Why Am I Doing This?

Some may wonder: Why is Fully Catholic putting out these messages? The answer is simple: it is critical.

First, it is to remind us that we were made for so much more than what this world can ever offer. Too many of us fall prey to the lies of the world, and the way we choose to live can have eternal consequences. Let’s not mince words: if we die in unrepentant sin, we risk eternal separation from God. That is hell.

Sin is real — and that is precisely why Jesus Christ came: to save us from our sins. To live as if He does not exist, or as if His coming was in vain, is to deny ourselves the gift of salvation.

Second, I do this because we are people who often only believe what we can see or touch. Eternal life, judgment, heaven, and hell are realities we cannot see with our eyes. And yet, even in this life, we trust in things we cannot see. Take the air we breathe — invisible, but essential. Remove it, and we die. Likewise, eternal life is real, though unseen. As St. Paul says:

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).

Finally, I do this out of obligation. Every baptized Christian is called to speak the truth in love. If we saw a child walking into traffic, we would not remain silent. How much more, then, must we cry out when souls are in danger? Each of us needs people who hold us accountable, who remind us that we are made for more.

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Mortal Sin vs. Venial Sin

1) What the Catechism says—Mortal Sin

“Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man.” (CCC 1855)

Plain-language breakdown

• What it is: A sin so serious it kills divine life (charity) in the soul and turns us away from God.
• Three conditions (all three required) — CCC 1857–1859:
  1. Grave matter (serious objective evil, measured above all by the Ten Commandments),
  2. Full knowledge (you know it’s seriously wrong),
  3. Deliberate consent (you freely choose it).
• Consequences — CCC 1861: Unrepented mortal sin separates us from God; dying in that state brings eternal loss. (God alone judges guilt; culpability can be reduced by fear, habit, immaturity, or other factors—cf. CCC 1735.)

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2) What the Catechism says—Venial Sin

“Venial sin allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it.” (CCC 1855)

Plain-language breakdown

• What it is: A lesser sin that wounds (but doesn’t kill) charity.
• Effects — CCC 1862–1863: It weakens the soul, dulls conscience, inclines us toward worse sins, and impedes spiritual growth.
• Why it matters: “Small” sins tolerated over time erode love of God and neighbor and can dispose us to mortal sin.

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3) Scripture that teaches the distinction

• 1 John 5:16–17 – Speaks of sin that is mortal (“leading to death”) and sin not leading to death.
• Romans 6:23 – “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
• Matthew 5:19 – Jesus distinguishes greater/lesser violations of the commandments.
• Mark 7:20–23 – Jesus lists sins proceeding from the heart (the root issue).
• James 1:14–15 – Desire → sin → death (the inner mechanics of serious sin).

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4) Naming real-life examples

Note: Below are examples of grave matter (i.e., actions that are objectively serious). A sin is mortal only if grave matter + full knowledge + deliberate consent are all present. Culpability can be lessened in some cases (CCC 1735), but the acts themselves remain seriously wrong.

Against the 1st Commandment (God first)

• Occult involvement: witchcraft/juju, sorcery, divination, séances, Ouija, horoscopes/astrology as a belief system, New-Age ritualism (CCC 2115–2117).
• Idolatry: making created things (money, fame, power, even persons) a “god” (CCC 2112–2114).
• Sacrilege, simony (profaning what is holy; selling sacred things) (CCC 2120–2121).

Against the 2nd (God’s Name)

• Blasphemy: speech or actions showing contempt for God, the Church, or sacred things (CCC 2148).
• False oaths/perjury invoking God (CCC 2150–2152).

Against the 3rd (Lord’s Day)

• Deliberately missing Sunday Mass (without a serious reason) (CCC 2181).

Against the 4th (Authority/Family)

• Grave dishonor/abuse of parents or legitimate authority (CCC 2214–2220).
• Neglect/abuse of children or dependents (CCC 2221–2231).

Against the 5th (Human life)

• Murder (CCC 2268)
• Abortion (direct; including procurement, formal cooperation) (CCC 2271–2272)
• Euthanasia/assisted suicide (CCC 2277)
• Violent assault, domestic violence, human trafficking, torture (CCC 2297)
• Serious drunkenness/drug abuse that gravely endangers life/self/others (CCC 2290)
• Hatred and deliberate desire for grave harm (CCC 2303)

Against the 6th & 9th (Chastity, sexuality)

• Adultery; fornication (sex outside marriage); cohabitation with sexual relations (CCC 2353)
• Pornography (production/use), prostitution, pimping, sex trafficking (CCC 2355)
• Masturbation (grave matter; culpability can vary—CCC 2352)
• Rape and any sexual violence (CCC 2356)
• Any sexual act outside marriage (including same-sex sexual acts; always respect persons—CCC 2357–2359)
• Deliberate contraception/sterilization—acts intending to render procreation impossible (CCC 2370)
• IVF procedures involving the destruction or discard of embryos (CCC 2376–2379)

Against the 7th & 10th (Property/Justice)

• Theft, fraud, embezzlement, bribery, price gouging, wage theft, usury, tax evasion (CCC 2401–2409)
• Deliberate vandalism, large-scale piracy, counterfeiting, and corruption.
• Exploitation of the poor or vulnerable (CCC 2444–2448)

Against the 8th (Truth)

• Perjury, calumny (lying that gravely harms another’s good name), serious detraction, public slander (CCC 2477–2487)
• Grave lying that causes significant harm (financial, reputational, familial).

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Venial-sin pattern examples (wounds that weaken charity)

• Snapping in impatience; petty gossip; small dishonesties to save face; laziness that neglects duties in minor ways; prayerlessness from distraction; minor gluttony; careless words that sting.
  Why it matters: Tolerated repeatedly, these form vices, dull conscience, and make serious falls more likely.

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How to discern your state (simple checks)

• Was the matter grave? (Look up the Commandment it violates.)
• Did I know it was serious? (Not just “vaguely wrong.”)
• Did I freely choose it? (Not coerced or impaired.)
  If all three: confess as mortal sin. If not all three: likely venial, but still confess to heal and strengthen.

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What to do now (call to action)

1. Examination of conscience (walk the Commandments honestly).
2. Go to Confession (especially after any mortal sin; don’t receive Holy Communion until reconciled—CCC 1385, 1457).
3. Concrete repentance plan: remove occasions of sin; install filters/accountability; reconcile with those harmed; set prayer & sacramental rhythm (Mass, Confession, Adoration).
4. Ask for grace daily: “Jesus, grant me contrition, courage, and purity of heart.”

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Closing prayer

Heavenly Father,
You are holy, and You call me to share in Your holiness.
Yet I confess that so often I fall short.
Give me the grace now to look honestly into my heart.

Lord, have I loved You above all things?
Or have I placed other loves — money, pleasure, comfort, or pride — before You?

Have I honored Your holy name and kept Your day sacred?
Or have I treated them lightly, as if they do not matter?

Have I honored my parents, my family, and those in authority with respect and love?
Or have I dishonored, neglected, or wounded them?

Have I respected the gift of life?
Or have I harbored anger, hatred, or failed to protect the weak and vulnerable?

Have I kept my body pure and my relationships faithful?
Or have I fallen into lust, impurity, pornography, or unfaithfulness in thought or deed?

Have I been honest and just with others?
Or have I stolen, cheated, or taken what was not mine?

Have I spoken truth with love?
Or have I lied, slandered, gossiped, or destroyed another’s good name?

Lord Jesus, I am weak and I cannot save myself.
But You came to save me from sin, and Your mercy is greater than my failures.
Give me contrition for all my sins, both great and small.
Give me the courage to confess them honestly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
And give me the strength to walk in newness of life.

Holy Spirit, fill me with light and wisdom.
Turn my eyes away from sin and fix them on the things of heaven.
Make me a witness to others, that by my life they too may come to know Your mercy.

I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, who died and rose for me.
Amen.