Examples of Saints who committed mortal sin

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Pythagoras

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Are there examples of Saints who during their earthly life were already living a devout Catholic life but have fallen because of a mortal sin committed, but after that repented and went back to God again and still became a Catholic Saint?

Sometimes I’m thinking that Catholic Saints are very perfect, that is when they are finally on their road to Christian perfection they are now not able to commit mortal sin. But hey maybe they did commit a mortal sin but went to Confession and maybe this was just not written in their autobiography because it is too personal.
 
St. Charles de Foucauld might fit your criteria. One of his biographers says that in his youth he was “ardent in his faith, making his first Communion and receiving Confirmation.” But during later adolescence and especially during and just after his time in the French Army, he led a most licentious life, indulging in all sorts of selfish, sinful pleasures. Then came his astonishing adult conversion and entry in fervent religious life, culminating with his life as a religious hermit and assassination in the Sahara Desert.
 
I can’t think of a specific example at the moment, although if I ask around I’’ sure we’"" find plenty of examples.

The thing about the biographies of saints is that, is that they are nearly always idealized spiritual portrayals (hagiographies), we don’t as often hear about the real historical person. This in no way diminishes their saintlyhood, or invalidates miracles, but, unless specifically included for reasons known to the author, they often don’t include those human details, such as temptations, lusts, or the specific sins they commit. A lot of these biographies, (name removed by moderator)articular the older ones, were aimed perpetuating the spiritual image, not who the person ACTUALLY was. These are typically the stories and Images we imagine of the saints. Saints were not perfect, they were and are just as human as any of us. I think the Saint who did not sin after starting to lead a devout life would be the exception, not the norm.

i think this is really important to understand, because they are really no different than us. They were tempted and fell into all the same sins we do today, just as there are folks who have had that “conversion” right now, falling to sin, but getting back up and confessing, who will one day be canonized.

Not many will receive the stigmata, or float off the pew at the moment of Eucharistic consecration, but even among the canonized they are rare. Life is a journey, and if we can try to do a little better each day anyone can be a Saint. I firmly believe that as we progress, our abilities to handle temptations will get easier.

I think this also shows that sainthood really, truly, honestly is attainable by each of us. It’s not as far out there as we may be lead to believe sometimes.
 
I think Mother Angelica said something about this in one of her books.

If I recall correctly, she was explaining how we should all strive to be saints, but that many people feel like it is too hard of a task. What she basically said was something like: the people we know as saints were just like us. They had feelings, faults, and committed sins too. But we don’t ever talk about that, and the books about saints usually only focus on the good.

I think it is very safe to say that the many of the saints sinned, and probably even mortally sinned (but you never know). The thing that made them saints was their deep desire to always be one with God, and to live without fear. Fear is used by the devil to keep us from God and doing His will. But the saints had faith and hope in Christ Jesus, and put this fear aside.
 
Only dead bodies are “unable to commit mortal sin.”

That said, the closer one gets to holiness of life, the less appealing sin will become. But never all the way to zero.

ICXC NIKA
 
St. Peter when he swore he didn’t know Christ 3 times and then after that wept bitterly. Then after the Resurrection he vowed his love for Jesus 3 times.

St. Augustine, when a Catholic young man, committed many mortal sins.

St. Teresa of Avilla seemed to indicate that she did serious wrongs in her youth.

There probably have been a goodly number of saints who were seriously unfaithful to Christ in their youth. Like one of the Psalms says something like this, “Lord, forgive us the sins of our youth when we were stupid.”
 
St. Paul persecuted the church, it doesn’t get much more serious than that.

St Francis of Assisi had a pretty wild lifestyle as a youth.
 
If the Old Testament counts:

King David committed adultery and had a man murdered! Yet he was a man after God’s own heart.

ICXC NIKA
 
Elijah failed to anoint Jehu King of Israel. It was finally done by his successor, Elisha.
 
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