The Seven Mortal Sins of Contraception

When a person contracepts, he or she commits not one mortal sin, but seven. The use of contraception is forbidden in the Catholic Church for many reasons.

I shall list the Ten Commandments and note which ones are deliberately broken by those who contracept. My comments are in blue.

Exodus 20 Douay-Rheims

20 And the Lord spoke all these words:

2 I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 Thou shalt not have strange gods before me. (1) Idolatry is the first sin of contraception for several reasons. One is playing God and not letting God be God in creating life. One is also making sex and pleasure into gods, thus denying God His sovereignty. One becomes or tries to become God.

4 Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not adore them, nor serve them: I am the Lord thy God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me:

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands to them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that shall take the name of the Lord his God in vain. (2)

8 Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day. (3)

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and shalt do all thy works.

10 But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work on it, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy beast, nor the stranger that is within thy gates.

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and the sea, and all things that are in them, and rested on the seventh day: therefore the Lord blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.

12 Honour thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be long lived upon the land which the Lord thy God will give thee. (4) Contraception denies grandparents grandchildren, and breaking the family bond of generations. Thus, one no longer honors the family or one's parents when one contracepts.

13 Thou shalt not kill. Obviously, as all but a few contracepts kill the fertilized egg, now a human being with a soul, contraception is murder. (5)

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. Fornication, having sex outside of marriage, is covered under the term adultery. Adultery is having sexual relations with a married person, but from the earliest days, fornication, having sex outside of marriage, and thus endangering the entire concept of marriage, is part of this sin. Sins here include sodomy. This sin is repeated in the traditional ninth commandment, so contraception breaks that one as well. (6)

15 Thou shalt not steal. (7) When one contracepts, one steals not only from the glory of God in creating a new person, but one steals life. One also steals from one's self the dignity of being a human being in co-creating with God in the image and likeness of God, in which we were made.

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. (8) Contraception is lying, as one is being deceitful about the real purpose of intercourse, which is procreation. Also, one is lying to one's self about the reality of marriage, and the fact that the marriage act only belongs in a sanctified marriage.

17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house: neither shalt thou desire his wife, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is his. Coveting or desiring what is illicit like a person when one is not married, or even desiring someone above God is the sin when contraception is used for the enjoyment of sex without procreation.  (9  and 10). Also, contraception is done because of the desire for things, for choosing things over life--such as houses, status, money, vacations, comfort...etc.). Therefore contraception breaks both th 9 and 10th commandments.

18 And all the people saw the voices and the flames, and the sound of the trumpet, and the mount smoking: and being terrified and struck with fear, they stood afar off...

Thankfully, we have the wonderful sacrament of Confession to release us, to absolve us from such sins, and to give us the grace to start over again in Christ.

Help On The Predominant Fault

Some readers have asked me in the not-so-distant past how to recognize one's predominant fault. One person noted that this fault seemed hard to pin-down. Yes, that is a truism.

Here are some helpful hints.

1. One must first break away from all mortal and even venial sins. These sins blind one so that the predominant fault, always allusive, remains hidden.
2. Tendencies towards venial sins can reveal the predominant fault. Example: if one is always confessing the same venial sins, most likely these are related to the predominant fault.
3. Remember the sins of your childhood. Were you greedy, always taking the largest brownie on the plate? Did you steal candy out of the cupboard? Did you lie to your parents regularly? Were you mean to your siblings? And so on. Such an examination of your childhood sins can reveal pride, gluttony, deceit, avarice, malice, and so on.
4. Have you really done a serious examination of conscience which includes sins of the imagination and thought? Sometimes, one sins inwardly but not outwardly, and these inward sins can reveal the predominant fault.
5. Are you absolutely ruthless in confession, not hiding anything and asking God to show you sins of the past not yet confessed, although forgiven, but indicating patterns?
6. What do you think of the most during the day? Sex? Food? Leisure? Money or shopping? These thoughts could indicate Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Avarice and so on without one even sinning except in thought. Such preoccupations most likely point to the predominant fault.
7. Ask your mum.

Seriously, the predominant fault is hard to pin down as we all have a survival instinct not to seem "that bad" to ourselves and others. But, until the predominant fault is overcome, there is no Illumination State and no Unitive State with God.

God blesses the pure in heart. And, purity in heart is not intention, but a reality.

Here are some previous posts on the predominant fault.

Etheldredasplace: Temperaments and Predominant Faults

18 Mar 2015

Before conquering our predominant fault, our virtues are often, to speak more properly, natural good inclinations rather than true and solid virtues that have taken root in us. Prior to victory over this fault, the fountain of graces is ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: God Dealing with The Predominant Fault

12 Oct 2014

When one asks and allows God to enter into one's soul and deal with one's predominant fault or faults, He does. It is hard but once one begins the journey it is not so hard.In fact, one senses the way God breaks up that fault ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Hypocrisy and Predominant Faults

22 Oct 2014

For example, a woman who suffers from the predominant fault of vainglory and cares too much about how she looks or how other people see her, will spend too much time on clothes, make-up, hair, even wasting money on ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: On Natural Law And The Predominant Fault

12 Sep 2014

... posts today have been by request of a friend. Now, the discussion of natural law can lead one to ask this question, "Is there a connection between natural law, written on the hearts of man, and people's predominant fault?"

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Yes! Two People on Perfection and One on Predominant ...

16 Nov 2014

"If we are to be merciful and compassionate towards our neighbour, we ought to be so above all when we know his dominant fault. The first impulse is to bring all our severity to bear on it, but on the contrary, it is one that we ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Predominant Fault Series Continued

08 Apr 2014

Firstly, St. Alphonsus reveals that anyone who gets upset with sin in one's own life is not humble, but proud, and may be exhibiting the predominant fault of anger. Anger is not merely focused on other or events, but one can ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: A Predominant Fault in Some Men

25 Sep 2013

Youth can spot a hypocrite a mile away and the bad priests and neglectful husbands and fathers will have to face God as to why they did not work on their predominant fault. Being a Catholic man, like being a Catholic woman, ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Thoughts from The Dark Night-Reviewing the Predominant ...

13 Aug 2014

The predominant fault is so much the more dangerous as it often compromises our principal good point, which is a happy inclination of our nature that ought to develop and to be increased by grace. For example, a man is ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Predominant Fault Posts

07 Apr 2014

Use the tags and labels to read the posts on one's predominant fault, if you have not done so already. Hard stuff, but necessary for the road to perfection. There are 45 posts dealing with that topic directly. And, speaking of ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Perfection Series: Our Predominant Fault Two

22 Jul 2012

Garrigou-Lagrange states that "it is of primary importance that we recognize our predominant fault and have no illusions about it. This is is so much the more necessary as our adversary, the enemy of our soul, knows it quite ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Following False Visions And The Predominant Fault part two

18 Sep 2013

For without dealing with our predominant fault, there is no moving on into the Dark Night, Illumnative and Unitive states. Later on, I can show how the predominant fault, unless dealt with in this life, is the reason we go to ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Why People Follow False Seers-Their Predominant Fault

18 Sep 2013

The predominant fault is the defect in us that tends to prevail over the others, and thereby over our manner of feeling, judging, sympathizing, willing, and acting. It is a defect that has in each of us an intimate relation to our ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Part five-predominant fault and false ...

19 Sep 2013

Garrigou-Lagrange helps us on our way. The graph at the very end of this post indicates how to break the sins of the predominant fault. This is hard work. This takes time and reflection. One must be ruthless with one's self to a ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

This one above has a great graph.

Part Three-Tackling The Predominant Fault and False ...

18 Sep 2013

The greatest fault is pride. Thinking that one knows better than a bishop or that one can judge a liberal bishop as unauthorized to make a statement on a visionary is pride. Period. But, those with a predominant fault of sloth or ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

The Predominant Fault of Some Women Two

27 Sep 2013

The second most common predominant fault of women could be pride. This is the primordial sin and one easy to fall into. But, if this is the main, underlining fault of all faults, it must be rooted out through serious attention, ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: The Predominant Fault of Some Women

27 Sep 2013

The Predominant Fault of Some Women. Posted by Supertradmum. Just to be fair, I have been talking with lovely, good Catholic women who want to become saints. They would be in the category of the really beautiful women ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Predominant Fault Three-perfection series

22 Jul 2012

Predominant Fault Three-perfection series. Posted by Supertradmum. Promptness of will and intolerance of our faults are part of the battle against our predominant faults. This is a battle from which we cannot escape if we ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Perfection Series continued-the predominant fault--four

24 Jul 2012

Perfection Series continued-the predominant fault--four. Posted by Supertradmum. St. Augustine tells us, using Garrigou-Lagrange, that God never asks us to do the impossible. If God desires us to be one with Him and He ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

St. Francis de Sales on His Predominant Faults-Two

08 Apr 2014

St. Francis de Sales on His Predominant Faults-Two. Posted by Supertradmum. After being greatly insulted by a Knight of Malta for not giving a benefice to one of his servants, “the bishop‟s brother …asked him how it was he ...

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

Etheldredasplace: Out of all the priests I have ever met...

25 Oct 2014

Ask God to show you your predominant fault or faults. One way is to look at the pattern of sins in your life, as repetitive venial sins reveal the predominant fault. Asking God to purge one of this fault is part of the Dark Night.

http://supertradmum-etheldredasplace.blogspot.com/

On Compunction

I apologize for re-posts, but I have been ill since yesterday a.m.

But, a reader asked for a post on compunction, something I distinctly remember learning about in school from the nuns preparing up for First Confession. Little children love words, and they love big words.

Perhaps one of the best writers on compunction, which is remorse for sin or contrition, is Thomas a Kempis, the author of The Imitation of Christ, another great book for spiritual reading. a Kempis states this below.

One can have imperfect or perfect compunction, which lead to repentance.

I shall make my comments in blue.

CHAPTER XXI

OF COMPUNCTION OF HEART

If thou wilt make any progress keep thyself in the fear of God, and long not to be too free, but restrain all thy senses under discipline and give not thyself up to senseless mirth. Give thyself to compunction of heart and thou shalt find devotion. Compunction openeth the way for many good things, which dissoluteness is wont quickly to lose. It is wonderful that any man can ever rejoice heartily in this life who considereth and weigheth his banishment, and the manifold dangers which beset his soul.

Since all humans have natural law written on their hearts, remorse is a normal feeling, a reaction to sin. But, many people push down this reaction and ignore it, turning away from the warning of the conscience. Compunction can be "stoked" through meditating on the Four Last Things, death, judgement, hell, and heaven.

2. Through lightness of heart and neglect of our shortcomings we feel not the sorrows of our soul, but often vainly laugh when we have good cause to weep. There is no true liberty nor real joy, save in the fear of God with a good conscience. Happy is he who can cast away every cause of distraction and bring himself to the one purpose of holy compunction. Happy is he who putteth away from him whatsoever may stain or burden his conscience. Strive manfully; custom is overcome by custom. If thou knowest how to let men alone, they will gladly let thee alone to do thine own works.

Interesting that a Kempis writes on real joy coming from a good conscience. Those who no longer allow themselves to be distracted by the world, the flesh and the devil experience a renewed fear of the Lord, a renewed energy and desire to become holy.

One wants to move away from all sin, mortal and venial, for the love of self and the love of God. This type of self-love is good, as one must work for one's own salvation as well as that of others.

a Kempis states, "Strive manfully; custom is overcome by custom." Good habits with prayer and confession drive out bad habits.


3. Busy not thyself with the affairs of others, nor entangle thyself with the business of great men. Keep always thine eye upon thyself first of all, and give advice to thyself specially before all thy dearest friends. If thou hast not the favour of men, be not thereby cast down, but let thy concern be that thou holdest not thyself so well and circumspectly, as becometh a servant of God and a devout monk. It is often better and safer for a man not to have many comforts in this life, especially those which concern the flesh. But that we lack divine comforts or feel them rarely is to our own blame, because we seek not compunction of heart, nor utterly cast away those comforts which are vain and worldly.

Gossip must be set aside, follow your own good words, become a good servant of God not men..all of these things help hone compunction, which is a tool of repentance.

The less comforts of the flesh we have, the better, as our senses will not be deadened or burdened by sin or sinful thoughts. Truly, sins of the flesh make one spiritually sluggish.

St. John of the Cross writes that we should not seek after spiritual comforts, either. One can read this in my posts on him in the two series, perfection and Doctors of the Church.

4. Know thyself to be unworthy of divine consolation, and worthy rather of much tribulation. When a man hath perfect compunction, then all the world is burdensome and bitter to him. A good man will find sufficient cause for mourning and weeping; for whether he considereth himself, or pondereth concerning his neighbour, he knoweth that no man liveth here without tribulation, and the more thoroughly he considereth himself, the more thoroughly he grieveth. Grounds for just grief and inward compunction there are in our sins and vices, wherein we lie so entangled that we are but seldom able to contemplate heavenly things.

More and more, I know that suffering is a gift which tears us away from the world. Perfect compunction, or perfect contrition, actually make worldly things distasteful. Suffering must not be avoided when self-knowledge reveals sin.  In fact, grieving over sin happens fairly constantly in the Dark Night of the Soul. A daily examination of conscience can help one move towards perfect compunction, perfect contrition, which is based on the love for God.

5. If thou thoughtest upon thy death more often than how long thy life should be, thou wouldest doubtless strive more earnestly to improve. And if thou didst seriously consider the future pains of hell, I believe thou wouldest willingly endure toil or pain and fear not discipline. But because these things reach not the heart, and we still love pleasant things, therefore we remain cold and miserably indifferent.

Here it is, as if I anticipated a Kempis' note on contemplating on death and hell-- and the other the Four Last Things.

6. Oftentimes it is from poverty of spirit that the wretched body is so easily led to complain. Pray therefore humbly unto the Lord that He will give thee the spirit of compunction and say in the language of the prophet, Feed me, O Lord, with bread of tears, and give me plenteousness of tears to drink.(1)
(1) Psalm lxxv. 5.

What the author means by poverty of spirit here is a littleness, a smallness of soul, a lack of generosity. When one see one's own sins and can weep, God carves out of our hearts a place for Him to rest.

to be continued...Treatise on the Four Last Things may be found at this site.

http://catholictradition.org/Classics/4last-things.htm

In answer to a reader today....

Someone who has never desired baptism cannot be baptized if unconscious. If the person was studying to be baptized, then there was an indication of faith. All the sacraments must be received with and in faith.

It is magical thinking to suppose a person wants the Last Sacrament, without willing it. Remember the scene in Brideshead Revisited, 

 Then I knew that the sign I had asked for was not a little thing, not a passing nod of recognition, and a phrase came back to me from my childhood of the veil of the temple being rent from top to bottom,

where Lord Marchmain indicated he wanted to come back to the Church right before death.

This type of sign is necessary. From the CCC:

.1123 "The purpose of the sacraments is to sanctify men, to build up the Body of Christ and, finally, to give worship to God. Because they are signs they also instruct. They not only presuppose faith, but by words and objects they also nourish, strengthen, and express it. That is why they are called 'sacraments of faith.'

To think otherwise is to fall into magical thinking, and see my other posts on this.

Again, here is the CCC:Superstition is the deviation of religious feeling and of the practices this feeling imposes. It can even affect the worship we offer the true God, e.g., when one attributes an importance in some way magical to certain practices otherwise lawful or necessary. To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from the interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition.

Of course, this refers to adult and those over the age of reason, not infants. See Canons in comments.

More on Venial Sin

"As you well know, venerable brethren, it is true that venial sins may be expiated in many ways that are to be highly commended. But to ensure more rapid progress day by day in the path of virtue, we will that the pious practice of frequent confession, which was introduced into the Church by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, should be earnestly advocated. By it genuine self-knowledge is increased, Christian humility grows, bad habits are corrected, spiritual neglect and tepidity are resisted, the conscience is purified, the will strengthened, a salutary self-control is attained, and grace is increased in virtue of the sacrament itself" (Mystici Corporis 88 1943, Pope Pius XII).

There is a huge misunderstanding which grew up in the 1970s, as to the need for confession regarding venial sins.

Venial sin weakens the will and opens one up to more temptation. Venial sins usually arise out of the predominant fault, which must be overcome in order to achieve perfection.

The Church is weakened as well by those who daily commit venial sins.

Frequent confession makes one aware of one's self, one's venial sins, and one's predominant faults.

To only go to confession when one commits a mortal sin is not a good habit.

Remember, self-knowledge is humility and humility is absolutely necessary for perfection.

Repeat of a repeat on three examinations of conscience

Confession leaflet for children
- A5 leaflet suitable for children aged 7-10.

Confession leaflet for teenagers
- A4 tri-fold leaflet suitable for young people 11-16.

Confession leaflet for adults – A4 tri-fold
leaflet for adults.