32 SIN 



Some sins are mortal by their very nature or species 

 (peccata mortalia ex genere suo). They are those whose 

 object is important in itself, regardless of conditions or 

 circumstances, e. g., the theft of a large sum of money. 

 Others (peccata mortalia per accidcns) are rendered mor- 

 tal by the attending circumstances, e. g., grave scandal. 



Those sins which are mortal by their nature or species 

 are subdivided into peccata mortalia ex toto genere suo 

 and peccata mortalia ex genere suo non toto. Sins of the 

 former class embody some grievous disorder, such as un- 

 belief, despair, etc. Those of the latter class have an ob- 

 ject that, though binding under pain of grievous sin, 

 admits of degrees because of the smallness of the matter 

 involved (parvitas materiae), e. g., theft, slander. 



There is an analogous distinction between venial sins 

 ex genere suo and per accidens. The former involve an 

 unimportant object, whereas the latter have an important 

 object, but are rendered venial by circumstances. 5 



2. Practical Hints. — a) A venial sin can be- 

 come mortal, (i) by the action of an erroneous 

 conscience that wrongly judges a venial sin to be 

 mortal; (2) through a gravely sinful intention 

 (finis praznis), as when a lie is told in order to 

 enable one to commit adultery; (3) on account of 



tate dh'ino prorsus alienum est, ho- etc.; (2) ex genere suo non toto seu 



minem aeternae damnationi addicere simpliciter ex genere suo, quando 



sire per transgressioncin levem sive eorum materia in eadem specie ma- 



propter actum non perfecte liberum nens plerumque gravis est, quamvis 



et voluntarium." etiam levis esse possit, ut sunt pec- 



6 Ibid.: "Peccata mortalia talia cata contra iustitiam; (3) per acci- 



sunt: (1) Ex toto genere suo, quan- dens, 1. e. quando mortalia sunt non 



do eorum obiectum seu materia, ex obiecto suo, sed ex aliqua cir- 



quaecunque ea demum sit, gravem cumstantia, v. g. ex conscientia er- 



continet dcordinationem, ut in lu- ronea, etc." — Cfr. Gopfert, Moralthe- 



xuria, blasphemia, periurio, haeresi, ologie, Vol. I, 4th ed., pp. 224-230. 



