Catholic Q & A

Our Sunday Visitor has some interesting Questions and Answers up for this week on the creed, excommunication due to an abortion, and the difference between mortal and venial sin. The Catholic Answer

The only caution I would offer is on the mortal sin question. Yes, the Catechism states that a serious sin is a violation of the Ten Commandments, which of course it is. However, as with anything else, there are degrees. I read an article once about a 2nd grader all stressed out and feeling like she couldn't receive communion because she had disobeyed her parents (a violation of the 4th commandment) and believed that she had committed a mortal sin because she had violated the commandments. The average disobedience of a child, while not desirable and something for the child to confess, is certainly in the "venial" sin category. So, when speaking to children about venial and mortal sin, it is important to emphasize the nature of a "serious" sin.