Friend missing Mass

[beatty07]

Aloysius it looks like we basically agree on the situation. I certainly agree that helping someone see the truth is our responsibility, more than assessing their culpability.

I guess it depends on definitions, too. Back in the day, common usage of "mortal sin" didn't consider subjective factors like knowledge. It was used basically synonymously with "grave matter." But now the term is usually used in the more precise sense, where all three conditions are met. Under that definition (CCC 1857), we can't call a sin "mortal" for sure without knowing about full knowledge.

But maybe fudging a little is appropriate if there's no other way to communicate that skipping Mass is a big, big deal. I'd just hate to tell someone they had killed their soul if I didn't know it to be true. First, it could reorient their relationship with God into fear, and interfere with the grace that we know is working. Second, I would probably come off sounding cocksure and sanctimonious, and that would give scandal. Most of my friends are well aware that I'm not qualified to make that kind of judgment.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, it's just that I have so many friends in this situation...if I'm not seeing it straight then I want to correct that.

BTW Dreamweaver, did it work out with Mass last night?

[Aloysius]

objectively speaking, it is still accurate to call any sin of grave matter a mortal sin. whether or not a person is culpable for it says whether or not the person has mortally sinned, but a mortal sin (a sin with mortal potential) is always a mortal sin.

[Dreamweaver]

well, last night he told me that he doesn't want to go to Mass. Even though he's off of work, he has tons of homework to do.



Whats the easiest way to inform someone of the Sunday obligation without sounding "holier than thou"? At the very least, I'll tell him that he needs to go to confession before receiving the Eucharist.

[beatty07]

CCC 1857: "For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: 'Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent.'" This defines "mortal sin", not "sinning mortally." I acknowledged the other usage, even though I think it's obfuscatory and imprecise. But you can't toss out the usage defined in the CCC.

Edited November 6, 2005 by beatty07

[beatty07]

Dream that's a good idea. If you're that worried about sounding holier-than-thou, you probably won't!

Either way, there's a good chance he'll transfer his own guilt into anger at you...it doesn't necessarily mean you've failed.

Good luck.

[Cow of Shame]

[quote name='Dreamweaver' date='Nov 6 2005, 10:02 AM']
Whats the easiest way to inform someone of the Sunday obligation without sounding "holier than thou"?
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See my suggestion above. If you can, lead towards reasons why you should go, not just because you're obligated. WHY are we obligated? WHY is it so important? ...other than we don't want wrinkled, starved, ugly little souls?