Question

Dear Father Angelo,

1. I hope that the start of this new year is going well for you.

I would like to ask you a rather specific question regarding a grave sin committed in a situation where the ignorance of its nature was vincible (or even invincible, but culpably) because of a mistake or because of an act of the will.

Is it correct to say that there must be the knowledge of being on the verge of committing a grave sin by failing to overcome the error (by doing and examination of conscience and of the matter etc.), and would that in itself be considered a grave sin already?

Of course, this would only happen if there was a doubt that an act (or the effect of it) could be grave.

If not, how could this be reconciled with the full knowledge required by mortal sin?

2. Let me add two questions to the previous ones, this time about the sin of scandal and fraternal correction. I wonder whether it is a duty to omit certain superfluous but good actions that may lead a brother to sin (e.g., whether I should avoid saying a joke that is good in itself but that I know may lead a person to curse God because of it). I wonder about this because, with a friend of mine who is used to cursing frequently, often even a simple joke or phrase can be an occasion for blasphemy.

And on fraternal correction, is there any obligation to exhort a friend not to curse, even though it’s likely that he will at most limit himself only in my presence. The usefulness would therefore be very relative.

I thank you again, wish you a good day and assure you of my remembrance in prayer.

Matthew

Priest’s answer

Dear Matthew,

1. I try to interpret your thought with an example: we know that not attending Holy Mass on Sundays or on holy days of obligation constitutes a grave or mortal sin.

Many people never go to Mass, and when Sunday or a holy day of obligation comes, they have no idea that they are committing a sin.

2. By not thinking about it and not deliberating choosing to not attend Mass, the full knowledge of the mind and the deliberate consent of the will are per se lacking.

3. Can it be said in this case that they do not commit any sin?

4. To give an adequate answer, it is necessary to make a distinction between invincible and blameless ignorance and invincible and culpable ignorance.

You have asked your question in reference to the second situation, that is, when you have invincible and culpable ignorance.

Now there is invincible and culpable ignorance when a person has been negligent in learning their duty as a good Christian when it was possible, or when he has allowed himself to go down a path of habitual sin that has blinded him, making him think he isn’t committing any sin at all.

5. Well, in this case, the person has sinned upstream when he did not abide by his duty to educate himself or when, having sinned, he hasn’t straightened himself up, but rather let himself go, allowing the veil caused by ignorance and habit to become like a second nature.

Some people, unfortunately many, have no awareness that on Sunday they are committing a grave sin.

But they are oblivious of living in a state of grave sin, wrapped in torpor and supernatural indifference.

6. Their situation is more serious than those who deliberately decide not to go to Mass without having a serious reason to excuse them.

It is true that in the second case there is full knowledge and deliberate consent and therefore a grave sin is committed.

And it is also true that in the first case, since there is no full knowledge and deliberate consent, the person does not commit a grave sin in that precise situation. But since the person is oblivious of living in a state of habitual grave sin and in spiritual torpor, he finds himself in a worse and more dangerous situation, such as is described by the Lord when He said : “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” (Mt 24:38-42).

7. For the first additional question, I can say that you do not commit a grave sin at all if the other person curses. The grave sin is done by him.

But if you know that joke will make him curse, avoid saying it.

8. On fraternal correction, if you judge that the circumstance is appropriate, you can make it.

You can tell him, for example, that he can give that adjective to you or, if he wants, he can give it to himself, but certainly not to God, who does not deserve it at all.

Especially since we read in Scripture that he who takes the name of God in vain does not go unpunished (Ex 20:7). And evidently it is even worse for those who blaspheme against his name.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayer, which I gladly reciprocate, wish you well and bless you.

Father Angelo

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