R
Ron_Conte
Guest
“Every actual (personal) sin is a real abuse of freedom, contrary to the will of God. The degree of this abuse may vary. The different degrees of guilt of the sinner also depend on this. In this sense one must apply a different measure for actual sins, when it is a question of evaluating the degree of evil contained in them. From this, too, derives the difference between ‘grave’ sin and ‘venial’ sin. Grave sin is also ‘mortal’ because it brings about the loss of sanctifying grace in the one who commits it.”
(Pope John Paul II, General Audience, 29 October 1986)
Sin occurs in different degrees. Some sins are venial (light) and other sins are mortal (grave). But one venial sin can be more or less serious than another venial sin, and one mortal sin can be more or less serious than another mortal sin. So there are different degrees of venial sin, and of mortal sin. All this pertains to the objective morality of an act.
Culpability also occurs in different degrees. A person who commits an objective mortal sin might have reduced culpability, so that his act, which is objectively a mortal sin, is not an actual mortal sin. Reduction in culpability can occur because the person did not realize that the act was gravely immoral, or did not act with full consent of the free will.
An objective mortal sin can be reduced in culpability to an actual venial sin, if the person, for example, thought that the act was immoral, but not gravely immoral, or an objective mortal sin can be not an actual sin at all, if the person had invincible ignorance. A reduction in the free consent of the will can also reduce the culpability to an actual venial sin, even though the act is objectively a mortal sin, or can make the act not a sin at all, if there was no consent of the free will.
(Pope John Paul II, General Audience, 29 October 1986)
Sin occurs in different degrees. Some sins are venial (light) and other sins are mortal (grave). But one venial sin can be more or less serious than another venial sin, and one mortal sin can be more or less serious than another mortal sin. So there are different degrees of venial sin, and of mortal sin. All this pertains to the objective morality of an act.
Culpability also occurs in different degrees. A person who commits an objective mortal sin might have reduced culpability, so that his act, which is objectively a mortal sin, is not an actual mortal sin. Reduction in culpability can occur because the person did not realize that the act was gravely immoral, or did not act with full consent of the free will.
An objective mortal sin can be reduced in culpability to an actual venial sin, if the person, for example, thought that the act was immoral, but not gravely immoral, or an objective mortal sin can be not an actual sin at all, if the person had invincible ignorance. A reduction in the free consent of the will can also reduce the culpability to an actual venial sin, even though the act is objectively a mortal sin, or can make the act not a sin at all, if there was no consent of the free will.