What is Gossip? Is it Mortal Sin?

[Mortification]

I’ve been having a frustrating week at work dealing with people and their jumping to conclusions about me and overall just dealing with a heavy workload, so instead of directly taking it out on them, I was speaking with a friend of mine over dinner about it all.

While I’m not exactly ruining their (people at work) reputation or image, since my friend does not know these people at all, I feel that I am ruining my image as a Catholic in the eyes of my friend who is irreligious . I only want to set the best example of what it means to be a Catholic and I felt, while not exactly using any harsh words, that he took it the wrong way of what I meant to do, which was vent. Instead I felt that I may have engaged in a bit of unnecessary criticism, faultfinding, and uncharitability.

I was explaining how this girl at work is always after me, but how I am not interested or attracted to her in the least. And I have explained numerous times that it is because of her personality, her lifestyle, her mentality, what we are just incompatible on every level, and also because I am not attracted to her too. I explained that this person is a very nice person, but it just would never work out. He jokingly interjected and said “But come on now man, it’s really because she’s just ugly isn’t it!” He kept asking about how she looked physically so I showed him a picture of her and he said “Wow she is ugly!” and that isn’t exactly how I meant for it to be taken. But then he said he didnt like her nose and it reminded me of this girl who tried to match me and this other girl up, and without letting me answer or really asking why, she said “Oh I don’t blame you, don’t worry, she’s got a nasty nose!” and so I brought that up to my friend saying “well, that is what this other girl has said”… I suppose that was unnecessary even if I was just quoting this other person.

Anyway, if this was all gossip, is it a Mortal Sin or Venial Sin? May I receive the Eucharist today at Mass or should I go to confession first? What do you guys think?

Thank you.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Gossip is a venial sin.recite ann act of contrition before receiving thevEuchrist…Also,when we recite the Lord Have Mercy,and Lord I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof… This erases and venial sins.

 

[Bookcat]

Gossip is a venial sin.

Gossip can be venial or it can even be mortal.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Gossip can be venial or it can even be mortal.

Yes,I thought about that after I posted my response.If it is slander,or creates scandal,that would be more grvievous than idle gossip.neither is good,that’s for sure!

 

[Marie1234]

gossip can be venial or mortally sinful.

If one slanders and ruins someone’s reputation, then it could be a mortal sin if you do it with full knowledge and consent.

 

[JamesATyler]

Gossip - Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.

Casual - Relaxed and unconcerned.

unconstrained - Not severely restricted in scope, extent, or activity of

It doesn’t sound like it was gossip to me.

 

[thistle]

It depends. It can be venial or grave.

Modern Catholic Dictionary:

GOSSIP. Idle talk, especially about others. The morality of gossip is determined by the degree to which time is wasted in useless conversation, by the failure in justice or charity committed against others, and by the damage done to people’s reputation by those who gossip.