Revealing Truthful Faults of Another

[timmyo]

I was telling a story about grammar school in a conversation with my family members. The story happened 20 years ago and involved some class mates of mine who did some property dammage to one of the teacher’s property. The kids were punnished by the school pretty severely and many people knew about it. My family had never heard the story before and asked who did the dammage. I reluctantly told them some of the names of culprits. I am aware that revealing the true faults of others is a sin, except for serious reasons. I don’t think I had a serious reason to reveal their names, but I didn’t intend any harm with my story. My intent with the story was to use it as an example of how kids today are not worse than 20 years ago. Is this a mortal sin? Please let me know, because I like to tell stories of my childhood, but I don’t want to scandalize anyone else or put my own soul in jeopardy just for a story.

 

[Fidelis]

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

**2477 ** Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty:

• of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;

- of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another’s faults and failings to persons who did not know them;

• of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

2478 To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor’s thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way:

Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another’s statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved.

2479 **Detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honor of one’s neighbor. Honor is the social witness given to human dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honor of his name and reputation and to respect. Thus, detraction and calumny offend against the virtues of justice and charity. **