Help! Have I committed a Mortal SIn?!

[Blackspur7]

Hello, I’m a 15 year old Catholic and several weeks ago I found out that masturbation was a mortal sin, 3 weeks have passed and I have refrained from doing the act, but something happened the other night. I was in bed when I had an image that I was doing the act, I awoke to find that I had ejaculated, I am really stressing out, I don’t know whether I actually did the act as I don’t remember doing it, but the image was so vivid. I am really stressing out have I committed a mortal sin? I don’t want to go to hell, but i’m stressing out. I’ve prayed to God saying I was sorry and begged for Forgiveness but I am still stressing out.
I have exams soon and I need to focus but it’s hard when I’m constantly stressing out.

Please can anyone give any advice, please no troll comments I am seriously stressing out about this.

-Michael

 

[ahs]

If this was in your sleep, you have done nothing. Your body emitted, which is common in young males. It’s called a “wet dream”. Mortal sin requires full consent of the will. Not only are you unsure whether you even did anything…you are not even sure whether you were fully awake (if I am understanding you correctly).

Further:

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2352
By masturbation is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.” “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.”
To form an equitable judgment about the subjects’ moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability. (emphasis added)

 

[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

 

[Shur1]

when we resolve to turn away from sin and refuse to repeat them the devil does not like it because he seeks for you to be a slave of that sin . when you turn away and fight the inner battle against it he will tempt you in dreams or any other method to get you to continue in it.
if you resolve to fight the good fight and resist these temptations it may be strong right now he will eventually weaken but not without a fight do not be afraid his leash is only as long as god allows. perservere and be strong say your prayers and invoke the help of mary with a hail mary he will flee immediately. god bless

 

[Warandpeace]

when we resolve to turn away from sin and refuse to repeat them the devil does not like it because he seeks for you to be a slave of that sin . when you turn away and fight the inner battle against it he will tempt you in dreams or any other method to get you to continue in it.
if you resolve to fight the good fight and resist these temptations it may be strong right now he will eventually weaken but not without a fight do not be afraid his leash is only as long as god allows. perservere and be strong say your prayers and invoke the help of mary with a hail mary he will flee immediately. god bless

To clarify, say some prayers that God will watch over you in your sleep.

 

[Christianus_Dei]

I remember the same thing happening at that age, after dealing with the same thing and finding it to be wrong. And of course, I was insanely scrupulous and it was sunday morning. So I’m going to say this: It feels like you did it, and it feels like it was done with free will, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t your free will acting. Don’t freak out about it, you’re fine.

 

[That_Bloke]

Hello, I’m a 15 year old Catholic and several weeks ago I found out that masturbation was a mortal sin, 3 weeks have passed and I have refrained from doing the act, but something happened the other night. I was in bed when I had an image that I was doing the act, I awoke to find that I had ejaculated, I am really stressing out, I don’t know whether I actually did the act as I don’t remember doing it, but the image was so vivid. I am really stressing out have I committed a mortal sin? I don’t want to go to hell, but i’m stressing out. I’ve prayed to God saying I was sorry and begged for Forgiveness but I am still stressing out.
I have exams soon and I need to focus but it’s hard when I’m constantly stressing out.

Please can anyone give any advice, please no troll comments I am seriously stressing out about this.

-Michael

Don’t worry buddy. It is a perfectly normal thing for a boy or girl of your age to do. There is nothing dirty, immoral or “sinful” about this normal everyday act. Believe me your father did it, as did your grandfather and his before him. So don’t stress about it and go outside a hang out with your friends.