Is this mortal sin, and did I commit it?

[seeker_of_God]

Sorry for my threads on sin, but I am really trying to figure out what is venial and mortal, and also there’s a situation that happened where I’m not sure if I actually sinned. I feel horrible about it.

I also want to ask though, if I am going through RCIA, and I am going to go through a conditional baptism since I can’t get my baptismal certificate, will that still wash away all sins when it is done, or will it not count since I was already baptized? If the latter, do I need to go to confession beforehand?

Let me explain this situation. Please don’t judge, as I already feel badly about it, and am in the process of trying to repent from the sins I’m aware of.

I take my tests on my laptop, since I’m blind. So, I was taking a quiz, and couldn’t remember a certain equation, for finding potential energy. I decided to check if I had an internet connection, though my conscience was screaming out against it.

I went through with it though, got connected, searched for the equation, and used it in my calculations. I effectively cheated.

But…

My computer froze. The document was saved, so nothing was lost, but I had to restart. As I was restarting, I realized what I had done, and was very sorrowful and guilty about it. I felt horrible, but didn’t know how I could correct it.

Of course, a voice chimed in my head saying to remove all calculations using the equation. I knew I had to do it, so I did remove all of those calculations, as soon as the computer booted up again. I continued as though I hadn’t known it.

So, yes, I know is it a sin, but I have two questions:

• Is this a mortal sin? I believe it is, but am not certain.
• Have I still sinned, though I corrected it? I did still go through the action, but then corrected it before turning it in.

I would feel so horrible if I had to wait till next Easter (when I am conditionally baptized, and confirmed), knowing I had the stain of mortal sin on my soul. Am I allowed to go to confession yet? I don’t even know how to do that yet, though.

Thanks for any (name removed by moderator)ut on this issue.

 

[Geremia]

Is this a mortal sin? I believe it is, but am not certain.

If you are not sure, you better go to confession immediately.

 

[seeker_of_God]

If you are not sure, you better go to confession immediately.

Thanks, but did you see the rest of my post? I posted here to see if it is, and also to see if I can go to confession yet, when I’m not yet confirmed and have never gone to confession before.

Thanks for your response.

 

[LilyM]

Thanks, but did you see the rest of my post? I posted here to see if it is, and also to see if I can go to confession yet, when I’m not yet confirmed and have never gone to confession before.

Thanks for your response.

Mmm, firstly I’ve seen an examination of conscience that lists cheating at school as a venial sin. But that may depend on your age.

Secondly - you said you erased the cheating answer and did that part of the test again ‘as if you hadn’t known’? Then you didn’t actually go through with the cheating, since you didn’t submit that cheating work to the teacher, although you were tempted to. I’d say venial at most.

 

[seeker_of_God]

Mmm, firstly I’ve seen an examination of conscience that lists cheating at school as a venial sin. But that may depend on your age.

Oh OK. I thought I read somewhere before it was mortal. To clarify, I’m 20, since you said it might depend on my age.

Secondly - you said you erased the cheating answer and did that part of the test again ‘as if you hadn’t known’? Then you didn’t actually go through with the cheating, since you didn’t submit that cheating work to the teacher, although you were tempted to. I’d say venial at most.

Thanks; that’s what I hope.

 

[Ruthie]

I also want to ask though, if I am going through RCIA, and I am going to go through a conditional baptism since I can’t get my baptismal certificate, will that still wash away all sins when it is done, or will it not count since I was already baptized? If the latter, do I need to go to confession beforehand?

I don’t really know the answer. Ask your priest.

Perhaps there is a conditional confession that goes along with a conditional baptism…? That idea makes sense to me. If you weren’t baptized before, your sins will be washed away with the conditional baptism. But if you were already baptised…? I don’t know.

Better ask your priest! Or ask Fr. Serpa on the Ask an Apologist forum.

Welcome home! and God bless you!

Ruthie

 

[Mike_Dye]

To address your concerns, it seems to me that it was impossible for this to be a mortal sin for you. One of the conditions for a sin to be mortal or deadly is that you have to know that it is a deadly sin, obviously if you knew it was a mortal sin you wouldn’t have asked the question.Secondly I don’t even know if it was unethical. Did they say that you couldn’t look up the answers? The whole idea of a test is to see if the student understands the material, who cares if the student understood the material before the test began or after, just so long as they looked it up, read it, understood it and then gave the correct answer.
Regarding your question about confession, if you were baptized as a Catholic you can go to the sacrament, if you were baptized in a Protestant church I believe you can confess after the Rite of Election in your RCIA class. (You may want to check with your Pastor) if you have not been baptized all actual sin and Original sin will be removed at your baptism. Remember that God will forgive any sins if you are truly sorry. ( Just to relieve any anxiety if you have to wait to confess).