What is a Mortal Sin?

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Years ago, I had a little guide for eximination of conscience that has since been lost. I have been using this link: catholic.org/frz/examen/ It seems very similar to what I once had.

I showed this list of mortal sins to our director of religious education, and she said it was too strict. That she believed that many, if not most, items on this list of mortal sins aren’t mortal sins at all.

Would anyone care to comment on Fr. Zuhlsdorf’s list?

Does anyone have a link to an authoritive list of mortal and venial sins?
 
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cargopilot:
Years ago, I had a little guide for eximination of conscience that has since been lost. I have been using this link: catholic.org/frz/examen/ It seems very similar to what I once had.

I showed this list of mortal sins to our director of religious education, and she said it was too strict. That she believed that many, if not most, items on this list of mortal sins aren’t mortal sins at all.

Would anyone care to comment on Fr. Zuhlsdorf’s list?

Does anyone have a link to an authoritive list of mortal and venial sins?
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That’s an awesome link. What on there is too strict?
 
Well, I thought it was all OK, and as I said, I used a booklet that was very similar for many years. But when the RE director saw it, she said that for a sin to be mortal, it has to be one that cuts us off completely from God. Her examples were apostacy, murder or adultery. Most of the rest were, in her view, venial. She said if that list were true, then everybody here would be in mortal sin. I said, Well…maybe we are.

She indicated that I was just being scrupulous. What do I know, I’m just an avarage Joe and she’s the religious director of a large parish. I hoping that that everyone in this forum can help me sort this out.
 
since she is a “she” she is not a priest, and you go to a priest for guidance on sin and confession of sin, not a “she”. I am a DRE and RCIA director and I prefer to teach from the Catechism and the Bible and approved orthodox texts. (Introduction to Catholicism from Midwest Theological forum). We teach objective moral theology and leave personal application to an individual’s soul to the forum of the confessional.
 
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cargopilot:
Her examples were apostacy, murder or adultery. Most of the rest were, in her view, venial. She said if that list were true, then everybody here would be in mortal sin. I said, Well…maybe we are.
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Although we can’t judge the knowledge and consent factors, the sins on that list are grave. Someothing like 90% of married Catholics contracept I think. So yes, if knowledge and consent are there, I would say almost everybody is living in mortal sin.
 
I think the list is excellent for someone who is truly wanting to live a holy life. For those who want to just “get by”, it’s probably too uncomfortably pointed.

The prayer book that I use has an excellent examination of conscience, along with loads of other good spiritual direction. You can find it here:

Handbook of Prayers
shop.catholic.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/p-B0134.html?L+scstore+fdsn2635ff505050+1115084515

As to most everybody probably being in mortal sin, I think the RE director is more of a prophet than she may know. 😉
 
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Fidelis:
I think the list is excellent for someone who is truly wanting to live a holy life. For those who want to just “get by”, it’s probably too uncomfortably pointed.
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No, for those who want to just “get by”, it is perfect (at least as far as the mortal sins are concerned). For those who find it too “strict”, well, their Particular Judgment may not go so well…

Incidentally, it was not developed by Fr. Zuhlsdorf but by another priest in St. Paul, Minnesota.
 
My wife brought home a little pamphlet that reads almost word for word what is on the link. I think it is right on the money. Maybe if more people were serious about putting their conscience in order prior to Communion there would be more than 2 people at Confession Saturday afternoons.

Oh that’s right only murder and adultery are mortal sins, everything else can be dealt with by a quick Act of Contrition. Or even worse by mumbling the “Lord I’m not worthy to recieve you, but only say the word and I shall be healed” Poof! sins gone. Very nice and neat for all the slack Catholics that have been churned out in the last 30 yrs.

Mike
 
Mike, you’re new here so I’ll cut you a little slack. But the sarcastic tone of many of your posts has got to go. We already have plenty of people here who like to think they know more than everyone else.
 
My understanding of a mortal sin is that it is an act in which we intentionally cut ourself off from the love of God. Furthermore, for it to be a mortal sin, three conditions have to be fulfilled:
  1. You have to know the act is wrong. (Full Knowledge)
  2. You have to willingly do the act. (Free Will)
  3. It has to be an act of some significance. (Serious Matter)
 
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travellinmike:
Oh that’s right only murder and adultery are mortal sins, everything else can be dealt with by a quick Act of Contrition. Or even worse by mumbling the “Lord I’m not worthy to recieve you, but only say the word and I shall be healed” Poof! sins gone. Very nice and neat for all the slack Catholics that have been churned out in the last 30 yrs.

Mike
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Well, Mike’s post may be a little sarcastic…but then again, he may just be dead-on.

Here, the line for confession is about one thousandth shorter than it is for reception of the Holy Eucharist. I just can’t explain it. Me and the 4 or 5 others in line for confession must be the only sinners here.
 
Well, maybe I’m just fallen victim to wishful thinking, but that list certainly seems strict. On that list of mortal sins, each commandment is listed with the mortal sins that would be regarded as breaking it. The thing is, though, with each commandment, not only the mortal offenses are listed. In some cases it seems like every offense against it possible is listed, and therefore all are mortal. :confused: Strikes me as fishy.

For example, under the commandment “You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain” it says that doing that–taking His name in vain–is mortal. I have to disagree.Certainly it is a sin, but somehow a slip of the tongue costing you your eternal soul doesn’t make sense to me.

Well, actually, let me reconsider. Looking over the list, the thing with taking God’s name in vain appears to be a rarity. Though the list is big, it is listing many sins that aren’t commonly commited (perjury) or are already commonly known to be mortal (fornication). Sooo…I dunno.
 
the Hatter:
Well, maybe I’m just fallen victim to wishful thinking, but that list certainly seems strict. On that list of mortal sins, each commandment is listed with the mortal sins that would be regarded as breaking it. The thing is, though, with each commandment, not only the mortal offenses are listed. In some cases it seems like every offense against it possible is listed, and therefore all are mortal. :confused: Strikes me as fishy.

For example, under the commandment “You shall not take the Lord’s name in vain” it says that doing that–taking His name in vain–is mortal. I have to disagree.Certainly it is a sin, but somehow a slip of the tongue costing you your eternal soul doesn’t make sense to me.

Well, actually, let me reconsider. Looking over the list, the thing with taking God’s name in vain appears to be a rarity. Though the list is big, it is listing many sins that aren’t commonly commited (perjury) or are already commonly known to be mortal (fornication). Sooo…I dunno.
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Compare it with the list of venial sins so you can see how those listed as mortal are worse than the venial versions.
 
Aaahhhh…
I was going to look at the venial sins, but didn’t have time. Now I have, and things make a bit more sense.👍
 
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