meaning they are wrong in themselves, regardless of the circumstances or intentions behind them. Examples include murder, adultery, and perjury. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that there are acts which, by their very nature, are always gravely illicit, and one may not do evil so that good may result from it.
The End Does Not Justify the Means: This foundational moral principle asserts that a good intention cannot make an evil act acceptable. The Catechism emphasizes that an evil action cannot be justified by reference to a good intention. This is echoed in the writings of Pope John Paul II, who noted that the consideration of consequences and intentions is insufficient for judging the moral quality of an action.
Moral Act Requirements: For an act to be morally good, it must possess goodness in its object, end, and circumstances. If any of these elements are evil, the act itself is rendered morally unacceptable678. Thus, even if a small evil act is committed with the hope of achieving a greater good, the act remains morally wrong.
Moral Responsibility: The Church teaches that circumstances may affect the degree of responsibility for an act, but they cannot change the moral quality of the act itself. Therefore, the moral agent must always choose actions that are good in themselves, regardless of the potential outcomes.
In summary, the Catholic moral framework categorically rejects the notion that a small evil act can be justified by the pursuit of a greater good. The moral integrity of actions must be maintained, and one must always strive to choose good means to achieve good ends. The teachings of the Church consistently affirm that the ends do not justify the means, and thus, committing a small evil act is not morally acceptable.
References:
CCC 1756
CCC 1761
CCC 1759
CCC 1753
Veritatis Splendor 77 / Pope John Paul II
CCC 1755
Compendium of the CCC 368 / Promulgated by Pope Benedict XVI
CCC 1760
Instruction on Certain Bioethical Questions 21 / Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith