As somebody who has attempted suicide this topic is very personal. And of course, admitting it on the internet has its risks.
Theologically speaking, we know that for a mortal sin to occur there must be three things:
- Grave matter.
- Full knowledge
- Deliberate consent.
If one or more of these is missing, the sin is not mortal but venial. It still offends God and that should not be forgotten. One time I went to confession with a wise priest who told me that it was not I who decided whether or not a sin is mortal but the Lord. This should comfort those mourning; we know that Jesus is Mercy Incarnate. *But it also should be a warning to those who are on the brink of suicide that they must obey the fifth commandment. *They have an obligation, if they can, to seek Psychiatric treatment, and those around them are obliged to help in this process. If need be, one can call 911 or a crisis line for assistance.
It is important to remember that people attempt suicide for many reasons: some are worse, (for example, to suicide in order to influence minors that it is ok), some are gravely immoral, but many are a result of a serious mental illness. Medication and therapy can help those struggling with a mental illness but they may still get sick in high stress situations. Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder frequently result in suicide. This is a reality that friends and family need to face.
It still must be remembered that both suicide and contemplating suicide are sinful. With deliberate knowledge and full consent it is a mortal sin and punished by eternal damnation. Even without full knowledge and consent, it is a sin, and a horrible one that harms the soul greatly, and Catholic psychiatric patients should be given the opportunity to and encouraged to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The Sacrament can do wonders for the patient: it can assure him of the love that God has for him, it will reassure him of the love that the Church bears him, it will give him the grace that he needs to overcome such a great sin and temptation, but most of all it will grant him forgiveness of his sins. He should be encouraged to pray.
We do not know what happens to persons who take their own lives. But we do know that suicide is a sin; a potentially mortal one at that. Perhaps God has mercy on some who suicide but perhaps - and hopefully not, some lose their souls. For this reason, we should not treat the matter lightly; indeed, a mentally ill person in this kind of situation needs psychiatric help and if it is our responsibility we need to connect them with services. But it is not just psychiatric help: there is a need for spiritual help as well. A suicidal person should be, when appropriate, be reminded both of God’s love, and God’s 5th Commandment.
Suicide is an intrinsic evil, never justified. While God may have mercy on some who suicide, it is a sin against the Holy Ghost to presume on God’s mercy. A suicidal person has the obligation to seek Psychiatric help and comply with it to the best of their ability.
I do understand there can be mitigating circumstances, but again, a sin is a sin.
Historically, individuals who suicided were denied Catholic burial because suicide is such an evil act. As the Church began to discover that mental illness can be the cause of suicide this practice ceased to be as common. But the Church has not thus rendered suicide as an acceptable moral decision for anyone to make.
God bless,
Peter
