Mortal habits

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Hey all, I am a new Catholic (former Protestant), and I absolutely loving the Church! I find that there are still so many things that I struggle with and so many things that I am learning.

I am a student in graduate school and many times it is physically impossible to read all of the reading that I am assigned. Sometimes in class I will be asked what I have thought about the readings and I let on (and sometimes absentmindedly say) that I enjoyed the reading or got such-and-such out of the reading when in reality I only read a book review or I didn’t get to the reading at all but just don’t want to seem like an idiot. Many times I do not even realize what I have done it until later, usually when the day is going rough and I am thinking “man I really need to go to mass” to be with other believers and be strengthened by the Eucharist.

Also, recently, I was verbally attacked in public by another student. As it was happening I knew that I was called to be charitable but I struggled with my own pain and mortification. I was so humiliated and embarrassed that on the way home after the presentation I aired my frustration to the other students who had been at the presentation. The next day I met with another friend (a complete third party to the incident) and I blew off more steam. I complained about what the other student did and was at times quite nasty. So much of this was out of habit, pain, humiliation and the feeling that I don’t want to make the other person feel awkward in the conversation. But, after each time that I discussed the situation, and wasn’t very charitable to the other person. I felt bad and knew that Jesus calls us to forgive and the Apostle Paul admonished “be angry but do not sin.”

The end of the semester has been so difficult and I really feel my utter need for God, I really feel the words of the psalmist in the depths of my soul, “as the deer longs for stream of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My being thirsts for God, the living God.” I feel my need for the Eucharist, but I am in a small college town and there is only confession on the weekends. Am I in mortal sin and should refrain from the Eucharist this upcoming holy day of obligation until I can get to confession?
 
Congratulations… you are human… none of us are perfect! Do you really think you committed a mortal sin? I don’t think so… I wouldn’t worry about it too much, but do go to reconciliation as soon as possible.
 
This quote from the Catechism might help you determine if you are guilty of mortal sin:
1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.
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However, it is best to let your confessor decide if any mortal sin has been committed rather than trying to diagnose oneself, especially when your understanding of these things is not yet as complete as it will be after studying and practicing your faith for many years. 🙂
 
A little off the subject but may help you avoid this next time.😛

Hello Im another one of the few, the proud, the hungry aka. a Graduate student. I dont no how long that you have been in gradute school but when I first got here I thought I was being attacked during seminars. Than I realised that I wasnt being attacked, they were just helping me improve my research, though some cant properly communicate this, but hey your in academia, what do you expect?😃
Code: 
I am a little behind in all the journals I should be reading but I find if I take all sunday off,  read during lunch, and when ever I have spare time like on the bus,at a red light, brushing teeth, going to the bathroom.  I can stay up to date.  My bag or my hand always has something to read in it. Just like you should always be praying, you should always be reading, and you will not be behind and better yet you would not have to lie about it.
Also for your reading enjoyment. I give you the comic of our poeple.😃 phdcomics.com/ Its clean and will make you laugh.
 
Was it a mortal sin? I’m not certain - it sounds like you didn’t set out to get angry and gossip about those people, but then I’m not the best person to judge. I’d ask a priest about that.

As for your study habits, well, I’m a grad student too, and I am SO BEHIND on my readings, it’s ridiculous. There’s no need to lie about it, though - I’m sure most of your classmates are equally behind. I consider it a good week if I manage to skim the titles of the readings and pick 2 or 3 of the most interesting-sounding ones to read. In my classes, at any rate, I can generally answer the questions and contribute to discussions without having read the readings. If I find myself totally lost, I try to skim a few more of the readings the following week.

I say, go forth, and lie no more about the readings you didn’t read. If you get called on a specific reading, admit that you don’t remember reading that one, but your take on the issue is ____. It works for me, and since I’m a university lecturer 12 hours a week, I can say it works for my students too. :rolleyes: Maybe I’m too easy on them!
 
nsm said:
Hey all, I am a new Catholic (former Protestant), and I absolutely loving the Church! I find that there are still so many things that I struggle with and so many things that I am learning.

I am a student in graduate school and many times it is physically impossible to read all of the reading that I am assigned. Sometimes in class I will be asked what I have thought about the readings and I let on (and sometimes absentmindedly say) that I enjoyed the reading or got such-and-such out of the reading when in reality I only read a book review or I didn’t get to the reading at all but just don’t want to seem like an idiot. Many times I do not even realize what I have done it until later, usually when the day is going rough and I am thinking “man I really need to go to mass” to be with other believers and be strengthened by the Eucharist.

Also, recently, I was verbally attacked in public by another student. As it was happening I knew that I was called to be charitable but I struggled with my own pain and mortification. I was so humiliated and embarrassed that on the way home after the presentation I aired my frustration to the other students who had been at the presentation. The next day I met with another friend (a complete third party to the incident) and I blew off more steam. I complained about what the other student did and was at times quite nasty. So much of this was out of habit, pain, humiliation and the feeling that I don’t want to make the other person feel awkward in the conversation. But, after each time that I discussed the situation, and wasn’t very charitable to the other person. I felt bad and knew that Jesus calls us to forgive and the Apostle Paul admonished “be angry but do not sin.”

The end of the semester has been so difficult and I really feel my utter need for God, I really feel the words of the psalmist in the depths of my soul, “as the deer longs for stream of water, so my soul longs for you, O God. My being thirsts for God, the living God.” I feel my need for the Eucharist, but I am in a small college town and there is only confession on the weekends. Am I in mortal sin and should refrain from the Eucharist this upcoming holy day of obligation until I can get to confession?
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Hey, welcome to the Catholic Church of sinners in need of more transformation, healing, love and humility… for every sin we see there are hundreds more… Thank God Love hides many sins… Jesus is Love. … oh and welcome to CAF … 👍

I have been where you are: a new convert to catholicism who feels like a new life has begun and in this new life everything has to be perfect and to the letter.
Be careful… its good to wanna do things right… and if you lie and back slander people then be honest to your self about and confess it… but also have some humour and patience with your self. Confess it to God … He has already forgiven you at the first sign of repentance. Then go and receive Him. He waits for you with a burning heart.

If you fuss over every little thing you do wrong, how do you have the time and energy to love your neighbour?

So stop being a Martha and start being a Mary 🙂
:hug1:
 
No, if you commit a mortal sin even though you’re forgiven if you have perfect contrition (being sorry because you love God, not because you fear the punishment), you still have to go to Confession before you receive the Eucharist. Also, part of being forgiven because you have perfect contrition is still going to confession as soon as you are able. (If you go to Confession you can even have imperfect contrition and still be forgiven, but you should try to have perfect contrition.)
 
Thank you all for the wonderful posts! They are really helpful!! :tiphat:
 
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