Stage 1: Alienation
from Self, God, Family or Community
 Through Ignorance
 or Blindness
Stage 2: Awareness
Other names for this:
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Raising of Conscience
Coming to our Senses
Waking up
Hitting Bottom
“ I have sinned:” Sacramental Moment
Stage 3: Conversion
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“turning around”
change of heart
Metanoia “think again”
Stage 4: Contrition
 Sorrow for doing wrong
Stage 5: Reconciliation
with Self, God, Family, or Community
The Prodigal Son, Rembrandt
The Rite of Reconciliation
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Confession—words acknowledging
sinfulness
Act of Contrition—words expressing
sorrow
Penance— action demonstrating
repentance of the sinner
Absolution—pronouncement of God’s
forgiveness of sins
What is a sin?
 Any action that alienates or cuts us off
from ourselves, others, and God.
Two main types of sin
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Mortal sin
Venial sin
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Mortal (or Serious) sin
 A very grave or serious violation of
God’s law done willingly and
knowingly.
 Cuts us off completely from God.
 Can only be forgiven through the
Sacrament of Reconciliation
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Venial sin?
 Venial means “forgivable.”
 A less serious offense
 Weakens our relationship with God, but does
not cut us off.
 Can be forgiven through any Sacrament, as
long as there is true contrition for one’s sins.
 Reconciliation, Anointing, Eucharist, all
have the power to forgive a venial sin
Sin of Commission vs. Sin of Omission
 A sin of commission is doing something
sinful; an action.
 A sin of omission is NOT doing something
you could have done, usually for someone’s
good; a lack of action.
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Biblical example: the two men who passed by the
beaten man in the story of Good Samaritan.
Modern example: passing by a homeless person
without offering to help in some way.
Personal Sin vs. Social Sin
 Personal sin is an individual act of wrongdoing
 Social sin is the wrongdoing of an entire community,
usually against the common good.
 Prophets make us aware of our social sin
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Biblical examples:
 The prophets of the Hebrew Scriptures; John the Baptist;
Jesus—all openly challenged the social sins of their leaders
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Modern Examples:
 Sins in the economy (homelessness, Wall Street greed)
 Sins against humanity (genocide, racism, Katrina victims)
 MLK Jr., Elie Wiesel—modern-day prophets
Social Sin in the Church
 Sexual Abuse, cover-up of abuse
 Anti-Semitism, Anti-Islamism
Social Sin at SMCHS?
 Bullying?
 Racism, Homophobia, Classism, Sexism,
Cheating?
Originally a list of mortal sins
 Better understood today as underlying attitudes
that can lead to sinful behavior if left unchecked
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Lust: excessive sexual thoughts
Gluttony: overindulgence to the point of waste
Greed: excessive acquisition of wealth
Sloth: excessive indifference, failure to act
Wrath: uncontrolled anger or hatred
Envy: excessive desire of what another has
Pride: excessive love of self (considered the worst of
the Seven Deadly Sins because it leads to the others!)