What are venial sins? A few examples to recognize them

Some examples of venial sins.

Il Catechism describes two main types. In the first place, a venial sin is committed when "in a less serious thing [del mortal sin], the norm prescribed by the moral law is not observed "(CCC 1862). In other words, if one does something immoral but the thing is not serious enough to be grossly immoral, one commits only venial sin.

For example, thedeliberate hatred it can be a venial sin or a mortal sin depending on the gravity of the hatred. The Catechism explains: “Voluntary hatred is contrary to charity. Hatred of neighbor is a sin when man deliberately wants evil for him. Hatred of one's neighbor is a grave sin when serious harm is deliberately desired for him. "But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for your persecutors, so that you may be children of your heavenly Father ..." (Mt 5,44: 45-XNUMX).

Another example is the offensive language. "Offensive language is prohibited by the fifth commandment, but it would be a serious offense only because of the circumstances or the intention of the offender" (CCC 2073).

The second type of venial sin concerns situations where the thing is serious enough to be grossly immoral, but the offense lacks at least one of the other essential elements required for mortal sin.

The Catechism explains that only venial sin is committed "when one disobeys the moral law in a serious matter but without full knowledge or without complete consent" (CCC 1862).

An example of this would be the masturbation. The Catechism, number 2352, explains: “By masturbation we must mean the voluntary arousal of the genital organs, in order to derive venereal pleasure from them. "Both the Magisterium of the Church - in line with a constant tradition - and the moral sense of the faithful have stated without hesitation that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered act". "Whatever the reason, the deliberate use of the sexual faculty outside normal marital relations essentially contradicts its purpose." Sexual enjoyment is sought in it outside the "sexual relationship required by the moral order, that which realizes, in a context of true love, the integral sense of mutual self-giving and human procreation".

In order to formulate a fair judgment on the moral responsibility of the subjects and to guide pastoral action, consideration will be given to affective immaturity, the strength of the habits contracted, the state of anguish or other psychic or social factors that can mitigate, if not even reduce moral guilt to a minimum ”.

Source: Catholicsay. com.