Mortal vs. Venial Sin

This Examination of Conscience is very thorough covering:

Making an Examination of Conscience

The difference between mortal and venial sin

The Ten Commandments

The precepts of the Church

How to go to Confession

Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding Confession

Quotes from Saints on Confession

Pope Francis on Confession

It is evident in this video that Fr. Casey Cole has a great love for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. One of his disappointments is that some who come to to Confession have not been given proper formation in how to make a good Confession.

Because the confessional is not always conducive for instruction on "How to make a proper Confession", Fr. Casey has created Tik Tok videos featuring seven different common ways people can misuse the sacrament.

The videos are exaggerated scenarios where Fr. Casey plays the priest hearing Confession and the penitent individual. What is most clearly expressed in this video is Fr. Casey's deep love and respect for those coming to Confession and his hope that all who come to the sacrament can experience God's amazing love for them.

Key Takeaways

• Fr. Casey desires to "teach" and "form" individuals in the proper use of the Sacrament of Confession

Some ways people do not use the sacrament properly:

• List - Individuals can come to Confession with a long list of sins without much evidence of contrition for any of them.
• Burying the Lede - There are some who hurriedly squeeze a serious sin between two venial sins without giving an indication that there's a difference between the two.
• Confessing everything as mortal - Not all sins are serious. It is important to know the difference between the two.
• Scrupulosity - The frequent, habitual use of Confession is usually an indication of a mental health issue. The CCC #1393 and 1394 show how our sins are expiated through our reception of the Eucharist at mass. This may not be enough for those who suffer from obsessive, compulsive disorder, but it may give some comfort to them.
• Vagueness - Confessing that you have broken commandments 1, 5 and 8 is not enough information for the priest to understand what you are struggling with.
• Naming other's sins - Confession is about your relationship with God. It is not meant to be a time to discuss the faults of others.
• The Rambler - Confession is not the time to discuss theological questions or sorting out how you feel about things. It is always about confessing the ways in which you've failed to love God.
• Welcome Home - It it clearly shown how much having someone return to the Sacrament of Confession means to Fr. Casey in this last short Tik Tok video. True contrition is a joy to see.

Questions for Reflection

1. Did any of the videos make you think of the way you go to Confession?
2. Were you convicted by any of the videos?
3. Will viewing these videos help you think about how you approach the sacrament the next time you go?
4. Can you sense how Fr. Casey feels about the Sacrament of Confession?

The Sacrament of Confession is scriptural. When we confess our sins to a priest, we are obeying Christ and how He envisioned us relieving the burden of our transgressions. If we are a follower of Christ we do what He asks us to do!

Chris gives us four main reasons to go to Confession. Some of the reasons he suggests are ones that are not typically mentioned : psychological health, going straight to God instead of relying on ourselves , making sure our serious, mortal sins are forgiven and healing our community through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

There is so much packed into this short video you may have to watch it several times to catch it all.

Make sure you're taking notes!

Key Takeaways

• The devil is a liar. His desire is that our sins would fester in our heart, harming us mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally. When you confess your sins, you are removing their power over you.
• When you go to Confession you are going straight to Christ himself. The priest is "In personaChristi", in English, " In the person of Christ". Professing your sins to Christ is preferable to saying them to yourself in your room.
• Mortal sin breaks the friendship we have with God. If we desire to restore this relationship we must seek absolution from a priest. We can be sure of this healing when we hear the words the priest speaks during the sacrament.
• The only way to heal the damage we have done to the community when we sin is through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
• My relationship with God does not depend on my perfect love for Him but on His perfect love for me.

Questions for Reflection

1. Were any of the reasons Chris mentioned for going to Confession new to you?
2. What do you think about the words the priest speaks to you in the sacrament? Did this video give you a greater appreciation of what is said in Confession?
3. What do you think of the concept that Christ died to give us grace and mercy? Do you think of that reality in relationship to the Sacrament of Confession?

In Fr. Nixon's first video on Confession, he explains where the authority of the sacrament originated. Jesus has the power to forgive sins and He passes this ability on to His priests. In this video he examines some particulars of the sacrament.

A priest may never break the seal of Confession. He is forbidden to discuss any particulars of what he has been told by the penitent. He assures us that priests do not remember the sins they have been told. After hearing many Confessions, a priest will not be scandalized by our sins.

In Confession we name what we have done. Declaring it out loud is in an important step in the healing process. The wound has been opened and can now be cured.

Key Takeaways

• Your sins are not that interesting.
• The priest rejoices with those who are coming to the sacrament.
• We are good at deceiving ourselves, that's why it's important to confess our sins.
• When we claim our sins, God can bring His grace, His mercy and His healing to our soul.
• When we hide our sins they fester.

Questions for Reflection

1. Have you ever been healed of a sin you were afraid to confess and felt the relief afterwards?
2. Did you realize how serious the seal of Confession is for a priest?
3. Are there things in your life you blame others for, but you know they are a result of your own failings?

Confession is not a place of sadness. It is one of the most joyful places in the world. First, you get to experience God's mercy and the love that God gave to us through the cross. Second, it is a place where people are striving to grow in holiness.

Fr. Mike iterates that the priest does not remember your sins. Sins are not fascinating, but PEOPLE are fascinating. Sins are boring. God is more interested in you than in the sins you have committed.

The heart of the priest is revealed in Confession. He recognizes his own failures and faults. The priest knows Christ has paid the price of the forgiveness of our sins and joins his sufferings to that of Christ for the love of the penitent. In the confessional , the priest gets to see God winning His children back.

Key Takeaways

• It is not sad for a priest to hear people's sins in Confession.
• Confession is a place to see God's Mercy in action.

In confession

• the discouraged are lifted up
• the wounded are healed
• the lost are found
• Sin is a failure. Going to Confession and saying, "I'm not giving up on a God who has not given up on me" is a victory!
• You are a part of God's masterpiece
• Priests are God's "garbage men".
• Confession is a place of Victory!

Questions for Reflection

1. Do you think of yourself as someone who is trying to love God more or someone who has failed when you go to Confession?
2. What do you think of Fr. Mike Schmitz's image of a priest being God's garbage man?
3. What part of this video had the greatest impact on you? Why?

Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church on Confession: paragraphs 1420-1498