Confusing article about 'objective guilt' in the Catholic Dictionary

[WannabeSaint]

In the Catholic Dictionary written by Fr. Hardon, it says this about mortal sin:

"It is not up to a human being to decide subjectively whether a deliberate serious sin is also a mortal sin that deprives him or her of God’s friendship. God alone has the right to determine what separates a sinner from the Creator; a creature does not have the right to stand in judgment on god and tell him what constitutes mortal sin."

What exactly is meant by a person cant judge that a serious sin they committed with full deliberation is mortal? Is that literally what mortal sin is? Fr. Hardon then says this, which seems to contradict the first statement:

"Every serious sin, therefore, is a mortal sin when a person freely decides to do whatever he knows God forbids under penalty of exclusion from the kingdom of heaven."

Dictionary : OBJECTIVE GUILT

OBJECTIVE GUILT Sinful estrangement from God when a person deliberately does something gravely forbidden by God. Those who, with full deliberation and consent, commit adultery, murder, perjury, and similar crimes, estrange themselves from God. He sets down the conditions for human estrangements...

www.catholicculture.org

 

[Elizabeth3]

I think it means, we can’t subjectively decide whether our committing a deliberate serious sin, is mortal or not. We can’t justify ourselves by saying this or that circumstance has made my decision to commit this serious sin “not mortal” but only venial. That is for God to decide. Even if the Church allows that there may be mitigating factors that could render the committing of a serious sin “not mortal” or venial from God’s perspective, it’s not for us determine how God will judge it. We must confess the sin and ask for forgiveness.

 

[WannabeSaint]

I think it means, we can’t subjectively decide whether our committing a deliberate serious sin, is mortal or not.

If it we deliberately consent to it knowing it’s a serious sin, how wouldn’t it be mortal?

 

[Elizabeth3]

It would be mortal. Some people, however, will try to justify themselves by saying something like, “That person just made me so mad that I couldn’t help myself. Therefore, since I couldn’t have done it with deliberate consent; it doesn’t fulfill the three conditions for a sin to be mortal so I need not go to confession. God knows I was provoked.” That person, subjectively, decided for himself that this sin that involved grave matter and which he knew was serious, didn’t meet the criteria for deliberate consent. That is not for him to judge, but God. He should go to confession.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Remember, the Catholic Dictionary is not an official document of the Vatican nor any National Bishop’s Conference.

This book is the learned opinion of Fr Hardon.

The term “Objective Guilt” is not found in the Catechism. http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm

 

[neophyte]

There’s a danger in trying to judge our own subjective culpability, because our judgment is likely to be flawed. So it’s better to leave that judgement to God and just confess our sins.

 

[WannabeSaint]

"It is not up to a human being to decide subjectively whether a deliberate serious sin is also a mortal sin that deprives him or her of God’s friendship

This is the part I want to focus on. Is Fr. Hardon saying that one who deliberately commits an act they know to be grave; they cant judge that as a mortal sin? Such as someone flat out saying “This is a mortal sin. I don’t care. I’m going to do that anyway.”

If they are aware and deliberately do it anyway and believe it’s a mortal sin; its should be crystal clear, right?

 

[Elizabeth3]

Because there are three conditions that must be met for a sin to be mortal, some people will try to evaluate whether they have met those conditions, especially deliberate consent. IOW, they try to make excuses for why they consented to the behavior and they think that makes the sin a lesser degree than mortal. They have judged their own behavior rather than confessing and leaving God to judge. The Church teaches us what criteria meets the requirements for a sin to be mortal. She also teaches that there are possible circumstances that could decrease one’s culpability and which may lessen the status of the sin to something less than mortal. It’s not for us to judge whether that is the case. That is left for God to judge. Our job is to confess it.