Feelings and Venial or Mortal Sin

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El_PAso

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Hi,

Is it incumbent that one knows if a sin is mortal or venial?

I guess part of it is KNOWING and doing anyway. Plus certain sins based on habit or weakness don’t hold true as well.

As you can see I am debating with myself over the gravity of a sin.

In the past I have been crushed and “sure” I committed a mortal sin. This time I’m pretty sure mortal but not feeling the guilt… If it was based on MY feelings it would be venial but by the book mortal…

I suppose it’s similar to grace in that feelings are not necessary…

I’m actually more concerned over my lack of guilt than the sin!

Confession tomorrow!

Thanks,

EP
 
Is asking even necessary?

Again, is it incumbent upon the sinner to differentiate as long as sinfulness is acknowledged?

Different priests have different takes on different sins so with many sins the gray area is not defined per se.

I mean we’re absolved no matter what right? Even if priest discerns wrongly about the gravity. In fact is it necessary the priest have a full understanding?

Thanks,

EP
 
when you confess you do not have to say “Now this right here was mortal” or “this was venial I think”
 
ElPaso,

Want a suggestion? KEEP IT SIMPLE and just confess. You’ll feel better!

Stuart
 
You should confess anything that you committed which involved grave/serious matter. If you are deciding for yourself your own culpability you are in effect making yourself your own judge. Jesus is the Judge. Confess your sins, and let Him worry about the details. Even a priest can only tell you principles regarding culpability, he cannot tell you specifically for every personal sin that you committed your personal culpability. He cannot judge your soul, nor is he expected to. What he is expected to judge is your repentance for those sins.

Feelings definitely can deceive you. I will repeat myself. Confess anything that involved grave matter, and let God sort it out. Trying to judge yourself will either lead to scrupulosity or not confessing sins that are in fact mortal. Neither is good.
 
Right!

But to receive the Eucharist we must make some sort of judgement if we can’t get to confession prior to.

Most parishes around here have limited confession schedules; no local Padre Pio!

I suppose discerning lack of culpability due to habit etc monkey wrenches the whole thing. Of course regular confession solves most of this but again around here limited opportunities.

I miss belonging to a parish that has more confession opportunities. Last place I lived they only had two priests but at least one was in the confessional at least 30 minutes before each Mass. 3 times a day and more on Sunday, line or no. I’d go several times a month.

Thanks,

EP
 
I understand that. Myself personally, I would not receive the Eucharist. Do a spiritual communion instead.

As you said in your first post, you are referring to something which is objectively grave matter and therefore mortal sin by nature.

The Catechism states (quoting but omitting much for brevity) “To form an equitable judgement about a subjects moral responsibility, one must take into account [multiple factors] that can lessen…moral culpability” (paragraph 2352)
http://ccc.usccb.org/flipbooks/catechism/index.html#564

Notice that it says that it CAN lessen, not that it DOES lessen culpability. My view is that I don’t want any barrier between myself and Christ when I do receive him in the Eucharist. And I definitely do not want to add sacrilege by receiving him in a state of mortal sin.

I think a good test that I use for myself is whether I will confess this sin the next time I go to confession. If “yes”, than I abstain from Eucharist. If “no” or “not necessary”, than my conscience is clear and I receive communion.

It is very easy to get into the habit of sin, and then use that as an excuse for continuing to commit it. For myself, I try to err on the side of not offending God again rather than presuming that all is well. You do have to make that judgement call for yourself though.
 
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