What Happens If You Forget Mortal Sins?

RastaPasta · #1 Feb 9, '12, 9:52 am

Years ago (about 12 I would say), I was given a pirated copy of Microsoft Office, as well as a license key hack for Winzip.

At the time I received them (both), I knew that I was doing the wrong thing (stealing), but never confessed the sin, nor did I discard the software.

Over the years I have used both applications on whatever computer I was using without ever giving it a thought. It became so habitual, in fact, that I forgot all about it (as well as the initial sins that I had committed).

I recently read a post in this forum concerning software piracy, and it reminded me of what I had done all those years ago.

I went to the store and purchased a legitimate copy a Microsoft Office, downloaded and paid for a legitimate copy of Winzip, uninstalled the ill gotten applications from my computer (and reinstalled them with the legally obtained licenses), deleted the Winzip installer with the hack, and threw away the pirated Microsoft Office installation disks.

I plan to admit to my sin(s) when I go to confession this week. In a way, however, my heart is broken, because for a long time I was a lapsed Catholic. I returned to the Church, went to confession (thinking that I had made a thorough one), and have been receiving communion because I believed that I was in Gods good graces again.

Turns out though, that I've been going to Sunday and daily mass, have been receiving communion (even though I honestly did forget about my wrongdoing). In view of that fact, have I been committing a mortal sin for having had received communion under those circumstances?

I think that I have taken (and am taking) the right measures (with respect to the pirated software), but then I started thinking: What if there are other mortal sins that I've committed in the past (and I'm sure that there are) but have honestly forgotten about? How do I confess those sins? Do I just say to the priest that I am sorry for any mortal and venial sins that I have forgotten about?

I don't have a scrupulous nature, however, the thought of dying while in a state of mortal sin terrifies me.

fbl9 · #2 Feb 9, '12, 10:32 am

My understanding is that when you returned and made, what you sincerely beleived to be, a through confession. Now you did not decieve God in that confession, by forgetting this particular sin.You recieved absolution for this sin.Now that you made ammends counts as merit towards you.
If it was me i would mention that you corrected a forgotten sin.

Pfaffenhoffen · #3 Feb 9, '12, 10:36 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by RastaPasta

Years ago (about 12 I would say), I was given a pirated copy of Microsoft Office, as well as a license key hack for Winzip.

At the time I received them (both), I knew that I was doing the wrong thing (stealing), but never confessed the sin, nor did I discard the software.

Over the years I have used both applications on whatever computer I was using without ever giving it a thought. It became so habitual, in fact, that I forgot all about it (as well as the initial sins that I had committed).

I recently read a post in this forum concerning software piracy, and it reminded me of what I had done all those years ago.

I went to the store and purchased a legitimate copy a Microsoft Office, downloaded and paid for a legitimate copy of Winzip, uninstalled the ill gotten applications from my computer (and reinstalled them with the legally obtained licenses), deleted the Winzip installer with the hack, and threw away the pirated Microsoft Office installation disks.

I plan to admit to my sin(s) when I go to confession this week. In a way, however, my heart is broken, because for a long time I was a lapsed Catholic. I returned to the Church, went to confession (thinking that I had made a thorough one), and have been receiving communion because I believed that I was in Gods good graces again.

Turns out though, that I've been going to Sunday and daily mass, have been receiving communion (even though I honestly did forget about my wrongdoing). In view of that fact, have I been committing a mortal sin for having had received communion under those circumstances?

I think that I have taken (and am taking) the right measures (with respect to the pirated software), but then I started thinking: What if there are other mortal sins that I've committed in the past (and I'm sure that there are) but have honestly forgotten about? How do I confess those sins? Do I just say to the priest that I am sorry for any mortal and venial sins that I have forgotten about?

I don't have a scrupulous nature, however, the thought of dying while in a state of mortal sin terrifies me.

Is it a sin to used a friend's software? Why?
Is is a sin to read a friend's book?

**Bookcat** · #4 Feb 9, '12, 10:37 am

(I leave unaddressed the nature of the sin here involved...I assume you judged it was mortal back then and did it anyway...etc)

Yes all mortal sins need to be confessed in number and kind (and circumstance that changes things...such as it was your Father you murdered).

First off --when you returned to the Church and made your confession.. and confessed all mortal sins you were conscious of after your good examine (I assume you were sorry and amended not only for them but for all..which would include any you forgot) --then any forgotten ones can be said to have been "indirectly absolved". Thus you would have been restored to grace...to life.

Now. We are obliged to confess forgotten mortal sins (if they do not remain forgotten) in the next confession if we remember them.

In your case I would add that if you were going to confession years ago and where knowingly hiding a mortal sin..then such would have made those past confessions invalid and added more sin needful of confession. So any mortal sins back then would need to be re-confessed along with the hiding and other mortal sins (like did one go to communion in that state..way back then??). Remember this is only in terms of mortal sins.

So as it stands now --(since you made that good confession thinking all was confessed) without the committing of new mortal sins-- one would be in a state of grace (and can receive Holy Communion) but in ones next confession one would need remedy the past...then go on for the future. It may be best to make an appointment for confession --so you have more time to discuss things.

But remember...honestly forgotten mortal sins..are absolved at the same time as those confessed --so long as one is of course contrite etc for all ones mortal sins. One has to confess them still if they emerge from unconsciousness but no worries if they never do for it is impossible to remember something one can not remember (though of course we are to make a good examine).

More info if you like from Jimmy Akin of CA: http://jimmyakin.com/2006/09/a_reader_writes_1.html

(Note for others: those who are scrupulous may be in a different boat..they ought to address such with their regular confessor)

TraditonRules · #5 Feb 9, '12, 11:03 am

Space aliens will come and get you. Just kidding.

You are fine make it up in next confession, say a couple Our Fathers in the meantime.

John 3:16

TheRealJuliane · #6 Feb 9, '12, 11:22 am

OP, I am also a revert who was lapsed for a long time, and had a lot to confess when I returned. There were things I didn't even consider as being mortal sins, that had to make their way up to my consciousness so I could confess them. That one Big Confession wasn't enough, although I believe that you and I both were actually absolved for the ones we forgot if we actually made a good attempt and were contrite.

I am struggling with re-confessing some of my sins since I basically got the "wave off" from the priest like they weren't that big of a deal, like using ABC since I was 15. It was one of those community confessions and there was a line, so I didn't get to take a lot of time, and I got the feeling he was rather impatient with me. He asked me if I was still using it and I told him no, and I don't even think he gave me any penance. Now, technically I know I shouldn't go back and dredge up this sin, but I can't help feeling as though...well...like it was more serious and deserved more of a penance or something? At least a good dressing down...

I can't remember if I was very specific about it, either. I'm like you, worried I have left something out by chance that will doom me to Hell.

RastaPasta · #7 Feb 9, '12, 12:09 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pfaffenhoffen

Is it a sin to used a friend's software? Why?
Is is a sin to read a friend's book?

If your friend stole the book and you borrowed it to read (having full knowledge that the book had been stolen), that would be wrong.

If your friend paid for the book and you borrowed it to read, that would not be wrong. Public libraries do that all the time.

But if your friend (or the public library) made an unauthorized COPY of the book (and you borrowed it to read having full knowledge that it was an unauthorized copy) that would be wrong as well (copyright infringements are illegal).

Software is a bit different.

If you used software borrowed from a friend and it's FREEware, it would not be wrong because freeware is open source software (and anyone is entitled to use it).

If you used software borrowed from a friend and it's SHAREware, you can use it, however, with shareware you generally enter into an agreement with the company that produced it, in which you agree to pay a nominal fee if you continue to use the application. It's a bit of an honor system and (yes), you can continue to use shareware without paying a fee, but to deliberately do so would be wrong. They developed it, you're making use of, and you DO enter a sort of agreement with the owner of the software. The honorable thing to do is pay for the service... whether or not it's borrowed from a friend is irrelevant.

Fully licensed software is a different animal, because although the licensed software might be purchased by a particular company or individual, the license itself is only applied to a specific computer (or computers).

For example:

I purchased the license for Microsoft Office (the version I purchased allows for two computers). I installed it, and registered the first license copy to my personal computer. That's legitimate.

Now I have a choice.

I can buy an additional computer and install/register Microsoft Office on the new computer OR I can allow a friend to install the application on their computer (in which case they will also have to register the application to the computer that they installed it on), but in either case it's legitimate, because I have purchased a license which allows for the usage on two different computers.

If I attempted to install Microsoft Office to a third computer (other than the first two) it would be illegal (the third computer would require that I purchase an additional license), and in all likelihood it wouldn't let me do it anyway. These days when you register licensed software via the Internet, many companies (Microsoft is one of them) make a record of what computer you install it on (they read information off of your hard drive and motherboard). If you attempt to install it to another computer (after you have used up all of your licenses), the installation process might stop and/or you'll get a neat little message from the company stating that your are using an unauthorized copy of the software. Chances are it won't work properly either (but even if it does, it's still illegal).

A company will generally tell you how many computers one license can be used on.

So "borrowing" fully licensed software from a friend without being given a legal license for usage would be illegal too.

If I were to make a copy of the installation disc, I would be committing a crime unless I received permission from Microsoft to do so.

If I made a copy of the disc and gave it to a friend to use... that would be illegal as well.

Jenniferolg · #8 Feb 9, '12, 3:33 pm

I was reading about copy right infringement in relation to music the other day because I had many questions about what aspects were/were not sinful. This is sort of unrelated, but one fellow was talking about the inflated value of downloaded music. He asked, "If a song is REALLY worth $1.00 (the price of a download) then it would be reasonable to imagine someone being willing to trade 100,000 downloaded songs for a house valued at $100,000."

Made me think! I think I'm spending too much on downloaded music. Not that I'm would use that discrepancy to justify stealing downloaded music...

Link0126 · #9 Feb 9, '12, 7:44 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jenniferolg

I was reading about copy right infringement in relation to music the other day because I had many questions about what aspects were/were not sinful. This is sort of unrelated, but one fellow was talking about the inflated value of downloaded music. He asked, "If a song is REALLY worth $1.00 (the price of a download) then it would be reasonable to imagine someone being willing to trade 100,000 downloaded songs for a house valued at $100,000."

Made me think! I think I'm spending too much on downloaded music. Not that I'm would use that discrepancy to justify stealing downloaded music...

I've heard that before too and that analogy irritates me b/c I know it's an unfair analogy and inaccurate but I can't clearly express why.

Jenniferolg · #10 Feb 11, '12, 8:11 am

I believe it is a logical analogy. Is a downloaded song worth a dollar? If it were, 100,000 of them would be as valuable as anything else valued at 100,000 dollars.

Matrix Refugee · #11 Feb 11, '12, 9:58 am

I think software licensing is a bit of a weird area: I doubt it's a mortal sin, but it could be a venial sin, since it deals with a reasonable human law, and as such, we're called to obey reasonable human laws.

mkdl_v17 · #12 Jun 11, '12, 5:36 am

Should I delete any files that are made inside a pirated operating system nor made with pirated office-use software (i.e. Microsoft Office) and replace/remake them with new ones made on legitimately-acquired software?

wcknight · #13 Jun 11, '12, 12:35 pm

Purchase a legitimate copy of MS office or whatever software was 'borrowed'. And IF you feel really bad , send a check for a few bucks to the Gates Founcation or some other charity that you think Bill Gates might support.

It would probably be too much of a burden to delete and remake all those files..