“Is This a Sin?”

If you begin to sin but don’t follow all the way through… is it still a sin? It depends.
We’re offered two different scenarios. In one, the person is prevented from sinning due to external factors that make it impractical or impossible to commit the sin they had planned on. In the second scenario, we see someone preparing to sin, but then freely and rationally choosing not to. The first scenario is a sin, but the second is a virtuous act. Why?
Because the second person freely decided not to commit sin, they morally aligned themselves toward the good when they had previously been aimed towards sin. They redirected their will toward God when they could have continued to go against him. In a simpler sense, they were headed down a bad path, but then turned around before making it to their destination.
That being said, while the second person did realign themselves toward virtue, the extent to which they consented to this sin ahead of time may be worth a confession. Even though the person chose virtue in the end, their soul was still burdened with those thoughts, and in confession, those burdens are lifted through forgiveness.
The beautiful part about our faith is that we have a Savior who is always ready and willing to forgive us. Surrendering our hearts to him creates a living relationship with God, where we trust his knowledge of our hearts, and run to him whenever we are in need of saving.
Fr. Mike just teamed up with Fr. Josh Johnson to author the Pocket Guide to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (tinyurl.com/yx...! Sign up and be the first to pre-order it.
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[@thepunkrockchristian]

5 years ago I would’ve never said this with a gun to my head, but I can’t wait till I can go to confession! I’m (God willing) getting baptized this year and I’ve never been so ready for anything.

[@kaliek3781]

Wow! That is great to hear! Praying for you!

[@thefeelingisneutral]

God bless you!! & congratulations

[@catnip1767]

Welcome home, Connor.

[@nadiah169]

How cool!!! Sweet to hear that 🙏💌

[@FreedomandBaconHomestead]

Congratulations!

[@ADORATION_OFFICIAL]

Hey Father Mike, Lutheran here, but I gotta say you have been a great influence in my spiritual life. Thank you!

[@fiji-1312]

Thanks father Mike for another great video ☺️

[@vincenzorutigliano5435]

Amen 🙏 hopefully we have you back with us one day 💙 blessings

[@Donna-cc1kt]

My mother in law was Lutheran. She was a big influence on me. A good a holy woman.

[@michaelciccone2194]

@Jackson Missouri Synod Lutheran church very to RC Church...no women priests and liturgy like RC church.

[@PerlyPerdomoP]

Hey! We have a lutheran in our ministry! For some reason he's among those who participate the most! 😃

[@praytherosaryeveryday2709]

The blessed virgin Mary said at one of her apparitions that "monthly confession will be the remedy for the west". So we should all Do an examination of conscience every night and unburden our soul's at least once a month and pray the rosary daily and we will have peace and strength to carry our crosses in life

[@ericleming1734]

I believe that we all sinned and fall short from God.

[@coachchris548]

@@ericleming1734 That's why Christ instituted the Sacrament of Confession. Then the graces flow thru the Immaculate Heart of Mary " My Soul Magnifies the Lord" Luke chapter 1:46

[@edfulginiti8798]

I do NOT like going to confession…but every time I do, I always feel soooo good! Blessings.

[@teresahoyt5750]

Kinda like me and working out! 😂😅

[@Katherine-ug5dl]

Lately, when I feel myself getting frustrated and overwhelmed, moving toward anger, I've been getting the regular impulse to pray against it rather than go along with it. It's such a blessing that in my struggles and failures I am being drawn closer to God.

[@tanbabesaden2066]

Me too, always pray without ceasing it helps me even though hard sometimes 🙏🙏

[@IONov990]

Saint Jerome is a patron saint of those who struggle with anger.

[@cuauhtemocmorisco3493]

Honest to God sometimes its alright to vent your feelings by yourself in your room. Hell i curse at God and cry myself to sleep yet i know i just have to vent and since my relationship is with God, my father, and the angels then they understand why i feel this way😂 but in the end i always pray and feel better. I think being with God means being honest with him.

[@JohnchapterVersesand]

@@IONov990 thank you I personally love Saint Jerome but today I learnt something from you. Thanks again.

[@IONov990]

@@JohnchapterVersesand I need his intervention as well. I can be a rather resentful person. I'm happy you learned something from me.

[@MrLetmein2011]

At the age of 59 I am being drawn back to the Catholic Church, it feels good xx I listen to Father Mike’s rosary video several times a day. God Bless you Fr Mike 🙏🏻

[@daveg8700]

Yes! Please do a video about “not sure if this is a sin but I’ll confess it anyways “

[@emanuelortiz6858]

This please!

[@jorgejorge6857]

Yess! I thought I was the only one!

[@michaelacioffi1291]

A few weeks ago I went to confession and apart from confessing my sins I also shared something that I was troubled with for a while, and I remember the love and mercy that I received was overwhelming that in my heart I saw Jesus through the priest whom I was confessing to.

[@michaelacioffi1291]

@j I feel you because I ones felt the same thing from another priest, and I remember saying that I'll never go to another confession again, until I got the courage to go to another priest to confess. Just don't give up and keep on going to confession until you find that priest who gives you courage and helps you to get closer to Jesus. God bless you! 😊

[@michaelacioffi1291]

@j Maybe you're going through trials like Job had to go through (I'm listening to Fr Mike's Bible in a year podcast and he's been reading from the book of Job). Please don't give up, connect with God and share your thoughts and feelings to Him through prayer and also read the Bible so you connect more with God and you can relate with Biblical characters I'll keep you my prayers so that you'll find the right guidance.

[@trashtvinternational]

Can married couple perform oral sex or is that sin….????

[@teresaritchie2177]

@@trashtvinternationalSin.

[@melissaumuhire7804]

PLEASE MAKE THAT VIDEO ON CONFESSING THINGS THAT AREN'T SINS 😌 I struggle with this

[@nicolevalentini5819]

Me too, big time. Scrupulosity.

[@cyntogia]

"Hearing the confessions of nuns is akin to being stoned to death with popcorn." - Fulton J. Sheen I'm sure I didn't get the quote exact..

[@amgalleg1]

I struggle BAD with scrupulosity! 😢

[@billythebeard6055]

Just go to the confession and the priest will tell you if that's a sin or not. It helped me a lot with my confessor knowing the difference. Pray to God first before going there to ask God for the right confessor. This helps a lot which I get a good "counseling" session and guidance.

[@eleanormalone1677]

Me too. I feel very guilty over small things

[@einarabelc5]

Your Podcast is helping like this: "It's not about that God wants us to believe in Him. He wants us to Belong to Him, willfully and lovingly". That not only explains a lot of things historically and in a matter of societal patterns but must importantly personally. I can think of John Paul's II courage streaming from that decision to Belong to God.

[@jandaniel3619]

G 5

[@jula5417]

Fr. Mike is amazing 🤩 Greetings from Poland 😊

[@vp9112]

Jula Zdravím zo Slovenska 😉

[@angrypotato_fz]

Jest nas wiele!

[@jula5417]

@@vp9112 😊😊😊

[@jula5417]

@@angrypotato_fz Tylko się cieszyć 😀

[@einarabelc5]

@@jula5417 So much better than Cyberpunk 2077. Keep going!!! And remember what It is said in Mike Schmitt's podcast episode 2: "It's not about that God wants us to believe in Him. He wants us to Belong to Him, willfully and lovingly". There are many people that believe in God, but don't want to do His will, they want to USE God to do THEIR will. When I think about those who surrendered to God's will and wanted to belong to Him I think of Karol Wojtyla, father Jerzy Popiełuszko and of course after all that happened St. Peter and St. Paul.

[@CARS63]

I love going to confession.

[@dinaandrade5415]

I love it too, but now during Covid we can't go as often as we'd like.

[@CARS63]

@@dinaandrade5415 I live in Spain, which is primarily a Catholic country, so our churches are still open, albeit with reduced service. But we had a total lockdown of everything including churches in the spring last year. Where do you live?

[@dinaandrade5415]

I'm in South Africa

[@CARS63]

@@dinaandrade5415 I found in Wikipedia under 'religion in South Africa' that South Africa has a vast majority of Christianity, but only 6.8% Catholic. Wow, that's tiny. I grew up in Canada and lived there until I was 50 years old. I went to catholic grade school and high school there. It was and is a predominantly Catholic country and almost all religions are Christian. Currently it's still 39% Catholic. How did you find Catholicism there with such a small following?

[@mrking695]

I don’t like open confessional.

[@dutchknight5371]

I’ve had this question in the back of my mind forever. Thank you for answering this great moral question!

[@raros5475]

Thank you father, you just helped me more than you know😊

[@jz-remaztered3135]

He did help me alot too right now, I've haf major doubts for the last 3 or 2 weeks and now and I feel no longer stressed about it

[@marliciafernandez1701]

This was very helpful, Father Mike and I look forward to the other video about "I'm not sure if this is a sin or not, but I'm going to confess it anyway." This is something I struggle with. May God bless you for all the good you are doing.

[@Jordangeier2319]

Why we need to ALL pray the Holy Rosary everyday.

[@nilshubinette4932]

Also Our Lady of Fatima said so.

[@anchuannet4968]

Father Mike you are truly blessing for all of us specially in this Era of destruction. You explained it very well. God bless you and use you in a mighty way

[@nachtigon3400]

God bless and promote such a priests like Schmidt, Goring, Altman...and many other...all faithful bishops and all Catholics with brain in their heads and God in their hearts!

[@st.michaelthearchangel7774]

This is why it’s such a gift to be Catholic: we can dig down into the nitty gritty of our sins, root them out, and go to confession, allowing for more of God’s Grace to enter our heart and permeate our soul. This is why there are so many saints in the Church. What a pity to reject the sacraments that our separated brothers and sisters do. :/

[@daily_mmswp]

You create daily podcast and are still able to record preaching video... Thank you so much for your words!

[@cuauhtemocmorisco3493]

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

[@itznsdominator3521]

I love this man, thank you for enlightening my life and my soul, God Bless you Father. You are Doing God's Will.

[@evelynr1540]

Wonderful Father Mike, please make the other video that you mentioned here. We love hearing you always Father Mike. God Bless You

[@lillye7099]

Perfect timing! I’ve been struggling for the past month and feeding the anger over a certain situation by complaining. I’d have to take it to confession so now I’ll bring it to God or our Heavenly Mother. Amen!

[@Catholiclady3]

I have so many things I want to talk to my priest about but I never do because I know he's busy with my parish and you take that place for me so often with your videos. Thank you so much!!

[@doz7296]

do you know if you commit a mortal sin can you confess it alone with a confession prayer and ask for forgiveness or you cannot confess it unless you go to confession because confession is not easy acess to me unfortatley so ive been confessing my sins with a confession prayer

[@kathrynmadigan8629]

Thanks for the clarification! God bless you!

[@lizb853]

The example that Father Mike gives is one that's quite straightforward. The intention to do wrong, to hurt someone or commit a bad action, is there, so, is in itself a sin, therefore worthy of confession.

[@carissstewart3211]

Adam sinned in his heart before he reached for the forbidden fruit.

[@lizb853]

@@carissstewart3211 I agree 100% which is why, and bearing in mind what the general confession says in ANY Anglican or RC Church before the full mass begins, "we have sinned in THOUGHT( intention).word and deed" and if the thought or intention is or WAS meant to hurt or harm in anyway, whether or not you carry it out in the end, IS against Jesus and therefore must be acknowledged if we want a clear and clean conscience.

[@tomandrews1429]

@@carissstewart3211 So then what was the sin, the reaching and picking the fruit or the commitment to do it beforehand?

[@Elainemom]

Thanks for the Bible study. Loving it...your truly doing the will of God. God bless you always.

[@TheDragonrider70]

Thank you Fr Mike for this video it made me resolve to be more sensitive and thorough with my examination of conscience. God bless you always.

[@DeWolden68]

May God repay you, Father. Really the kind of advice I was looking for.

[@alexandermaciag377]

Once again, thank you, Father Mike, my brother.

[@oonwing]

Went to confession Monday, even shared you Mass...Thank you Ft. Mike.

[@leyblinders3354]

Thank u Lord!! Thank u Fr. Mike!! I was needing this. God bless u!!

[@nojo1986]

Holy cow! So when planning to do the BiaY podcast, I decided to hold off on buying the bible and just use the one I ready had. Well, I'm quickly learning about how I'm missing a lot of biblical books, so I tried to order the Great Adventure Bible and...they are sold out until May!!😱 I'm so smitten seeing how unprepared they were for the massive success of the podcast! Hooray🥰🥰🥰

[@user-mt8to4qu2m]

God bless you, Father Mike! You are an amazing shepherd. May God grant you many graces 🙏 Concerning anger, yes, I do believe your friend should confess it. Jesus told us, “But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment.” Even though he/she did not send the letter, they were still angry with their brother.

[@clq2461]

When I have come across this type of thing in my own life, I have looked to CCC paragraphs #2302 and #2303 which talks about anger toward neighbor. The line that strikes me the most in those two paragraphs is "Anger is the desire for revenge". That is why I tend to confession the times where in anger, I thinking badly of others.

[@happyandblessed5640]

I so needed that word, been struggling with writting romantic fiction, and trying to do it from a Christian viewpoint without making it lustful. I wanted to show a relationship from a Christian view point and I have been tempted to make it more like the worldly book, which I'm tempted to do. I want to write a book that's pleasing to G0D that will glorify and encourage rather than hinder someones walk. Amen to this message.

[@Donna-cc1kt]

Words come easily when writing acrobatic sex, lol. Not so easy describing its glory, tenderness, melding for something greater than self. While I sympathize, is it relative to your story? My brother wrote a couple good books. I think he saw dollar signs and of course he threw some sex in it. Blah, so disjointed from his brilliance. He succumbed to temptation. Does sex enrich your story or glorify your tale? Have you ever watched a movie and all of a sudden it’s a sultry R rating and folks ask, Why!? It often interrupts the gist of the story and you’ve lost credibility in your true objective. Just saying.

[@happyandblessed5640]

@@Donna-cc1kt Thanks for your reply. You are right. I think Characters with flaws and how God help them to develop by learning to accept one another is a lot more powerful than putting them in a bed together.

[@rebeccaservais8115]

romance can be shown through kindness for each other, going out of the way to do something nice for someone

[@happyandblessed5640]

@@rebeccaservais8115 Thank you for taking the time to reply, that was nice of you. I agree with what you have said and my books will be written in this way. Kindness is a beautiful thing.

[@trashtvinternational]

Can married couple perform oral sex or is that sin….???? PS where can I read your novel..?

[@mocabe01]

Considering that even mere thoughts can be mortal sins, you know very well that there are too many people receiving communion.

[@patrim69]

Such good points. I think sometimes people see confession as a way to simply clean their slate..i.e." I'm not sure if this was a sin , but I'll confess it anyway ". The whole intention behind confession..is to bring before God what is in our hearts that separates us from Him. Confession is training us to cultivate this awareness and surrender , from moment to moment.

[@cousinmartin]

God bless you Father Mike!

[@billythebeard6055]

Wow. This is very helpful. Now I know. Thank you, Fr. Mike! 🙏🏻

[@Tyler-qo7mu]

I've been watching Father Mike and I really like his messages because he really believes in what he talks about and hes excited about it. I just wanna know who makes his coffee. Caffeine is definitely a factor here🙂

[@joyyoung3319]

Thank You Father. God Bless You!

[@Theodorik9]

You are truly doing your god's work. You offer sound advice that has often help me through difficult times in a way that didn't seem to overly preach your dogma.

[@ruthnoelmarie...9061]

These facial expressions by Father Mike are hilarious. Each one brings a smile to my soul. Quite humorous. 🤣🙌🏻🙏🏻🕊

[@debbie4503]

I read the title of this message. And my first thought was, If you have to ask, it most likely is a sin.

[@jenlovesjesus]

Fantastic video! I really get a lot out of these videos. Thank you and God bless!

[@SuperrBoyful]

Love this priest!

[@giovannipagliari1537]

Thanks for sharing another great video Father Mike. I struggle with this often. God bless you in your ministry in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

[@Rgon8789]

Hi Father Mike. I listen to you regularly. Thanks for keep my mind grounded. Also, I love the weeping angel 😇 photo. Thank you Father Mike

[@pammiesingkho1786]

Ooohhh I jst wish all the priest would speak like u Fr. Mike!! Sucha nice topic u have here-- I am discovering a lot alredy...

[@tinat2967]

Thank you so much for your wisdom on this subject Fr. Mike. If you can, please make the video you mentioned making on “confessing sins anyway”, or if possible making a video more in depth on the last part you mentioned. It would be very helpful to explain mortal sin and venial sin when it comes to “interior” locutions. Thank you for all you do!

[@anna-mariawilliams6476]

Father Mike!!! I love your podcasts. So great to have a face to the voice💟. Keep being amazing!

[@richardcastro1276]

Thanks Fr. Mike, Very good examples, I hope I can digest this and look at answers from different videos. I am trying to look for that line so it is not crossed. But since in mass we have that portion when we are confessing as a Church in public... Let's see something like in, "I confess to you my brothers and sisters, and to All Mighty God that I have sinned my thoughts, in my words, in what I have done and what I have failed to do." So lots to remember in that one line, but we repeated so many times, its ingrained in our heads. We might not be able to quote scripture like our rebellious brothers, but we can definitely repeat some parts of the mass verbatim... and even follow along when the priest is consecrating the bread and wine. Anyways, the "thought" portion of that sentence is like: oh where is the line. I mean, so we can stay very far from it. And I can see the more we pray, the more we can by nature stay away from sin. Obviously, the words are a little easier, you either said it or you didn't like you said of the guy writing the bad letter. What I have done is the easiest of course... is either yes or no. And lastly the last one, which is what I have failed to do, or also the doing the right thing which could also be straight forward. Anyways, thank you for the video, Praise and thanks be to God.

[@smokeandmirrors-se]

Wow. This struck a chord within me ... Father Mike. You mean so much to me.

[@ginaCoss]

Nailed it in the final minute and a half, Father. Thank you and God bless🙏🏽 Btw, loving Bible in a Year! Congrats! AMDG

[@dianathompson1360]

You are a blessing in my life and I share your videos to my family you have been like a spiritual guide for me and we pray for you everyday. May God continue to bless you!

[@grand.geometrician]

The comparison is worthwhile only if one goes through the actual pain and suffering which are required to save other people. :)

[@AlexAsh25]

you know what? im really blessed to find ascension presents. its helping me through tough questions about sins and relationships. God wills anything and thats what i believe thoroughly. im only 15, but i know how important religion is. thank you ascension presents! 🥰😁

[@thegiantbeagle]

Love God he will always forgive you!

[@rutha1464]

Very well said, Father.

[@SirMrMystery]

I am picturing a priest robbing a bank haha. Great video. Solid advice

[@jereleenpascual7637]

Hi Fr. Mike I am a Christian Living and Values Education Teacher. It is not easy to look for videos and related articles about Social Teachings of The Catholic Church explained in a simple way. I came across one of your videos and I was relieved To have additional resources. I hope your team can visit Philippines to help upgrade CLVE subject to be a prerequisite of major subjects instead of just a minor subject that most students and parents criticize and disregard.

[@Girlwithapinkjeep]

It’s because the sin of robbing the bank was in the heart. I always say matters of the heart matter to God.

[@tomandrews1429]

This doesn't make much sense to me. One the ten commandments is to not steal. It seems like what you and Fr. Mike are saying is that it isn't the stealing that is the sin, but the commitment in the heart to do the stealing. Does this mean you are saying that the commandment is wrong? Shouldn't it say, thou shalt not plan to steal?

[@mrdefendo]

@@tomandrews1429 The 10 Commandments are laws by which we must all live. But Our Lord Himself said "you have heard that committing adultery is a sin. But I say to you that by lusting after another man's wife, you have committed adultery in your heart." And that by wishing death upon somebody, you are guilty of murder. This is paraphrasing, so please forgive me. Point being, willing to commit is a sin is in itself a sin. God bless!

[@ransomcoates546]

Oh boy Father, this is super-Catholic! Teaching people the authentic moral theology of our Faith. Sometimes the corporate Church acts as if it doesn’t care anymore. Thanks be to God that you do.

[@marymccannfrancis9855]

Amen so true god bless you father Mike

[@jo7871]

Saint Augustine. Love and do what you want because he who loves will never do anything wrong. Greetings from Lithuania.🙏🙏🙏👨‍🦲

[@tatronhox8711]

Ironic that I see this now. Thanks for making this video.

[@mupptluv]

We offer prayers, works, Joys, and sufferings because anything else is a sin, and sin is the one thing you can't offer up.

[@michelejackson2184]

Sometimes it’s more worthwhile to write down your hurt then tore it up rather than hurt someone in reality. It’s like removing the hurt from the inside to the outside, then it can be discarded.

[@YananoBere]

Beautiful. Thank you 🙏🏾

[@annieroche22]

I wrote the letter and I sent it. Oh my God, I really need to go to confession. Im disgusted with myself. I doubt confession will stop the person I sent that email to from hurting. Im disgusting and im disgusted with myself. Im so incredibly sorry for the hurt I caused. Its been 20 years.

[@melissaumuhire7804]

I don't want to condemn or judge you but I pray that your use of Oh My God was a prayer and not in vain. Let his name be praised and admired always. God bless and keep you. And don't doubt the mercy of Christ. As long as you never willfully withheld a serious sin in confession but you just forgot, rest assured that God's forgiveness covers each and every imperfection, vice, venial, and mortal sin💖 Mention it at your next confession for peace of mind and heart. Lay it at His feet and surrender it to him.

[@annieroche22]

@@melissaumuhire7804 thank you. I speak the words " oh my God" ....because I genuinely mean "oh God, please hear me". Thank you for your direction and help. I'm only refinding my way in my Catholic faith. Thank God for this channel amd bless Fr. Mike and God bless you. Thank you. Keep safe. Stay positive and test negative.

[@annieroche22]

Im afraid that if/when i go into a confession box, ill start bawling crying. There is so much that I'm so incredibly sorry for .

[@runtherace1201]

@@annieroche22 It's okay. Let it out. I've been there myself. Most confessionals I've been in have a box of tissues.😃 The mercy and love of Jesus will dry your tears and a weight will be lifted from your soul. Go soon.💕

[@kaliek3781]

@@annieroche22 This has happened to me at almost every confession! Afterwards though I am always so thankful I did it. The priest will forget about it, and God will remember.

[@highqueengdg4046]

Please make that video on confessing things you're uncertain about! (Scrupulosity)

[@mainelymadagain9405]

.......how come it sounds like Fr. Mike was going to knock over a bank or casino? I mean, he could have used a number of other examples. I imagine him, Jeff Cavins, Matt Fradd, and maybe Fr. Mitch Pacwa in an Oceans 11 type thing.

[@christinazeringue1904]

Great video. Just asking are you going to do a video on scrupulosity? Would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[@rafaburdzy449]

Thank you👍

[@rollenellsworth9645]

I suffer from scrupulosity, please pray for me!

[@iqgustavo]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🤖 Exploring the scenario of intending to sin but stopping oneself before committing the act. 00:44 🛡️ Being stopped externally from committing a sin, like intending to rob a bank but prevented by external circumstances. 02:20 🚫 Stopping oneself internally from committing a sin is an act of virtue, like refraining from sending a hurtful letter or engaging in sinful thoughts. 03:18 💭 Providing examples of internal stopping, such as resisting temptations like lust, gossip, or anger. 03:45 💬 Mentioning that feeding negative emotions or desires internally might need to be brought to confession for spiritual healing. 04:56 💯 Emphasizing that even when unsure, confessing something you believe might have been sinful can still be beneficial for your relationship with God. 06:08 🙏 Encouraging surrendering uncertainties and internal struggles to God for spiritual growth and strengthening your relationship with Him. Made with HARPA AI

[@antw3114]

Thanks Fr Mike

[@Richie016]

A genuine intent and clear conscience while asking for the lord's forgiveness relieve burdens and expectations alike through the everlasting mercy of Jesus Christ.

[@carpenterswsw]

Wow this a thought I have been troubled with everyday. I don't know if this is the answer but atleast there are others that wonder about every thought we have.

[@spiritualconduit9971]

Thank you 🌹

[@harmonicu]

You explain things so well. I recently did an examination of conscience and tried my best to trace back every sin. I’m afraid I am now hyper-focused on what’s a sin and what is not and am constantly Googling or coming to your channel for answers. The fear of committing a mortal sin then dying is given me a super amount of anxiety. Particularly, I’m terrified of having lustful thoughts. Is there anything I can do for calm this anxiety? It’s becoming unhealthy.

[@eclowe6594]

So I'm coming from a therapist's perspective. I'm Catholic but clearly not an expert in Catholicism. For me I think you have to look at intention in the letter situation. Sometimes with mental health a letter to someone that we never intend to send can be a very helpful tool for dealing with things like anger. But then again that's very different from I wrote it with the intent to send it

[@taraelizabethdensley9475]

I keep a diary, have found it very therapeutic, and I don't even share it with my psychiatrist. It's a safety valve for me

[@andreramirez2172]

Pray for me that God may bless all of us with child like faith and have full access to God's kingdom and have no blessings blocked!! May God bless you all more than he can ever bless me

[@mompofelski4191]

You're right. We know. You might not know, but we know. But generally I think that if we stop ourselves and feel the guilt we are supposed to feel - and decide to do better than that - then that is enough.

[@Publius-24]

Saint Matthew 9:12-13 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’I did not come to call the self-righteous but sinners.”

[@michaelciccone2194]

If I knew you Fr Mike when I was in the seminary 1978...I most likely would have continued with my studies. You have a happy attitude and just a terrific priest to share running a parish. Can you explain why the Vatican nor the Pope released a statement of repentance for allowing homage given to Mayan idols at the Amazon Synod October 2019.? numbe

[@megancarney871]

This was perfect to hear

[@adelaidemorningstar1870]

Blessings to you,💚❤️💚❤️💚❤️

[@rosemathew5440]

Thank you Fr Mike. This did clear some doubts, but what about the sins that we might have committed when we really didn't have knowledge about it, and we realise it later on in our lives because we have grown in our faith and feel sorry for what we had done. Should such sins be confessed when we realise about them? #AskAscension

[@izawaniek2568]

Thank you.

[@aldophogasperi6528]

Pray the Rosary and you will be at peace...

[@Wintersghost135]

Advice to the person about to send a letter: Check your emotions at the door. Try to only ask questions via the socratic method. If the recipient of the letter has put thought into their actions or speech and enjoy intellectual debate, they will take no offense. This is how research papers are debated. But the caveat is that most people think with their amygdala (emotional part of brain) because this is innate with us since birth. Debating (and thinking) with the prefrontal cortex (the reasoning and logic part of the brain) typically must be learned. So most people get offended if questioned. Also, subtle nuances of intonation and facial expression are lost in written language. You might think you’re only asking a question but the reader may think you’re yelling at them. Only question someone if it will lead to the betterment of them or the people they influence. One shouldn’t start a fight just for fun or to prove they’re smarter (remember, humility and “do unto others”) Also, be prepared to be proven wrong - this is how we learn. Advice to the recipient of the letter: be prepared to be questioned and be prepared to be wrong. Again, this is how we learn. I won’t speak of a priest’s preferences about confessional topics, but I advise that if you have even a cross thought about someone that is unjustified, you make amends to that person. I think of sin as a slope (or hill), not discrete steps like a staircase. Bad thoughts insidiously lead to bad actions that lead to worse actions. A cross thought may lead to an unfriendly look which may lead to a desire to see misfortune befall someone which may lead you to causing that misfortune - all the while taking you further from God. When does callusness end and evil begin? It’s like asking when does a pond become a lake - because nature does not fit into discrete categories. A mild insult, a back handed compliment, a prank that causes little harm, a prank that causes much harm: when does callusness lead to cruelty? When does cruelty lead to evil? It’s like a pond becoming a lake. There is no boundary - it just grows. I argue this is not a slippery slope fallacy. Criminals in prison didn’t get there by a single horrible decision. Their bad decisions started years ago with hundreds of milder bad decisions that just kept getting worse. So, if I’m angry or impatient with my daughter for acting like an 8 year old (because she is 8); even if I don’t show it, I apologize and offer to make it up to her. She says “Why are you apologizing? You did nothing wrong”. I tell her I thought it so I have to fix it. I suggest that everyone do this. It will bring you closer to God. We must keep our souls soft like a baby’s skin, not like a callused foot that can walk on broken glass.

[@MissPopuri]

Oh, those wicked sins of the tongue and the pen...if only I could have refrained completely from indulging in that anger, I am so stupid.

[@mph1ish]

Sometimes when I am listing my sins to the priest and mention that I am not sure if one was actually a sin, the priest doesn't comment on it, just asks if I am sorry and goes on with penance, etc. so clarity is not always granted in the confessional unfortunately.

[@annclaure7921]

Maybe the party needs to receive constructive criticism- because sometimes that is necessary

[@deliarealtor]

Be careful. What you think of as constructive critics the other person may think of as just criticism.

[@parmiggianoreggie-ano1832]

Always when needed ;)

[@TDL-xg5nn]

The problem is who is deciding if it is a sin at all. Only God can forgive sins and only God can say what is a sin.

[@michaelgoff4771]

Amen 🙏🙏🙏