The link between person and action

[YehoiakhinEx232]

I’m have difficulty trying to judge actions without judging the person. It’s to say “such and such an action in and of itself is wrong,” but if I were in a position where I were talking with a person about a mortally sinful action, how would I tell them they needed to go to confession, or convert to the Catholic Faith and repent of their sins, without saying they were in a state of mortal sin?

How do I, on the one hand realize that an action, in and of itself is a mortal sin that spiritually kills a soul; yet on the other hand, realize that I don’t know a perpetrators interior life, and culpability, and thus, don’t know if they are in a state of mortal sin or not?

 

[ASC]

Try inviting them to come to confession with you. This is better than telling them to go, since that can sound like you’re judging them. If you want to discuss the act itself with them, it would help to refer to it as a “grave matter” since that phrase makes it clear that you are judging the action, not the person.
Also pray for their repentance. Prayer is very powerful.