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By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky, Catholic Culture, March 20, 2023
Speaking the truth is a matter of justice. The Eighth Commandment reads, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” Don’t lie. A few moral precepts that cluster around this Commandment are: don’t gossip; don’tunjustly reveal natural secrets (detraction); and don’t slander.
Silence is golden. Not everyone needs to know the fullness of the truth about difficult family situations, sins forgiven and forgotten from long ago, persistent emotional difficulties, etc. A defendant in court has a right to claim the Fifth Amendment, reckoning that his words may incriminate him in a court of law. Although the accused (like St. Thomas More) may refuse to testify, he must not lie. We may sum up the Eighth Commandment: “Never lie—and do not reveal natural secrets unless required in justice and charity.” …
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Fr. Jerry Pokorsky is a priest of the Diocese of Arlington who has also served as a financial administrator in the Diocese of Lincoln. Trained in business and accounting, he also holds a Master of Divinity and a Master’s in moral theology. …