Why did Adam and Eve sin?

A reader asks why Adam and Eve sinned even though they had “perfect intellects and wills unencumbered by the lower passions.” As Monsignor Charles Pope explains, “even with preternatural gifts, there are still temptations.” For true freedom, he writes, “Things must exist

Are there really unforgivable sins?

A reader writes: “Do theologians hold that the only sin against the Holy Spirit, a sin that cannot be forgiven, is to refuse to repent and accept God’s forgiveness unto the point of their death? I’ve been giving a lot of thought

Is it a sin to leave Mass early?

A reader writes: “I’m noticing that at every Mass I attend, there seem to be those few that approach the altar, accept the holy Eucharist, and instead of returning to their seats in grace or prayer, they simply walk toward one of

How to conquer envy with God in 12 steps

Envy places us not with others, but against them. Therefore, it engenders the wrong feelings; it makes us sorrowful at the good that others have, and leads us to rejoice at their misfortunes. Envy is misanthropic.

The reality of sin and forgiveness

Be prepared for Mass this Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. In this week’s Opening the Word Scripture reflection, columnist Catherine Cavadini summarizes the Gospel: “We must love ‘as’ the king loves, and so we must forgive ‘as’ he forgives through an imitation

Seeking truth in the struggle with our sins

(OSV News) — Sincerity is the life blood of a robust spiritual life. It’s one of those good habits I call “worldly virtues,” meaning virtues essential for living a good life in the middle of the world — in this case, by

The compound interest of amazing grace

Bill Dodds discusses grace and three considerations of grace, writing " First, the dark side of this "compound interest" business. Sin builds on sin." Second, he says, "through grace, by grace, we can catch a glimpse of what, of who, we were

How to find grace in the furnace of our sins

Writer Kenneth Craycraft examines Phil Klay’s short story “Fire in the Furnace” through a Catholic lens — one that is of particular relevance during the season of Lent. Klay tells the story of a Marine who feels guilty about the sins of

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