Tag: Sin

The Apostolic Pardon

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The infinite love and mercy of God are a scandal to many, including some in the Catholic Church itself.

As of late, writings have been appearing in some American sources about Purgatory, and the justice of God, that make it seem as though it is next to impossible for a common sinner not to end up spending, at least, some time in Purgatory after they die. This presentation of the Christian Faith is outright wrong in addition to removing hope from people, rather than giving them hope. But apart from the fact that these writers seem to never have heard of Saint Dismas, the good thief who ‘stole’ heaven at the last moments of his life and became an insta-saint to boot, what the said writers are propagating is a skewed subjectivist version of what the Catholic Church teaches about Purgatory.

For all who wish to know more, therefore, about the reality of personal sins and death, here is what the Church actually says in relation to the afterlife:

The name of God is Mercy – Pope Francis

If you die in a state of grace and obtain a plenary indulgence, you will go straight to heaven with zero time in Purgatory. Numerous are the plenary indulgences that can be obtained under the usual conditions. Consult the Manual of Indulgences for further information (older editions are invalid). Above all, however, there is one plenary indulgence that is so easy to obtain through the infinite love and mercy of God – and of which so few people (and even priests) know about – that it deserves particular mention. This is the Apostolic Pardon, which grants total remission of sins and punishment at the very moment of death. Here is what the Church teaches about it:

The Apostolic Pardon

  1. The faithful can obtain this plenary indulgence at the hour of death even if they have already acquired a plenary indulgence on that same day;
  2. A priest who administers the sacraments to someone in danger of death should not fail to impart the apostolic blessing to which a plenary indulgence is attached;
  3. If a priest is unavailable, Holy Mother Church benevolently grants to the Christian faithful, who are duly disposed, a plenary indulgence to be acquired at the point of death, provided they have been in the habit of reciting some prayers during their lifetime. In such a case, the Church supplies for the three conditions ordinarily required for a plenary indulgence;
  4. In this latter case, the use of a cross or crucifix in obtaining the plenary indulgence is commendable.

For those who may wish to carry with them the wording of the Apostolic Pardon for a priest’s use, here are two versions of it; one long, one short:

  1. By the authority which the Apostolic See has given me, I grant you a full pardon and the remission of all your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
  2. Through the holy mysteries of our redemption, may Almighty God release you from all punishments in this life and in the life to come. May He open to you the gates of Paradise and welcome you to everlasting joy.

It is salutary to remember that just one single sin exists that cannot be forgiven, rather than unhealthily obsessing over sins: that is the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

Wilful ignorance and sin

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Not every kind of ignorance is the cause of sin, but that alone which removes the knowledge which would prevent the sinful act…This may happen on the part of the ignorance itself, because, to wit, this ignorance is voluntary, either directly, as when a man wishes of set purpose to be ignorant of certain things that he may sin the more freely; or indirectly, as when a man, through stress of work or other occupations, neglects to acquire the knowledge which would restrain him from sin. For such like negligence renders the ignorance itself voluntary and sinful, provided it be about matters one is bound and able to know (Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica, I-II, q. 76, a.1, a.3).

What are mortal sin and venial sin?

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Sins are rightly evaluated according to their gravity. The distinction between mortal and venial sin, already evident in Scripture, became part of the tradition of the Church. It is corroborated by human experience. Mortal sin destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to Him. Venial sin allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it. Mortal sin, by attacking the vital principle within us – that is, charity – necessitates a new initiative of God’s mercy and a conversion of heart which is normally accomplished within the setting of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

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. Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: “Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother.” The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.

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. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.

Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offense. But no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man. The promptings of feelings and passions can also diminish the voluntary and free character of the offense, as can external pressures or pathological disorders. Sin committed through malice, by deliberate choice of evil, is the gravest.

Mortal sin is a radical possibility of human freedom, as is love itself. It results in the loss of charity and the privation of sanctifying grace, that is, of the state of grace. If it is not redeemed by repentance and God’s forgiveness, it causes exclusion from Christ’s kingdom and the eternal death of Hell, for our freedom has the power to make choices for ever, with no turning back. 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.

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. Venial sin weakens charity; it manifests a disordered affection for created goods; it impedes the soul’s progress in the exercise of the virtues and the practice of the moral good; it merits temporal punishment. Deliberate and unrepented venial sin disposes us little by little to commit mortal sin. However, venial sin does not break the covenant with God. With God’s grace it is humanly reparable. “Venial sin does not deprive the sinner of sanctifying grace, friendship with God, charity, and consequently eternal happiness.”

While he is in the flesh, man cannot help but have at least some light sins. But do not despise these sins which we call “light:” if you take them for light when you weigh them, tremble when you count them. A number of light objects makes a great mass; a number of drops fills a river; a number of grains makes a heap. What then is our hope? Above all, Confession.

“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.” There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept His mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss (Catechism of the Catholic Church).

More on mortal sin

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For whomever does not know, has forgotten, willingly or unwillingly; or just plain does not presently care, mortal sin is:

  • a sin of grave matter;
  • committed with full knowledge;
  • committed with deliberate consent.

1) Saint Paul on what mortal sins are:

“Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal 5:19-20). Paul also tells the Corinthians, “know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor the effeminate, nor liars with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards nor railers, nor extortioners shall possess the kingdom of God” (1 Cor 6:9-10).

2) Sins of anger, blasphemy, envy, hatred, malice, murder, neglect of Sunday obligation, sins against faith, sins against hope, and sins against love.

3) Voluntary murder (Gen 4:10); the sin of impurity, i.e., sodomy and homosexual relations (Gen 18:20); taking advantage of the poor (Ex 2:23); and defrauding the workingman of his wages (James 5:4).

4) Pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth.

Is Hell only for Satan? – Response to a question

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The question was asked, “Is Hell reserved only for Satan?” The answer is in the negative. Hell is a place of pain and punishment for infinity that has been reserved not only for Satan and his demons, but also for all those of us who die in unrepented of and unabsolved mortal sin – that is why the latter is called “mortal.” You can learn more about mortal sin here and here, as well as about Hell here. You can also read about being in mortal sin and the great mercy, tenderness and love of God our Father.

In brief, when one has a mortal sin or sins on their soul, they may, to all intents and purposes, be alive in the flesh, but they are dead in the spirit. In other words, they are walking sepulchres. However, when one dies with even just a single mortal sin on the soul, they condemn themselves instantly to Hell, not Purgatory, because since the Holy Trinity is pure and immaculate, They cannot reside in and where the darkness of sin resides in full.

The reality of sin

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It has become fashionable, especially in this day and age, to speak as little as possible or not speak at all about sin. But sin is a daily reality in the life of each human being, regardless of whether they believe or not. It is true that when subjected with genuineness of heart to the cleansing action of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ, sin on our souls is washed away; remitted. But it is equally true, albeit very unfashionable to say bluntly, that sin which remains not repented of purchases for us nothing but justice, suffering and death.

And He will crush your heart

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He will crush your heart, to be able to love His people as He desires them to be loved. Indeed, as He loved them Himself. For without a heart that has been crushed, it remains closed or insufficiently open and His people cannot enter. They cannot be held with tenderness and joy, especially those most in need of His love: those who continue to reject Him, insult Him and blaspheme Him.  Continue reading “And He will crush your heart” →

Our days

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“The time is sure to come when, far from being content with sound teaching, people will be avid for the latest novelty and collect themselves a whole series of teachers according to their own tastes; and then, instead of listening to the truth, they will turn to myths. Be careful always to choose the right course; be brave under trials; make the preaching of the Good News your life’s work, in thoroughgoing service” (2 Tim 4:3-5).