Gluttony - mortal sin?

[iseekanswers]

Hey CatholicAnswers,

So, I’ve had a history of eating disorders, and it’s only fairly recently (say, within the last year or so) that I’ve been able to eat somewhat normally. I no longer count calories meticulously and am maintaining a healthy weight.

So, I gave up sweets for Lent, just because I’ve always had a huge sweet tooth.

In the wee hours of this morning, since it’s Sunday, I ended up eating way more sweets than I should have. I calculated out how many calories I had snacked on total… way too many.

In examinations of conscience that I’d read (like the Mea Culpa app or the examination of conscience on the Catholic Culture site, gluttony/overeating was usually labeled as a “venial sin,” so I did not think that it was grave matter. However, after reading someone’s post here on CatholicAnswers about gluttony, I begin to wonder if I sinned mortally.

“When do they become mortal? Well if you willingly reject God for pursuit of a worldly pleasure instead that would be setting yourself on the path to a spiritual death. What that point is is up to each person to decide.” (from this thread)

I know that a mortal sin is mortal if it is committed with full knowledge, which I don’t think I had since I did not think overeating was grave matter.

Knowing that I ate way too much in the wee hours, I have decided to fast (just drinking juice and other fluids) for the rest of the day, allowing what I ate this morning to sustain me throughout the day.

Could you all please help me out/give me your opinions on the situation? I’m extremely vexed, as I attend Mass at 6pm and would like to receive Holy Communion.

 

[Bookcat]

Individual acts of overeating…intemperance (gluttony in this sense) are ordinarily a “venial matter” for venial sin…

An example of mortal sin? – lets see – here is one —your doctor says hey if you do not give up icecream your going to be dead in 3 months…and one does so with full knowledge and deliberate consent…

 

[Bookcat]

Compendium issued by Pope Benedict XVI

1. When does one commit a mortal sin?

1855-1861
1874

One commits a mortal sin when there are simultaneously present: grave matter, full knowledge, and deliberate consent. This sin destroys charity in us, deprives us of sanctifying grace, and, if unrepented, leads us to the eternal death of hell. It can be forgiven in the ordinary way by means of the sacraments of Baptism and of Penance or Reconciliation.

1. When does one commit a venial sin?

1862-1864
1875

One commits a venial sin, which is essentially different from a mortal sin, when the matter involved is less serious or, even if it is grave, when full knowledge or complete consent are absent. Venial sin does not break the covenant with God but it weakens charity and manifests a disordered affection for created goods. It impedes the progress of a soul in the exercise of the virtues and in the practice of moral good. It merits temporal punishment which purifies.

vatican.va/archive/compendium_ccc/documents/archive_2005_compendium-ccc_en.html

 

[Jennifoo]

Hello there. The previous posters gave you good information. I just want to thank you for having the honesty and humility to post this thread. Gluttony is rampant these days. I know because I used to be 90 pounds overweight-at the time I knew darn good and well that I was eating too much. It was thanks to God’Grace that i lost the weight slowly and in a healthy manner.Also I have obese co-workers who are Protestant. They don’t believe in drinking alcohol, but they purposely and repeatedly take food that doesn’t belong to them. They have stated that they know they eat too much. That’s just wrong, plain and simple.

As for your situation, it's good that you've been able to maintain a healthy weight and not be compulsive about it. One thing you may want to ask yourself is why you gorged on sweets in the wee hours of this morning, as this behaviour is CLEARLY unhealthy and why you had something so tempting in your home to begin with.  Yes it's Sunday, but it's a Sunday of Lent. A spirit of penitence should still prevail.  A lot of Catholics maintain their Lenten disciplines on the Sundays of Lent, or relax them only slightly. 

Definitely pray about this-lay this burden at the Foot of the Cross and ask for healing and peace in the area of food and drink. :blessyou:

 

[Bookcat]

Another good example of grave gluttony – getting drunk to the point of losing ones reason…

 

[Jennifoo]

Another good example of grave gluttony – getting drunk to the point of losing ones reason…

Yes. Absolutely correct. I personally enjoy wine, whiskey or beer on occasion but not to the point of drunkenness. I find that a drink after a really grueling, stressful day helps me to relax and sleep better. Thank God for that.

 

[Bookcat]

Yes. Absolutely correct. I personally enjoy wine, whiskey or beer on occasion but not to the point of drunkenness. I find that a drink after a really grueling, stressful day helps me to relax and sleep better. Thank God for that.

As Scripture puts it – God gave man wine to gladden mens hearts