Going To Confession And Sins

[Carolou]

I know what makes a sin mortal. But, if I had commited many acts that would have been a mortal sin if I had known...but didn't know at the time of doing them, and then I found out later that those are in the catagory of grave matter. Do they become mortal sins because I eventually found out that they should have been, if I had known better?

Well, I confessed them anyways. I'm just curious.

Also....for months now I have been trying to stop commited a certain sin, a mortal one. I keep going to confession week after week because I keep failing. I actually think I may be getting better and going longer now, finally, without commited the sin. Is it wrong that I keep going to confession when I'm supposed to be changing my life but then I always mess up again? I am sorry for my sins and I do try very hard to change and stop. But it's a very bad habit and, I think, addiction. I know that I can't stop if I don't have the graces from God and if I don't receive Jesus at Mass on Sunday.

So, is it wrong for me to keep going to confession even though I keep on messing up?

Thanks..prayers would be much appreciated too.

[cappie]

The area covered by human ignorance is clearly a vast one. For our purposes, however, three divisions may be noted.

* Ignorance of law, when one is unaware of the existence of the law itself, or at least that a particular case is comprised under its provisions.
* Ignorance of the fact, when not the relation of something to the law but the thing itself or some circumstance is unknown.
* Ignorance of penalty, when a person is not cognizant that a sanction has been attached to a particular crime. This is especially to be considered when there is question of more serious punishment.

Invincible ignorance, whether of the law or of the fact, is always a valid excuse and excludes sin. The evident reason is that neither this state nor the act resulting therefrom is voluntary. They were not Mortal sins.

Regarding the second part canon law says:

Can. 987 In order that the faithful may receive the saving remedy of the sacrament of penance, they must be so disposed that, repudiating the sins they have committed and having the purpose of amending their lives, they turn back to God.

When we go to confession providing we admit our sins and have contrition for them and [b]intend[/b] not to comit them again (eventhough we may acknowledge through habit we may) then our sins are forgiven.

In the relm of habit or addiction the Catechism has this to say:

2352

To form an equitable judgment about the subjects' moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety or other psychological or social factors that lessen, if not even reduce to a minimum, moral culpability.

P.S. Never give up always avail yourself of the grace of the sacrament

Edited May 1, 2006 by cappie