MORTAL AND VENIAL SINS 33 



the proximate danger of mortal sin; (4) be- 

 cause of formal contempt of the law or the 

 lawgiver, and (5) by reason of grave scandal 

 entailed. 



In a similar way, an objectively mortal sin may 

 become subjectively venial, (1) on account of 

 the smallness of the matter involved (parvitas 

 materia) ; (2) through imperfect advertence or 

 consent to an act in itself gravely sinful (excus- 

 able ignorance, extreme haste, weakness) ; (3) 

 because of failure to consummate an intended 

 sinful action, though it would have been easy to 

 do so. 



b) When positive doubt exists as to whether 

 an act was mortally sinful or not, this doubt may 

 be resolved in favor of the person concerned 

 if he was so disposed that he would not have 

 committed a mortal sin even though it was easy 

 for him to do so, but would have preferred to 

 die rather than grievously offend God, or if, 

 without his own fault, he was not entirely master 

 of his actions; or if he is uncertain whether he 

 consented to the sinful act or remembers that he 

 proceeded timidly or in doubt. 



Though, strictly speaking, no mortal sin can 

 become venial, and no venial sin mortal, because 

 of the essential difference existing between the 

 two, a person who constantly commits venial sins 

 with full deliberation thereby forms evil habits, 



