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Dear father Angelo,

I would like to know more about the sins against the Holy Spirit; we know they are these six: despairing of being saved, presuming on being saved without merit, opposing the known truth, envying another’s graces, obstinately remaining in sin, final impenitence.

My questions are these two:

1) About the list of the six sins against the Holy Spirit, why is it not written in the Catechism of the Catholic Church?

2) As they are not written in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, can we say yet that these six sins against the Holy Spirit are part of the infallible truth because the holy mother Catholic Church wrote them?

The answer of the Priest

Dear friend,

1. The six sins against the Holy Spirit are not listed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which however speaks of the sin against the Holy Spirit (rf. CCC 1864).

2. Also, we do not find them enumerated in the Roman Catechism of the Council of Trent.

Among the sins against the second precept of the Decalogue, which prohibits to take the name of God in vain, this Catechism forbids to swear falsely (to perjure), and to distort the Sacred Scriptures from their genuine and true meaning to support heresy. Finally, it mentions “those who, with impure and defiled lips, dare to curse or blaspheme the holy name of God” (The Roman Catechism, part III, Chapter: The second commandment, n.312: Blasphemy).

But, unlike the Catechism of the Catholic Church, it uses no word like sin or blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

However, in the chapter about the sacrament of penance or confession there is a clear reference with these words: “when we find in Sacred Scripture and in the writings of the Fathers passages which seem to assert that certain sins are irremissible, we must understand the meaning to be that it is very difficult to obtain pardon for them. A disease is sometimes called incurable, because the patient is so disposed as to loathe the medicines that could afford him relief. In the same way certain sins are not remitted or pardoned because the sinner rejects the grace of God, the only medicine for salvation” (The Roman Catechism, part II, Chapter: The Sacrament of Penance, n.246: Effects of the Sacrament of Penance).

3. The editor of the Italian edition, the Genoese Mons. Luigi Andrianopoli, noted: [tr.] “Christ excludes a single sin from forgiveness, the sin against the Holy Spirit.

It is the sin by the Jews, adversaries of Christ.

The Jews recognize that Jesus really casts out demons, but they attribute to Satan the works that the Savior evidently carries out by virtue of divine powers; that means they refuse to understand and believe, having eyes and not wanting to see.

God is ready to receive the sinner who repents, but the Pharisees do not want to repent and therefore their position cannot be forgiven.

Therefore, the sin against the Holy Spirit consists in the fact that, while acknowledging the mission of Jesus, nevertheless, one stubbornly rebels against it and pertinaciously rejects it.

While one remains in that position, that sin is unforgivable.”

4. Also the catechism of Pius X does not speak of sins against the Holy Spirit. However, it lists them within the formulas and prayers. It is the list you copied.

5. While speaking of sins against the Holy Spirit, St. Thomas himself presents three interpretations given by theologians, and each one is acceptable.

In the end, he himself introduces the six that are traditionally known.

However, their formulation is not a dogma of faith, but a theological conclusion thereafter safely agreed.

6. The Catechism of the Catholic Church seems to shorten them into one: keeping one’s own heart hardened toward the Lord, that is equivalent to final impenitence.

Here are the textual words: “every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven” (Mt 12:32).

“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” (CCC 1864).

7. In conclusion, we can say that the existence of sin against the Holy Spirit is an infallible truth because the Gospel explicitly speaks of it.

Instead, we cannot say as truth of faith the list in number of six for the sins against the Holy Spirit.

It is a theological classification or conclusion.

I bless you and I wish you every good.

Father Angelo