Ten Commandments and Mortal Sin

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Has anyone else ever encountered this response from a priest during confession? A couple of years ago, while confessing what I believed to be a mortal sin (of a sexual nature), the priest stopped me and said it wasn’t a mortal sin. He asked me which one of the 10 commandments explicitly prohibited that act. Of course, none of them did (because it wasn’t something really serious like adultery). His response to me implied that unless your sin directly, specifically violates one of the 10 commandments, it is not a mortal sin. A good example would be “Thou Shall Not Kill.” By his logic, I could pick a fight with someone, beat them up real good (so they’re in the hospital), but as long as they don’t die from it, then I have not committed a mortal sin.

I don’t agree with his reasoning, but was shocked to hear him say it. Anyone ever have a similar experience?
Oh, and maybe I wouldn’t be so confused at times about sin if priests would actually mention sin and all it entails every now and then during their sermons!!!

Thanks,
 
I think his reasoning was simplistic and wrong (assuming you understood him correctly).

A mortal sin can be any sin of a serious nature. Fornication, use of birth control, homosexual acts, masturbation, etc. are considered grave matter (mortal sins if done with knowledge and consent), but they are not explicitly mentioned in the decalogue. And the example you gave (beat[ing] them up real good") almost certainly qualifies as grave matter, unless done in self-defense.

“Thou shalt not steal” is one of the commandments, but stealing something trivially small is not ordinarily a serious (mortal) sin.

I hope that, since that experience, you have found a different confessor who can give you better guidance.

I agree with you that priests should teach about the reality of sin in their homilies from time to time. Some do, but unfortunately many do not.
 
AFHusker91 said:
Has anyone else ever encountered this response from a priest during confession? A couple of years ago, while confessing what I believed to be a mortal sin (of a sexual nature), the priest stopped me and said it wasn’t a mortal sin. He asked me which one of the 10 commandments explicitly prohibited that act. Of course, none of them did (because it wasn’t something really serious like adultery). His response to me implied that unless your sin directly, specifically violates one of the 10 commandments, it is not a mortal sin. A good example would be “Thou Shall Not Kill.” By his logic, I could pick a fight with someone, beat them up real good (so they’re in the hospital), but as long as they don’t die from it, then I have not committed a mortal sin.

I don’t agree with his reasoning, but was shocked to hear him say it. Anyone ever have a similar experience?
Oh, and maybe I wouldn’t be so confused at times about sin if priests would actually mention sin and all it entails every now and then during their sermons!!!

Thanks,
Click to expand...
I would not go to this church anymore. Sadly a lot of priests are not receiving the education that is required. They either go to lax seminaries or they just totally disregard the teaching they did receive. I would point this priest to matthew 5 sermon on the mount specifically to 5:27-29. Any sexual sin including masturbation, sex out of marriage, incest whatever is a sin against the 6th commandment.
 
I read someplace, a few years back, that 1% of the priests never go to Confession. While the number is small, anything greater than zero is shocking.
 
My understanding of a mortal sin (though this may differ from the most correct definition) comes from the following:
  • if it does not lead you to Christ or lead back to Christ, it is against Him, thus a sin.
  • if you are conscious that it is not Godly or Christ-like
  • you commit it anyway, and commit it assuming, “Well, Jesus will forgive me when I apologize and ask for forgiveness (sin of assuming)”
And the Catholic Church has expanded upon the 10 Commandments, much like the “family photos that unfold to the floor out of the proud father’s wallet”…but on a grander scale. So, sticking strictly to what is mentioned in Exodus only gives an outline at BEST.

Before running from this priest for confession, drop a dime to his pastor, if he is the pastor, then call his bishop.

I’m not looking to make “the chronicles of your sin” public, but we are taught in the Bible to correct our brothers (and sisters) when they are in the wrong. To run from the priest and not correct him would be just as wrong as his answer was.
 
Hello. I was baptised and raised catholic but turned away from my faith in my teenage years and returned within the past year to my faith and to the church. I understand that we must honor the Sabbath, and my Godmother has repeatedly told me that if i miss one or more masses, that I am committing a mortal sin and therefore am unable to recieve communion until after confessing, and that if i recieve communion without confessing that I missed mass I am committing a mortal sin in itself. I have asked several priests and even a few nuns about this, and the general consensus has been that although i need to honor the Sabbath, and that should confess not going to mass, I do NOT need to skip communion if I have the sin of missing masses on my soul. My godmother is from an older generation, and happens to be really really strict, so my gut tells me that this is not true also, but I really want to have my life on the right path. My godmother and I disagree on whether skipping mass, which i know i shouldnt do, is a mortal sin bad enough to merit rejection of the sacrement of confesstion. I have argued that it is more along the lines of a sin like dishonoring thy father or mother like if a teenager stays out past curfew, or not treating your body as a temple because you are smoking cigarettes, and so should be confessed and generally be sorry but should not skip communion as a result because communion is as important a sacrement as confession in a way and if people had to be perfect to recieve communion the only human who would be able to recieve it would be Jesus Christ himself. I understand that i need to start going every sunday if i want to truely do the right thing, but now i have this nagging feeling that i am doing something majorly wrong if i accept communion this Sunday, Any feedback would be much appreciated. Apologies for the length of this post, btw! Thabks in advance, and peace be with you all!
 
Christopher,

There are 6 precepts of the Catholic Church, one of which is attending Sunday Mass and Holy days of obligation. Only bad weather or illness which prevent you from leaving the house migrates this obligation. Failure to attend is a Mortal sin.

I got that from a book called ‘Catholism for Dummies’, which you may want to pick up to get to know more.

What I will ask others is about work responsibilities, what if you are unable to attend Sunday Mass (which could be done also on Saturday night) because of work? I am surprised that book didn’t mention it.

You should not take communion until you have confessed this mortal sin along with any others.

Anyway it’s great you are getting back to your faith!
 
AFHusker91 said:
Has anyone else ever encountered this response from a priest during confession? A couple of years ago, while confessing what I believed to be a mortal sin (of a sexual nature), the priest stopped me and said it wasn’t a mortal sin. He asked me which one of the 10 commandments explicitly prohibited that act. Of course, none of them did (because it wasn’t something really serious like adultery). His response to me implied that unless your sin directly, specifically violates one of the 10 commandments, it is not a mortal sin. A good example would be “Thou Shall Not Kill.” By his logic, I could pick a fight with someone, beat them up real good (so they’re in the hospital), but as long as they don’t die from it, then I have not committed a mortal sin.

I don’t agree with his reasoning, but was shocked to hear him say it. Anyone ever have a similar experience?
Oh, and maybe I wouldn’t be so confused at times about sin if priests would actually mention sin and all it entails every now and then during their sermons!!!

Thanks,
Click to expand...
Something was confused in that conversation – but not sure what he meant cause was not there…

The Catechism has a section on the 10 commandments …see how expansive it is 🙂 Even the Ten commandments cover more than what is “directly noted” in Sacred Scriptures.

scborromeo.org/ccc/ccc_toc.htm
 
ASD72, thank you for your speed in your reply. I am going to confess before receiving Holy Communion.

I took a look at Catholicism for Dummies, specifically Chapter 19, on Google Books and will be taking a look at it at the library this week.

I am thinking that maybe clergy and other parishioners tend to sugarcoat things for me when answering theological questions and with some other people as they want them to keep coming back, and while their hearts might be in the right place in doing so what myself and others really need to hear is the truth.

Bookcat, I am reading from CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH-SECOND EDITION, which you have posted now.

I really appreciate this forum, I have been reading many of the different posts in here and am than thankful that it is here because it is not always easy for me to talk to other people about faith.

Thanks
 
I agree with Bookcat,
The ten commandments what we follow but under each commandment is like a little “stem”, but I am scrupulous so i try not to read all the little stems because ill panic. But if you punched someone it would be a sin, because you hurt someone physically, even HATE falls under murder…correct?
So physically hurting someone would too. I just tell myself if i am not violating any commandments and the categories it falls into, and not hurting anyone or doing it out of malice or morally wrong, it is not a sin.
 
Was having a discussion on a walk today with friends and there was some confusion as to which of the Ten Commandments were Mortal sins and which were Venial Sins… I would love clarity on the most recent standings in the Roman Catholic Religion today
 
jayfauvel said:
Was having a discussion on a walk today with friends and there was some confusion as to which of the Ten Commandments were Mortal sins and which were Venial Sins… I would love clarity on the most recent standings in the Roman Catholic Religion today
Click to expand...
This is an old thread…we ought really to let them sleep 🙂

But to answer quickly: The Ten Commandments are all about mortal sins (grave matters) but they also can within them include things that are light matter (venial matter).

Catechism:

The obligation of the Decalogue

2072 Since they express man’s fundamental duties towards God and towards his neighbor, the Ten Commandments reveal, in their primordial content, grave obligations. They are fundamentally immutable, and they oblige always and everywhere. No one can dispense from them. The Ten Commandments are engraved by God in the human heart.

2073 Obedience to the Commandments also implies obligations in matter which is, in itself, light. Thus abusive language is forbidden by the fifth commandment, but would be a grave offense only as a result of circumstances or the offender’s intention.

scborromeo.org/ccc/p3s2.htm
 
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