In the year 1908, under the pontificate of St Pius X, the only thing worthy of a true Catholic, would have been to say
Roma locuta est, causa finita est.I have always had a
big problem with Newman's quote on conscience:
"Certainly, if I am obliged to bring religion into after-dinner toasts … I shall drink — to the Pope, if you please — still, to Conscience first, and to the Pope afterwards" Come again, your Lordship?
I maintain, and have always maintained, that my "conscience" is whatever the Church says it is. My conscience is the Church, and the Church is my conscience. No exceptions. Quite frankly, the past almost-50 years, I have heard "conscience this" and "conscience that" so much, that I really don't even like to hear the word. Now as far as application of traditional Catholic moral teaching to individual situations, unless I'm missing something, that is not conscience, that is
casuistry --- applying conscience (i.e., Church teaching) to concrete situations. People can and do differ on these matters. Sedevacantist or not sedevacantist? The trolley dilemma? Use of atomic bombs in warfare under Particular Circuмstance X, Y, or Z? I just helped one homeless guy the other day, and I'm not made out of money, I can't help everyone, do I help another homeless guy who is walking by my car right now on the entrance to the Walmart parking lot with a scrawled cardboard sign? Those are entirely proper uses of "conscience".
"I don't see anything wrong with birth control regardless of what Humanae vitae says", not a proper use of conscience. The difference should be clear to any thinking Catholic.
I shall read the link below and educate myself further, but right now, I was just taking a lunch break from tending to my father's finances, so now's not the time. I'm sure there is nuance I'm missing.
https://www.newmanreader.org/works/anglicans/volume2/gladstone/section5.html