Yes, in hell, but why forever

[OneSheep]

Now you have gone into a less insulting stance. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the word “whim”. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on that.

Yes all grave sins are mortal sins.

Please cite the catechism.

CCC 1861…However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

This is also the reason why the Church has never explicitly stood by the judgment of “mortal sin” with any specific person or person’s act. Saying “that is a mortal sin” when it is any grave sin is a judgment, which Jesus calls us not to do.

So, many grave sins happen in the world every day, Vico. Are you thinking that it is Christian to call them all mortal?

 

[Gorgias]

Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the word “whim”. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on that.

No, I know what I’m saying. Your take on things might not be fleeting, but it certainly is personal and unique.

In any case, if you think I’m being insulting, I’m sure you’d say that I’m just “blind” and not culpable, right?

 

[Vico]

Now you have gone into a less insulting stance. Perhaps you are unfamiliar with the word “whim”. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt on that.

Vico:

Yes all grave sins are mortal sins.

Please cite the catechism.

CCC 1861…However, although we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

This is also the reason why the Church has never explicitly stood by the judgment of “mortal sin” with any specific person or person’s act. Saying “that is a mortal sin” when it is any grave sin is a judgment, which Jesus calls us not to do.

So, many grave sins happen in the world every day, Vico. Are you thinking that it is Christian to call them all mortal?

The Church has given the dogma that the fall of man was through grave/mortal sin: that of Adam and Eve. That is a revealed truth. It says nothing about if they were finally impenitent. For both the immediate state and the final state, the dogma is clear in teaching that nobody can be certain of their salvation, unless it is divinely revealed. Catechism 1861 … “we can judge that an act is in itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.”

Council of Trent

If any one saith, that he will for certain, of an absolute and infallible certainty, have that great gift of perseverance unto the end,-unless he have learned this by special revelation; let him be anathema. (Sixth session, Canon XVI)

Yes all grave sins are mortal sins and involve grave matter but we do not judge a particular person, we could say it was a grave matter since a person can be said to have committed a sin in an objective (manifest) sense. For example in canon law, when it is manifest (manifesto):

Can. 1007 - Unctio infirmorum ne conferatur illis, qui in manifesto gravi peccato obstinate
perseverent.

Categories of sin:

• Mortal Sin is voluntary with grave matter - loss of sanctifying grace (justice)
• Venial Sin is voluntary - imperfection, no loss of sanctifying grace (justice)
• Material Sin is involuntary - no loss of sanctifying grace (justice)

 

[OneSheep]

Yes all grave sins are mortal sins

Vico, you did not support this with doctrine, and doctrine does not say this. While for people who are undeveloped in empathy and do not know what is hurtful, especially considering children, it is important to empathize that they go to confession when they have committed any grave sin, this is not to judge the intent or knowledge as “full” and meeting the “test” so to speak. Whenever a person commits a grave sin, they should go to confession no matter what the motives were for the act.

Notice that you did not address my point: grave sins happen in the world every day. Are you thinking that it is Christian to call them all mortal? This is judging, and Jesus commanded us not to judge one another. Judging other people is sinful, is it not?

Vico, your approach has all the appearance of shutting out understanding of why people sin. Shutting out understanding, which is a gift of the Spirit, is to shut out the Spirit. Is this your intent, to stop understanding?

The rest of your post was repeated assertions, which I have already addressed.

 

[Vico]

Vico:

Yes all grave sins are mortal sins

Vico, you did not support this with doctrine, and doctrine does not say this. …

Yes I did. Council of Trent (post 791) and St. John Paul II, and from Fr. John Hardon (summary). The person sins of Adam and Eve resulted in loss of justice (dogmas from Trent). The loss of justice is the loss of the state of sanctifying grace that they had. That loss of justice is what occurs with mortal sin. Grave sin is mortal sin. It is the same loss of sanctifying grace which is not restored results in eternal condemnation.

Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, by Ludwig Ott, p.104, the Church teaches the doctrine that Adam and Eve had infused knowledge. They knew the command of God (even as is stated in Genesis):

The donum scientiae, i.e., a knowledge of natural and supernatural truths infused by God. (Sent. communis.)

Also from the Catechism posted before about the state of mortal sin (state without sanctifying grace):

Q. 258. But how did the loss of the gift of original justice leave our first parents and us in mortal sin?
A. The loss of the gift of original justice left our first parents and us in mortal sin because it deprived them of the Grace of God, and to be without this gift of Grace which they should have had was to be in mortal sin. As all their children are deprived of the same gift, they, too, come into the world in a state of mortal sin.

Romans 5: 14 “But death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who did not sin after the pattern of the trespass of Adam,”

Catechism

1855 Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law;

397 Man, tempted by the devil, let his trust in his Creator die in his heart and, abusing his freedom, disobeyed God’s command. This is what man’s first sin consisted of. …

 

[OSN]

why forever ? Because God chooses to draw a line in the sand and say, this is the do not cross me line.

We all have those kinda lines.

If you are suggesting why not just a temporary punishment, that is what purgatory is for. a temporary punishment for the sins we commit that are forgiveable, though that will be debateable as well, which i dont care to debate nor do i care to use spell check at this point in time. so enjoy my spelling mistakers.

 

[OneSheep]

Yes I did. Council of Trent (post 791) and St. John Paul II, and from Fr. John Hardon (summary).

None of these said that all grave sins are mortal sins. Saying so encourages judging.

Also from the Catechism posted before about the state of mortal sin

The pre-Vatican II document, the Baltimore catechism, has some items in it that are not upheld in the CCC.

If you value it, okay, but Catholics must remember that we are not to judge, and given the items I present below, what you are quoting in Baltimore Catechism must be very carefully scrutinized for error:

1. Jesus commands us not to judge.
2. Jesus said to “be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect”

Therefore, judging is not perfect. Calling someone’s sin “mortal” without having complete access to the person full knowledge and consent, which is impossible for anyone but God (and possibly the individual sinner), is judging, and to the degree that the Baltimore Catechism endorses judging, to that degree it may very well lead people to sin. This issue alone should give a Catholic pause when considering the authority of any doctrine that judges any person’s sin.

• What is a catechism? A catechism is a text which contains the fundamental Christian truths formulated in a way that facilitates their understanding. There are two categories of catechism: major and minor. A major catechism is a resource or a point of reference for the development of minor catechisms. The Catechism of the Catholic Church is an example of a major catechism. The Baltimore Catechism is an example of a minor catechism.

http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-te...bout-the-catechism-of-the-catholic-church.cfm

Therefore, since the CCC is a resource or point of reference, a major Catechism, for the minor Baltimore catechism, and the CCC does not call Adam and Eve’s sin “mortal”, from where did the judgment of Adam and Eve’s sin as “mortal” come? Whose idea was it?

Pope Francis said it is clear that Jesus “gets a little bit angry here” and is reminding the disciples that those who judge put themselves “in God’s place.”

“This is why it is so awful to judge. Only God can judge, only him! We are called to love, to understand, to pray for the others when we see things that are not good and also to speak to them. But never to judge. Never. If we judge, this is hypocrisy,” he said.

Pope: Before you judge, take a good look in the mirror

The day's Gospel reading from St. Matthew recounted Jesus telling his disciples to not judge so

catholicphilly.com

Saying someone mortally sinned is judging, Vico. Do you endorse judging?

 

[OneSheep]

Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, by Ludwig Ott, p.104, the Church teaches the doctrine that Adam and Eve had infused knowledge.

This is the other option, of course, that Adam and Eve were not humans like the rest of us, but had some sort of omniscience. I refer back to this:

In the final analysis, Adam and Eve’s case dies as an example. If they did not have concupiscence, then they were not “human” as we know what it means to be “human”, so they aren’t example of real people committing mortal sin, even if that is the accusation. If they did have concupiscence, then their desire blinded them just as desire blinds all of us, and they did not know what they were doing, so it isn’t mortal sin.

In any case, if you think I’m being insulting, I’m sure you’d say that I’m just “blind” and not culpable, right?

It is an ad hominem to say that what someone knows about God is a “personal whim”, but to change the characterization instead to “personal idea” or “personal decision” after being called to note the definition of “whim” indicates that the person did not know that the word “whim” was disrespectful.

In that sense, the person who used the word “whim” did not intend disrespect, so if what the person said was taken as an insult, then taking it that way would have been an inaccurate reception of what was meant to be communicated.

Therefore, if the word “whim” was used by someone intending no insult, then he did not want for it to be received that way, and if he knew that it would be received that way, he would have avoided using the word.

And as far as my own reaction, no, I do not blame you. Yes, like all of us, you are subject to blindness (but I do admit no one likes their own blindness being pointed out!)

And… I appreciate your efforts to be charitable.

 

[Gorgias]

It is an ad hominem to say that what someone knows about God is a “personal whim”,

It really isn’t. But I do appreciate that this is what you think.

Yes, like all of us, you are subject to blindness (but I do admit no one likes their own blindness being pointed out!

See! There we go! If no one is culpable, then no one is culpable, and no offense can ever be taken!

 

[OneSheep]

See! There we go! If no one is culpable, then no one is culpable, and no offense can ever be taken!

Yes! If offense is taken, it is a misunderstanding of intention. You got it.

 

[Gorgias]

Yes! If offense is taken, it is a misunderstanding of intention. You got it.

I do. I think you’re mistaken, but I get what you think is true.

 

[Vico]

…

Q. The pre-Vatican II document, the Baltimore catechism, has some items in it that are not upheld in
the CCC. … the CCC does not call Adam and Eve’s sin “mortal”, from where did the judgment of Adam and Eve’s sin as “mortal” come? …
A. The Baltimore Catechism continued to be used after Vatican II, and in fact, upholds all teachings of faith and morals without change. There are some disciplinary matters that are different because the Church laws changed. No changes on grave and mortal sin occurred.

Used in seminaries, Father Joseph Pohle (1852-1922) wrote in Dogmatic Theology.

“The sin of Adam is original sin in a twofold sense: (1) As a sinful personal act (peccatum originale originans), and (2) as a sinful state (peccatus originale originatum). It is the state not the act that is transmited to Adam’s descendants.” …
“Our first parents, seduced by Satan, committed a grave (mortal) sin by transgressing the precept of probation. This thesis embodies and article of faith.”

Q. None of these said that all grave sins are mortal sins.
A. Yes in fact it does. Justice is the state of sanctifying grace, which is lost through a grave sin (a.k.a a mortal sin).
Catechism

416 By his sin Adam, as the first man, lost the original holiness and justice he had received from God, not only for himself but for all human beings. …

1861 Mortal sin … results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace …

1987 The grace of the Holy Spirit has the power to justify us, that is, to cleanse us from our sins and to communicate to us “the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ” and through Baptism: …

Q. Saying someone mortally sinned is judging…
A. The Catholic Church is responsible to teach the revealed truth which includes certain judgments, one of which is that Adam and Eve each committed a personal grave sin which caused the loss of their justice (sanctifying grace). They lost their likeness of God.

Once more from St. John Paul II it can be seen that the sin of Adam and Eve (both with human natures that we inherit) committed mortal sin:

And when through sin, the soul commits a disorder that reaches the point of turning away form its ultimate end God to which it is bound by charity, then the sin is mortal; on the other hand, whenever the disorder does not reach the point of a turning away from God, the sin is venial."(94) For this reason venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity and therefore eternal happiness, whereas just such a deprivation is precisely the consequence of mortal sin.
…
Considering sin from the point of view of its matter, the ideas of death, of radical rupture with God, the supreme good, of deviation from the path that leads to God or interruption of the journey toward him (which are all ways of defining mortal sin) are linked with the idea of the gravity of sin’s objective content. Hence, in the church’s doctrine and pastoral action, grave sin is in practice identified with mortal sin.

 

[sudy]

http://jimmyakin.com/2010/05/grave-sin-mortal-sin.html

This article links to Pope St John Paul IIs Apostolic Exhortation which reveals that grave sin is mortal sin… and not a reference to sins with grave matter which can be either venial or mortal.

Adam and Eves sin was revealed to us by God to show us where our inclination to sin comes from, how man was originally created, and the natural pre-baptismal condition that we and they were left with (original sin), as well as to provide understanding of grave sin and its losses. We aren’t judging their sins but understanding them, and we aren’t judging their other sins or other people’s sins and we aren’t judging their final state.

 

[OneSheep]

Used in seminaries, Father Joseph Pohle (1852-1922) wrote in Dogmatic Theology .

Catholics are not bound by his examination. Even though he somehow found the authority in himself to judge Adam and Eve’s sin, it should give Catholics pause, because judging is soundly discouraged in the Gospel. Pope Francis’ words, which I quoted above, are far more in line with the Gospel.

The Baltimore Catechism continued to be used after Vatican II, and in fact, upholds all teachings of faith and morals without change.

It’s continued use does not explain how the authors of the BC had the authority to judge Adam and Eve’s sin as “mortal”.

What you did not address is this:
In the final analysis, Adam and Eve’s case dies as an example. If they did not have concupiscence, then they were not “human” as we know what it means to be “human”, so they aren’t example of real people committing mortal sin, even if that is the accusation. If they did have concupiscence, then their desire blinded them just as desire blinds all of us, and they did not know what they were doing, so it isn’t mortal sin.

OneSheep original question: Has anyone (any normal person) ever committed a mortal sin?

Vico: Adam and Eve committed mortal sin according to these sources

Let’s go ahead and assume that Adam and Eve had some “infused” or “preternatural” knowledge. I can argue that such characterization of their nature renders Gen 3 meaningless and contradicts what the CCC says about human dignity, but we can assume it for tradition’s sake. In this case, Adam and Eve are not normal people.

So, now that Adam and Eve are eliminated as examples of normal people committing “mortal sin”, it can now be stated that the Church has never claimed any specific normal person has committed a mortal sin.

Q. None of these said that all grave sins are mortal sins.
A. Yes in fact it does… grave sin (a.k.a a mortal sin).

Q: Are all grave sins mortal sin?

A: CCC 416, 1861, and 1987 do not say that all grave sin is mortal sin. Grave sin is not “also known as” mortal sin. Grave sin is grave, its consequences are of tragic impact to humanity (not considering the projected punishment by God). Mortal sin has to do with the knowledge and consent of the sinner. Man is admonished by Jesus for judging others’ knowledge and consent.

 

[OneSheep]

Q. Saying someone mortally sinned is judging…
A. The Catholic Church is responsible to teach the revealed truth which includes certain judgments, one of which is that Adam and Eve…They lost their likeness of God.

The Catholic Church saying that Adam and Eve “lost their likeness of God” is not judging. It is a statement reflecting what happened in Gen 3. It is not endorsing any sort of negative feeling, any blaming, any condemnation of Adam and Eve. Ancient Catholic dogma describes God’s position as angry and wrathful, but that is not the image presented in theology today. Revelation unfolds.

And when through sin, the soul commits a disorder that reaches the point of turning away form its ultimate end God to which it is bound by charity, then the sin is mortal; on the other hand, whenever the disorder does not reach the point of a turning away from God, the sin is venial… in the church’s doctrine and pastoral action, grave sin is in practice identified with mortal sin. - Pope JP II

Pope John Paul II is not intending to contradict the CCC’s test of full knowledge and full consent. The CCC states that humanity desires what is good. When people “turn away from God”, as they inadvertently did when they hung Jesus and the other two people crucified at the time, they do not know what they are doing. In Church doctrine, grave sin is not the same as mortal sin because “mortal sin” depends on “full knowledge” and “full consent”. However, in practice all grave sin should be confessed, and anyone who commits grave sin but does not find it “in opposition to God’s law” (which distinguishes what contributes to or harms human well-being) has some serious flaw in their conscience development.

“Grave Sin” = Mortal Sin – Jimmy Akin

This article reflects what Vico presented. My same counterargument applies, that Pope JP II did not intend to contradict the CCC’s test of “full knowledge” and “full consent”. What he was essentially saying was that grave sin is very harmful, and needs to be seriously addressed.

Adam and Eves sin was revealed to us by God to show us where our inclination to sin comes from,… (original sin), as well as to provide understanding of grave sin and its losses. We aren’t judging their sins but understanding them, and we aren’t judging their other sins or other people’s sins and we aren’t judging their final state.

We can understand people’s sin through Luke 23:34. When we call any specific person’s sin “mortal” we are judging. When we say that people sin because of some kind of “inclination” we are not going into the question with human dignity in mind, that people desire what is good, that people want what is best.

True Understanding involves seeing why people sin. People sin when their eyes are distorted by blindness, people sin when they lack awareness, people sin when they do not know their own deepest desire to serve people, who are of infinite value.

 

[Vico]

…

Dogmatic Theology III (God) by Pohle, Joseph, 1852-1922, copyright 1912, published 1916 (Authorized English version by Arthur Preuss) received the approval of the Catholic Church to be free from doctrinal errors.
p. 233 was what I quoted from. Nihil Obstat Sti. Ludovici, die 20, Oct. 1915 F. G. Holweck, Censor Librorum – Imprimature Sti. Ludovici, die 24, Oct. 1916 + Joannes J. Glennon. Archiepiscopes Sti. Ludovici

Dogmatic theology : Pohle, Joseph, 1852-1922 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

vol. 3

archive.org

Even the Catechism shows that grave sin and mortal sin are synonyms.

1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. the confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.

The Catholic Church has the authority and has made the decision that Adam and Eve lost justice. You ague about use of mortal interchangably with grave, saying that it is irrelevant that it is taught that way in both the seminaries and in the catechisms. It was certainly approved (examples are the Baltimore Catechism imprimature and nihil obstat granted).

• Mortal sin has to do with grave matter and the knowledge and consent of the sinner. It results in the loss of justice.

Catechism

1861 Mortal sin … results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. …

1863 … Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, …

1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: “Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.”

1879 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice.

• Grave sin has to do with grave matter and the knowledge and consent of the sinner. It results in the loss of justice.

Catechism

399 Scripture portrays the tragic consequences of this first disobedience. Adam and Eve immediately lose the grace of original holiness. 280 [Cf. Rom 3:23.] …

We know that the sin of Adam and Eve was grave matter for death is the result.

We know that Adam and Eve has full awareness and consent in sinning from the gifts of grace and preternature which they possessed, including the absence of concupiscence.

Today when a person is conceived there is no gifts of grace and preternature. After baptism there is the gift of grace and a person can remain free from mortal sin through it. (Dogma de fide, Council of Trent)

 

[OneSheep]

1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. the confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.

Yes, as I mentioned before, for practical purposes all grave sins should be confessed. This does not make all grave sins automatically mortal sins.

Even the Catechism shows that grave sin and mortal sin are synonyms.

1493 does not say that. In my next post, I will give an example.

We know that the sin of Adam and Eve was grave matter for death is the result.

You fail to address that Adam and Eve as depicted in doctrine are not normal humans.

Much of my last post that you failed to address. Vico, is your purpose here to educate Catholics, or are you actually trying to have a sincere discussion?

If you would like to have a sincere discussion, you could try responding to the many points I brought forth in post 835 instead of repeating the same things over and over.

 

[OneSheep]

Even the Catechism shows that grave sin and mortal sin are synonyms.

I am going to give an example of a very grave sin. Readers please pardon me for presenting this heart-wrenching, but true, story.

T (fictitious name) was a very active member of his Catholic parish. The adult man, who lived with and took care of his mother, participated in daily mass, many different parish activities, and served in masses in several capacities. T was friendly, polite, kind to people, and loved by everyone who knew him. A few years ago, T disappeared from the parish and never returned. He had been arrested for committing the most serious of sins, he had killed his mother as she slept. No doubt, it was a grave sin. It was certainly in opposition to God’s law.
Now, Vico, your mind may say “mortal sin!” automatically, correct? After all, it was a grave sin, so it had to be mortal, which is what you are thinking. This Catholic man had surely heard all the grave sins, knew what was serious, etc.

However, “mortal sin” involves “full knowledge” and “full consent”.

What was going on in T’s mind? Well, what I did not tell you about T was that he has a mental deficiency. He can converse, but slowly. He has not a true grasp of reality; he does not comprehend a great deal about life and death. What he did understand was that his mother was suffering, his mother wanted to be in heaven after death, and he killed her so that she could go to heaven.

Needless to say, the whole incident was something to grieve at many levels.

Would you say that T committed mortal sin, Vico?

 

[Vico]

Vico:

1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. the confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.

Yes, as I mentioned before, for practical purposes all grave sins should be confessed. This does not make all grave sins automatically mortal sins.

Even the Catechism shows that grave sin and mortal sin are synonyms.

1493 does not say that. In my next post, I will give an example.

We know that the sin of Adam and Eve was grave matter for death is the result.

You fail to address that Adam and Eve as depicted in doctrine are not normal humans.

Much of my last post that you failed to address. Vico, is your purpose here to educate Catholics, or are you actually trying to have a sincere discussion?

If you would like to have a sincere discussion, you could try responding to the many points I brought forth in post 835 instead of repeating the same things over and over.

I am posting what the Catholic Church teaches. It is important because if has to do with the dogmas of faith.

Personal integral confession for absolution is only needed when sanctifying grace has been lost, that is for mortal sins. The Church recommends also confessing venial sins, but it is not from necessity. St. Pope John Paul II taught us " Hence, in the church’s doctrine and pastoral action, grave sin is in practice identified with mortal sin." this followed on “During the synod assembly some fathers proposed a threefold distinction of sins, classifying them as venial, grave and mortal.” (Reconciliation and penance 1984 Reconciliatio et Paenitentia (December 2, 1984) | John Paul II)

Adam and Eve have human natures as do we. They were also given the supernatural gifts of sanctifying grace, as do their baptized descendants. They also were given preternatural gifts which we are not. Supernatural and preternatural gifts do not change the human nature. We are all humans.

conscious of being in mortal sin :: conscious of having committed a grave sin

Compendium of the Catechism

291. What is required to receive Holy Communion?

1385-1389
1415

To receive Holy Communion one must be fully incorporated into the Catholic Church and be in the state of grace, that is, not conscious of being in mortal sin. Anyone who is conscious of having committed a grave sin must first receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before going to Communion. Also important for those receiving Holy Communion are a spirit of recollection and prayer, observance of the fast prescribed by the Church, and an appropriate disposition of the body (gestures and dress) as a sign of respect for Christ.

 

[Vico]

…

Q. No doubt, it was a grave sin.
A. It can minimally be called a material sin with grave matter. A personal sin can be a material sin or a formal (actual) sin. Only actual sins are committed voluntarily (mortal sin or venial sin).

Catechism

1862 One commits venial sin when, in a less serious matter, he does not observe the standard prescribed by the moral law, or when he disobeys the moral law in a grave matter, but without full knowledge or without complete consent.

The only way I could say it was an actual sin would be to hear the person confess that it was, unless God revealed it to me.

Material and formal sin
This distinction is based upon the difference between the objective elements (object itself, circumstances) and the subjective (advertence to the sinfulness of the act). An action which, as a matter of fact, is contrary to the Divine law but is not known to be such by the agent constitutes a material sin; whereas formal sin is committed when the agent freely transgresses the law as shown him by his conscience, whether such law really exists or is only thought to exist by him who acts. Thus, a person who takes the property of another while believing it to be his own commits a material sin; but the sin would be formal if he took the property in the belief that it belonged to another, whether his belief were correct or not.

O’Neil, A.C. (1912). Sin. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htm