July 11, 2021

Dear St. Martin of Tours Family & Friends,

I am asked the following question with some regularity: “Father, how do I prepare for the sacrament of Confession?” That’s a very good question indeed. It depends. There are, traditionally, considered to be three levels of perfection:

Level 1: Would never commit a mortal sin
Level 2: Would never commit a venial sin
Level 3: Would never succumb to any imperfection

(Imperfection: A licit good, enjoyed by the individual, although not necessary for living.)

If you are still struggling with mortal sin, then the best thing to do is to use the Ten Commandments as a means to examine your conscience. It’s not uncommon for those struggling with mortal sin to have difficulty with sexual sins (and since these concern the 6th and 9th commandments, the traditional course on the subject of sexual sin was called, in Latin, “De sexto et nono”). However, there are others that are also common. Knowingly and willingly to miss a Sunday Mass or a Holy Day of Obligation is a sin against the 2nd commandment; serious gossip or serious lying are against the 5th commandment (the killing of someone’s reputation) and also the 8th commandment (bearing false witness). Yes, all of these are mortal sins.

However, Catholics who attend Mass, who pray, and who receive the sacraments, are not supposed to be struggling with mortal sin! We ought to understand that any serious sin of one person hurts Jesus horribly, and how could you do that to someone you love so much? So venial sin ought to be the usual content of Confession. To examine one’s conscience on this level of sin, the Ten Commandments are less helpful. More helpful are to consider the so-called “Seven Capital Sins” and their contrary virtues:

Pride versus Humility
Envy versus Kindness
Gluttony versus Abstinence
Lust versus Chastity
Anger versus Patience
Greed versus Liberality
Sloth versus Diligence

If you no longer are afflicted by succumbing to mortal sin or even venial sin, then you may still confess your imperfections, even though they are not sins.

God bless you all,