Venial Sins

  • Thread starter Thread starter thistle
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

thistle

Guest
Curious question. If someone attends Mass while in a state of mortal sin (doesn’t take communion), are their venial sins forgiven in the general absolution?
 
Yes but they are still obligated to take care of their mortal sins, and must refrain from taking Communion
 
In the case of someone in a state of grace (no mortal sins), and no unremitted temporal punishment, if they die immediately after their venial sins were forgiven at Mass, I assume they would go straight to heaven, with no need to go to Purgatory first?
 
If there were actually venial sins to be forgiven, wouldn’t there then be a need for temporal punishment to be “worked off”, ie indulgences etc.? I would think there would be some time in Purgatory but I am not God so my answer is not authoritative 🙂
 
I thought temporal punishment related only to mortal sins and not venial sins or is my understanding wrong?
 
Hi Thistle,

I seem to remember a thread similar to this, where we discussed temporal punishment. I’m glad to see that you are still thinking about the topic of sin and its effects. . . because we generally don’t (as a society) give enough attention to it.

Both venial and mortal sins have a component of temporal punishment attached. The effects of sin, whether mortal or venial, must be dealt with, either in this life (much easier!) or the next.

Your orginal question – regarding whether or not venial sins may be forgiven while one is in a state of mortal sin – is also very interesting.

Shiann, I’m not quite sure if it is entirely correct to say that your venial sins are forgiven, but you still need to take care of the mortal sins. It would seem to me that while in a state of mortal sin we are unable to receive the grace of absolution in an efficacious manner – meaning the forgivness doesn’t have any effect because our souls are so separated from God’s life of grace.

Here is what St. Thomas Aquinas has to say (he addressed almost every question we ever come up with!):
As stated above (87, 3), there is no remission of any sin whatever except by the power of grace, because, as the Apostle declares (Rm. 4:8), it is owing to God’s grace that He does not impute sin to a man, which a gloss on that passage expounds as referring to venial sin. Now he that is in a state of mortal sin is without the grace of God. Therefore no venial sin is forgiven him.
Click to expand...
See “Whether venial sin can be taken away without mortal sin?” newadvent.org/summa/408704.htm

Does that help at all Thistle?

God Bless,
VC
 
Verbum Caro:
Hi Thistle,

I seem to remember a thread similar to this, where we discussed temporal punishment. I’m glad to see that you are still thinking about the topic of sin and its effects. . . because we generally don’t (as a society) give enough attention to it.

Both venial and mortal sins have a component of temporal punishment attached. The effects of sin, whether mortal or venial, must be dealt with, either in this life (much easier!) or the next.

Your orginal question – regarding whether or not venial sins may be forgiven while one is in a state of mortal sin – is also very interesting.

Shiann, I’m not quite sure if it is entirely correct to say that your venial sins are forgiven, but you still need to take care of the mortal sins. It would seem to me that while in a state of mortal sin we are unable to receive the grace of absolution in an efficacious manner – meaning the forgivness doesn’t have any effect because our souls are so separated from God’s life of grace.

Here is what St. Thomas Aquinas has to say (he addressed almost every question we ever come up with!):

See “Whether venial sin can be taken away without mortal sin?” newadvent.org/summa/408704.htm

Does that help at all Thistle?

God Bless,
VC
Click to expand...
Indeed you are correct VC! Thank you for the clarification. 🙂

And thank you for the charitablity in which you pointed out my error. Sometimes people wish to beat you over the head with your own mistake. That was certainly NOT the case here!

:blessyou:
 
Hey thanks Shiann!

But as you can see from my signature line… . .well, I make so many mistakes I can’t count them all. Besides, since the Chruch is the fullness of the Truth, it takes a lifetime (and then some) to learn about it all.

I really enjoy the forums here, because I always learn something new. And as a convert, I have a lot to learn.

I look forward to leaning more from everyone here.
VC
 
Many thanks Verbum Caro for your help again. Sin is one of the topics my wife and I and her two sisters have been talking about recently and so as questions come up I jump in and ask. Next week it might be a different sunject. I find these forums really interesting and I’ve learned a lot from so many people.
God Bless You.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top