Accidental mortal sin

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Sixtus

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In another thread here, it has been suggested that my friend has accidentally committed a mortal sin. He has acted with a clear conscience. He believes that what he is doing is not wrong. But the thread contributors [freemasonry] insist that he is in a grave state of mortal sin, could be and should be excommunicated,

The definition of mortal sin so far as I am aware is where one rejects God. My friend on the contrary loves and is deeply in love with God.

He strives to find ways to reconcile folk to God. He has been responsible for bringing some folk home.

Now if he has accidentally committed a mortal sin, this is worrying for me. How do I know that I have not accidentally committed a mortal sin and not be aware of it?

I think it would be a travesty to go to hell by accident
 
For a sin to be a mortal sin three conditions must be met.

This is found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. I would also suggest that you read over the whole section on sin, paragraphs 1849 to 1869, but here is the relevant paragraph.

1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: “Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.”

So if your friend is not aware that it is a sin then he is not commiting it with full knowledge.

I would say though that it falls to you to let your friend know his error in what ever this is that he is doing.
 
It is not possible to accidently commit a mortal sin.

In order for a sin to be mortal, it must meet three conditions:
  • Mortal sin is a sin of grave matter
  • Mortal sin is committed with full knowledge of the sinner
  • Mortal sin is committed with deliberate consent of the sinner
 
3 things required in order to commit a mortal sin:
  1. The object itself is gravely sinful
  2. A person knows it is gravely sinful
  3. A person willingly commit the sin
In your case, accident is not willingly committing a sin.
 
You need to make the distinction between doing an act that is gravely wrong and committing a mortal sin. The person you speak of has done an act that is gravely wrong, but will not be held responsible for it by our just God if he has not done so with full knowledge and consent. Only the person and God can really, truly know this.

Now, assuming he did not have full knowledge and complete consent, if he later finds out that what he has done is wrong, he *still *will not be guilty of sin for doing it in the past. However, from then on, if he does it knowing that it is wrong and consenting to it anyway, then it would be sinful.

Betsy
 
Sixtus said:
The definition of mortal sin so far as I am aware is where one rejects God. My friend on the contrary loves and is deeply in love with God.
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In point of fact, man does not suffer perdition only by being unfaithful to that fundamental option whereby he has made “a free self-commitment to God”.113 With every freely committed mortal sin, he offends God as the giver of the law and as a result becomes guilty with regard to the entire law (cf. Jas 2:8-11); even if he perseveres in faith, he loses “sanctifying grace”, “charity” and “eternal happiness”.114 As the Council of Trent teaches, “the grace of justification once received is lost not only by apostasy, by which faith itself is lost, but also by any other mortal sin”.115
Veritatis splendor
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One time at confession the Fransican Friar said to me, following my questioning whether a sin I commited was mortal, “if you committed a mortal sin you’d know it”. This wrang true with me because of the criteria for a sin to be mortal (stated elswhere in this thread).

He also stated something else to me that seemed to make sense. He suggested a way to discern whether a sin was mortal or venial, and further stated that the Eastern church used this critera and he endorsed it. He suggested that a “venial” sin was a sin of weakness. Where a “mortal” sin was a sin of malice.

One common example of this might be the ever so popular and frequently discussed sin of self-gratification. If one performs this act full knowing it is grave matter and not concerning oneself with the consequences or the direct disapproval of God, one has likely committed mortal sin. If one performs this sin, again full knowing it is of grave matter yet one is tormented by his/her action and begs forgiveness and prays for strenght to help overcome the powerful desire; well this may be a sin of weakness (venial). The “deliberate consent” is compromised.

To reply to the OP directly, I’d say that given the criterea for mortal sin; “accidently” committing a mortal sin is impossible.

My two cents.
 
The sinner must know it is grave matter, too. If he thinks it is a sin, but a venial sin, it is not a mortal sin

However, when people do evil things (whether intentionally or not), there are temporal consequences as well as spiritual. And, sometimes bad habits are formed that can hinder spiritual development.

This is why forming one’s conscience is so important.
 
Sixtus said:
In another thread here, it has been suggested that my friend has accidentally committed a mortal sin. He has acted with a clear conscience. He believes that what he is doing is not wrong. But the thread contributors [freemasonry] insist that he is in a grave state of mortal sin, could be and should be excommunicated,

The definition of mortal sin so far as I am aware is where one rejects God. My friend on the contrary loves and is deeply in love with God.

He strives to find ways to reconcile folk to God. He has been responsible for bringing some folk home.

Now if he has accidentally committed a mortal sin, this is worrying for me. How do I know that I have not accidentally committed a mortal sin and not be aware of it?

I think it would be a travesty to go to hell by accident
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You are not giving the whole story.

Nobody can commit a mortal sin by accident. As another poster has told you for a sin to be mortal 3 requirements must be met. The act must be a grave sin, the person must know its a grave sin, and in knowing that the person commits the act anyway or ceases to do what is now known to be a grave sin.
If your friend genuinely did not know being a Freemason was a grave sin then he has not committed a mortal sin. However, once he has been told (or in your case showing him evidence) that it is a grave sin he must immediately cease doing what he is doing otherwise it would then become a mortal sin.

Nobody can go to Hell by accident.
 
So, your friend is not in a state of mortal sin, as previous posters have shown satisfactorily, but I think he may still be under an excommunication latae sententiae, for joining the Masons, in which case he shouldn’t be receiving Communion.
 
Mortal sin can only be committed when you give full consent, know it is mortally damaging to your relationship with God, and is a serious grave issue.

You may be thinking your friend is committing venial sin of the vincible ignorance type. He may have an erroneous conscience, where he sincerely believes what he is doing is right, and therefore acts accordingly, but objectively what he is doing is wrong.
 
BYZ Cath:
would say though that it falls to you to let your friend know his error in what ever this is that he is doing.
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It may not be the correct response but as a matter of rule, I NEVER tell my brothers or sisters that they are in error.

Before God, who am I to call my brother ‘sinner’? My motto is ‘Judge not’, mindful that the Lord said 'there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves.
 
Sixtus said:
It may not be the correct response but as a matter of rule, I NEVER tell my brothers or sisters that they are in error.

Before God, who am I to call my brother ‘sinner’? My motto is ‘Judge not’, mindful that the Lord said 'there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves.
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I believe this is a misapplication of the “Judge not lest ye be judged” idea.

If I am in error then I would hope that someone loves me enough to tell me so that I can correct my ways otherwise all I will do is live in sin.

We are not to judge what is in the minds of others but we can, and should, judge actions.

If one is living in sin and does not know it how can they learn it if no one will tell them? Again, this is not judging, this is an act of love to tell them such a thing.

But if you wish them to continue in their erroneous behavior then so be it, but I would start working on your answer to Christ when you are confronted on it.

It is not love to allow someone to live a lie.
 
Sixtus said:
BYZ Cath:

It may not be the correct response but as a matter of rule, I NEVER tell my brothers or sisters that they are in error.

Before God, who am I to call my brother ‘sinner’? My motto is ‘Judge not’, mindful that the Lord said 'there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves.
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You are not correct in what you say. See the Catechism:

CCC 1868 Sin is a personal act. Moreover, we have a responsibility for the sins committed by others when we cooperate in them:
  • by participating directly and voluntarily in them;
  • by ordering, advising, praising, or approving them;
  • by not disclosing or not hindering them when we have an obligation to do so;
  • by protecting evil-doers.
 
Sixtus said:
In another thread here, it has been suggested that my friend has accidentally committed a mortal sin. He has acted with a clear conscience. He believes that what he is doing is not wrong. But the thread contributors [freemasonry] insist that he is in a grave state of mortal sin, could be and should be excommunicated,

The definition of mortal sin so far as I am aware is where one rejects God. My friend on the contrary loves and is deeply in love with God.

He strives to find ways to reconcile folk to God. He has been responsible for bringing some folk home.

Now if he has accidentally committed a mortal sin, this is worrying for me. How do I know that I have not accidentally committed a mortal sin and not be aware of it?

I think it would be a travesty to go to hell by accident
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You can’t go to hell by accident, but God isn’t likely to say on judgement day “oh…you didn’t agree with me, but I’m tolerant, so I’ll let you in anyway”. No…it doesn’t work that way. God is Truth. Everything that deviates from that is of the devil and there can be no lies in heaven. Pray that he comes to understand the Church’s teachings.
 
Mijoy2 said:
He also stated something else to me that seemed to make sense. He suggested a way to discern whether a sin was mortal or venial, and further stated that the Eastern church used this critera and he endorsed it. He suggested that a “venial” sin was a sin of weakness. Where a “mortal” sin was a sin of malice.
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By this standard, the Protestant Reformers generally denied that people who truly believed in Christ would commit mortal sins.

Edwin
 
Sixtus said:
BYZ Cath:It may not be the correct response but as a matter of rule, I NEVER tell my brothers or sisters that they are in error. Before God, who am I to call my brother ‘sinner’? My motto is ‘Judge not’, mindful that the Lord said 'there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves.
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This is probably the commonest misunderstanding of a biblical reference in modern time. The judgement being refered to is the determination as to the condition of anothers soul and whether they are worthy of heaven or hell. To judge or discern anothers actions/beliefs as being contrary to God’s law and objectively sinful is quite another matter. We are obliged under the Spiritual Works of mercy to admonish the “sinner.” Sinner in the sense of doing something considered objectively sinful not sinner in the sense of being culpable.
 
Sixtus said:
BYZ Cath:
It may not be the correct response but as a matter of rule, I NEVER tell my brothers or sisters that they are in error.

Before God, who am I to call my brother ‘sinner’? My motto is ‘Judge not’, mindful that the Lord said 'there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not been merciful themselves.
Click to expand...
You think you never have an obligation to offer correction to your neighbor?
 
As folks have mentioned before, mortal sins by definition have to be premeditated, ie deliberate, and one must know that it is a grave sin.

One can not “accidently” commit a mortal sin. It is contradictory.
 
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