Teaching About Mortal Sin

I just read a very interesting article in US Catholic by J. Peter Nixon on "Is This the Best We Can Do?" talking about the need for adult catechesis in our parishes. He frames this in relation to the parent meetings for 1st Reconciliation and 1st Communion that he had recently attended. The talks focused on the importance of modeling forgiveness for our children and the importance of eating meals together as a family. He rightly objected to the "fluff" that we as a generation (Gen X and Y) have been taught in Religious Education over the years - there was a lot of "God loves you" (which is important) but not a real emphasis on the details of the faith.

I am thankful that I did have a strong religious upbringing. I had religious sisters for second, third, and sixth grade who instilled the faith in us. In high school, I studied scripture, morality, and church history. The best teaching I had, though, came from my mother who taught me to pray and made sure religious books were always available for me to read. I am trying to do the same for my own children. What happens in the home is of paramount importance in religious education whether they are in Catholic School or not.

At one point in his article, however, J. Peter Nixon agreed with the catechist that we should not teach our children about mortal sin. I heartily disagree and I wrote the following letter to the editors of US Catholic to present my reasons. I don't know whether they will ever print it, but I am sharing it with you:

I agree with much in the article "Is This The Best We Can Do?" We need to stop underestimating the intelligence of the people in the pews. People are hungering for the truth and the great richness of our faith. I disagree with the idea that we should not teach our children about mortal sin, however.

As a mother of two young boys, I want them to have a strong sense of right and wrong. There are some acts that are intrinsically evil. There are levels of sin. Telling a small lie is not on the same level as murder or abortion or premarital sex. There are some things that can be seen in terms of black and white and it is possible to make choices that will cut you off from God until you become reconciled. God doesn't want it this way but we have free will and we have the ability to turn our backs on God.

As the Act of Contrition states, "I detest all my sins, because of your just punishments, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all-good and deserving of all my love." Yes, we should do the right thing out of love, but a healthy fear of God and his "just punishments" can help children do the right thing while they are growing up. I know it helped keep me on a straighter path than I might otherwise have taken. I don't consider that a bad thing.