Detraction and mortal sin

[ChristinaGeorgina]

I've been a Catholic for 16 years, but I had never heard of the sin of detraction until a couple of years ago, so I'm still trying to discern between when it's mortal and when it's venial. The other day my husband, DIL, and I were watching a tv movie, and a young husband was telling his wife that he was tired of being around her family (it was a Thanksgiving get together). I said to my husband in a sarcastically funny voice, "Hmm...imagine that...he doesn't want to be around her family." I had been feeling upset and frustrated lately b/c my mother just passed away two weeks ago and my husband does not like my father and always has something unkind to say about him. My husband said, "You've never invited your brother and SIL over--go ahead and invite them." I wasn't expecting him to say that, and then I thought for a moment, "I probably shouldn't say this in front of my DIL," but I said it anyway...."But not my dad." Then my husband replied, "No--not your dad--he's not coming over here." Then I felt really bad--like I had committed detraction and possibly caused my DIL to think badly of my husband. I wasn't completely sure I had committed a mortal sin, so I went to communion, but I still feel bad and now worry that I might have received the Eucharist unworthily. My husband keeps telling me to forget about it--that DIL has her own life and doesn't spend her life worrying about him--but if I could go back in time, I would have kept my mouth shut. Does this sound like mortal detraction? I've read that sometimes we can judge whether detraction was mortal or venial, based upon whether the fault revealed was mortal or venial. Is saying your FIL is not welcome in your home grave matter? I'm planning on going to confession next week (to my regular confessor), but in the meantime I don't know whether to receive communion Sunday or not.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Detraction

This might help.

 

[ChristinaGeorgina]

I've read the definition of detraction in the Catholic Encyclopedia over and over again and I still can't discern. The only good thing that has come out of this is that my husband has now (reluctantly) agreed that I may invite my brother and SIL and father to Christmas.

 

[concretecamper]

As you know, all types of sin can rise to the level of mortal. What is required:

1. Grave matter
2. Sufficient reflection
3. Full consent of the will

All three must be present.

You bring up a good point. Detraction is a serious matter. I do not know how many times I have heard "but it is the truth". I have even used that lame excuse. In some ways, gossip is much easier to control than detraction.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Here's a good article explaining about the sin of detraction.


Detraction - Definition of Detraction

A person is guilty of detraction if he, "without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them."

So, from what I'm reading, malice is involved when revealing a truth about another person, which will harm their reputation.

I think we all need to reflect on this.

Jim