question about mortal sin

[baymon]

Hi,

I know there has been a lot of threads dealing with mortal sin, but I can’t go through so many pages to find the answer to my question. So forgive me if this has been asked before.

I know that for sins to be mortal, it has to meet 3 conditions:

1. the sin is grave matter
2. you know that the sin is grave by the time you commit it
3. you have the full consent of it.

my question is: how about those sins of grave matter which we committed before our conversion. for example for a lapse catholic or those who previously was unbeliever. they probably does not have the knowledge if certain things are considered grave sins according to catholic church, because there are many who are considered okay by the standard of the world but is “grave” by the catholic church, e.g. contraception, porn or even soft porn, pre-marital sex, etc. if suppose they commit one of these grave sins and with full consent before their conversion, it meets first and third condition, but not the second I think. Does this considered a mortal sin?

 

[StCsDavid]

Those sins certainly should be confessed, though whether they are mortal one should discuss with the confessor. I was a lapsed Catholic for many years. The things I did during my time away from the Church I knew were against Church teaching, but I didn’t have a good understanding of their gravity. Nevertheless, I do believe that I committed mortal sin as I freely chose those things that were outside of being in communion with Our Lord. I am eternally thankful that I didn’t die during that time and for the opportunity to confess those sins.

 

[Mirror_Mirror]

I agree with David, if I were you I would talk to a priest about the gravity of these past sins. I would definitely confess them and be cautious about receiving Holy Communion. If you were fallen from the Church, chances are that you missed mass and the teachings fo the Church is that missing mass is a mortal sin.

Know that you are aware of these sins, why not confess them? I once heard a priest say that if you withhold a sin, then none of the sins are forgiven. The sins of omission can be so much greater than the sins of comission.

Confess your sins to the Lord who just wants you to come home.

 

[Michael_Howard]

I agree with both statements above. Now that you are a Catholic you do understand those sins, where as before you did not so it’s important to confess them and renounce them, especially the ones that seem to be burned on your conscience. List as many as you can remember and set up a time to do confession with your priest so you do not feel rushed.

Remember, it’s not the priest you are confessing to but Jesus, Christ is in every confessional and it’s Him you are meeting with. Think about the power, grace and love that God wants to pour into your life and make that your goal, Jesus I want the most you have to give me, I want to be a pure temple for you to dwell in and I want you more than sin, hide nothing from Him and I tell you honestly, God will fill you to overflowing, it’s awesome!

 

[Michael_Howard]

I agree with David, if I were you I would talk to a priest about the gravity of these past sins. I would definitely confess them and be cautious about receiving Holy Communion. If you were fallen from the Church, chances are that you missed mass and the teachings fo the Church is that missing mass is a mortal sin.

Know that you are aware of these sins, why not confess them? I once heard a priest say that if you withhold a sin, then none of the sins are forgiven. The sins of omission can be so much greater than the sins of comission.

Confess your sins to the Lord who just wants you to come home.

I agree about witholding sin definately, it’s also important to remember that God looks always at intent of the heart. I was so nervous my first confession and conscious of the people waiting that I blazed through it the best I could, I was weeping and felt really broken, like I could spend hours there.

Anyway, God was compassionate to me and over the course of a few weeks gently began to show me areas of deep sin that needed to be confessed. Even recently there were big moratl sins I’d overlooked and the Holy Spirit brought those to mind in prayer one day. The trick is, when God shows areas of sin, confess them ASAP. God looks at intent, are we purposely hiding sins or do we want Jesus more than our sins?

 

[Mirror_Mirror]

I agree about witholding sin definately, it’s also important to remember that God looks always at intent of the heart. I was so nervous my first confession and conscious of the people waiting that I blazed through it the best I could, I was weeping and felt really broken, like I could spend hours there.

Anyway, God was compassionate to me and over the course of a few weeks gently began to show me areas of deep sin that needed to be confessed. Even recently there were big moratl sins I’d overlooked and the Holy Spirit brought those to mind in prayer one day. The trick is, when God shows areas of sin, confess them ASAP. God looks at intent, are we purposely hiding sins or do we want Jesus more than our sins?

Agreed! Very well put, thanks for sharing.

 

[baymon]

Thanks all. I did have the confession to whatever sins I did during my lapse time. But there is one that is bothering my mind recently. Sure that I didn’t know the gravity of my sins that I did that time and at that time I was still receiving Holy communion, I simply always went to church with my parents. They also never go to confession and still receiving Holy communion. I didn’t know as well that you can’t receive communion when in state of mortal sin. Or rather that I didn’t know what’s the difference of mortal and venial sins. (Well, I regret that I was catechized when I was still too young). Thus when I confessed my sin, what I said is: “I was receiving Holy Communion when I was not sure I was in the state of grace”. Now I think again, should I reconfess and said: “I was receiving Holy Communion when I was in state of mortal sins”?

 

[Mirror_Mirror]

Thanks all. I did have the confession to whatever sins I did during my lapse time. But there is one that is bothering my mind recently. Sure that I didn’t know the gravity of my sins that I did that time and at that time I was still receiving Holy communion, I simply always went to church with my parents. They also never go to confession and still receiving Holy communion. I didn’t know as well that you can’t receive communion when in state of mortal sin. Or rather that I didn’t know what’s the difference of mortal and venial sins. (Well, I regret that I was catechized when I was still too young). Thus when I confessed my sin, what I said is: “I was receiving Holy Communion when I was not sure I was in the state of grace”. Now I think again, should I reconfess and said: “I was receiving Holy Communion when I was in state of mortal sins”?

I think that you “covered it” with your first statement. Take heart that the Lord have forgiven you.