Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern AuthoritiesCallan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Religion
Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities
Callan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Christian ethics -- Catholic authors
193. The serious harm that is foreseen as a result of venial sin also
changes the malice from slight to serious. Examples: One who jokingly
annoys another, knowing that this will provoke grave dissensions; or
one who tells small lies to persons who are known for their
uncharitable distortions and exaggerations; or one who agrees to take
too much strong drink knowing from experience that this invariably
leads to serious excess.
194. Mortal sins become venial when that which in itself is a grave
offense, becomes light by reason of some change in he object or lack of
full consent in the subject.
195. A change in the object makes a mortal sin venial: (a) when that
which is grave matter objectively, is apprehended through inculpable,
or only venially culpable ignorance as light matter (e.g., when an
uninstructed child thinks that a serious calumny is only a venial sin);
(b) when a sin whose character is serious but whose matter is divisible
is small as to matter (e.g,, to be absent from a small part of the Mass
on Sunday); (e) when a law whose obligation is grave will cause more
than slight inconvenience in a particular case, and thus becomes of
light obligation for that case (e.g., to miss Mass on Sunday because of
a difficulty that was not unsurmountable, but yet considerable).
196. Lack of sufficient advertence or of full consent makes a mortal
sin venial; (a) when without serious fault one does not advert to a
gravely sinful act (e.g., a desire of revenge); (b) when without
serious fault one does not know or does not think about the grave
malice of what one is doing (e.g., to repeat a story, not knowing or
not remembering at the time that it is a serious calumny); (c) when on
account of considerable excitement, fear or other disturbance, one
gives only partial consent to an act that is mortally sinful (e.g.,
when one, on being suddenly insulted, replies with a serious
imprecation).
197. The Distinction of Sins.--There are three kinds of distinction of
sins: (a) sins that differ according to theological species, that is,
according as they turn or do not turn the sinner away from God as his
Last End. There are only two theological species of sin, viz., mortal
and venial; (b) sins that differ according to moral species, that is,
according to their essences, or the various kinds of finite good to
which they turn the sinner. There are many moral species of sins, for
example, infidelity, uncharitableness, etc.; (c) sins that differ
according to number, but agree according to moral species (e.g., two
distinct acts of uncharitable hatred).
198. The criteria for the specific distinction of sins are two:
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