Full knowledge

[Holland]

When speaking about full knowledge in connection to mortal sin, is full knowledge your conscience telling you that a sin you are about to commit is grave in nature? If someone tells you that a sin you are about to commit is going to be a mortal sin but you do not consider it to be grave in nature then the sin is not mortal, correct???

 

[thistle]

When speaking about full knowledge in connection to mortal sin, is full knowledge your conscience telling you that a sin you are about to commit is grave in nature? If someone tells you that a sin you are about to commit is going to be a mortal sin but you do not consider it to be grave in nature then the sin is not mortal, correct???

Full knowledge does not mean you are required to understand every single detail about why a sin is considered a grave sin. Its enough that you have been told (by someone who knows, like a priest or someone who can point you to the CCC or other official document where it can be seen). Think through the ten commandments if you have doubts.

If your conscience is telling that what you are about to do might be wrong then better not do it and make the effort to find out if what you would have done would have been a grave sin.

If you are about to do something and someone else points out that such an action would be a grave sin then in my opinion it would have to be something out of the ordinary where there were doubts because most Catholics should have a good idea of the main things which are of grave matter.

This site for examination of conscience is a good guide to what can be grave sin.

catholic.org/frz/examen/mortal_main.htm

 

[Holland]

Thanks so much for responding. I am on my way to the website you suggested.

 

[Iowa_Mike]

I understand that there are three conditions that must be present simultaneously to commit a mortal sin:

First, it must be a grave matter.

Secondly, you must know it is a grave matter i.e. you must realize that by doing this act you will commit a mortal sin.

Third, you must give full consent of will.

Iowa Mike

 

[Holland]

Secondly, you must know it is a grave matter i.e. you must realize that by doing this act you will commit a mortal sin.

This is the one that gives everyone so much trouble. Humans have the bad habit of rationalizing every bad thing they do.

 

[Iowa_Mike]

Iowa Mike;1876224:

Secondly, you must know it is a grave matter i.e. you must realize that by doing this act you will commit a mortal sin.

This is the one that gives everyone so much trouble. Humans have the bad habit of rationalizing every bad thing they do.

I think people tend to make this more complicated that it really is. The Catholic Church is pretty clear on what constitutes a mortal sin e.g., the seven capital sins, the 10 commandments, etc. Murder is murder whether by a gun or by an abortionists knife. Adultery is adultery. People can’t rationalize these things away. They may find it easy to fool those around them but a person will find it difficult to lie to fool themselves. If a person is in doubt or doesn’t understand…they can go to their priest for clarification.

Iowa Mike

 

[cialovesyou]

I think people tend to make this more complicated that it really is. The Catholic Church is pretty clear on what constitutes a mortal sin e.g., the seven capital sins, the 10 commandments, etc.

Iowa Mike

Please show me a teaching which says that breaking a commandment is always “mortal sin”.

 

[Iowa_Mike]

Please show me a teaching which says that breaking a commandment is always “mortal sin”.

Please get it right, I didn’t say that breaking a commandment is always a mortal sin. There are only three conditions necessary to commit a mortal sin:

1. It must be a grave matter.
2. You must have knowledge that it is a grave matter.
3. You must willfully do it anyway.

Is stealing an apple a grave matter?..No. So stealing one violates a the commandment, “Thou Shalt Not Steal” but it is a venial not a mortal sin.

Is being an advocate for abortion a grave matter?..Yes.

Does the Church teach that it is a grave matter?..Yes.

So if it is a grave matter…and you know it’s a grave matter…and you do it anyway…BINGO! It is a mortal sin. When you in the State of Mortal Sin receiving communion is another grave sin…

Iowa Mike

 

[cialovesyou]

Thankyou for clearing that up