Tradicat

Conditions of mortal sin: knowledge, free will, grave matter Contrary to the teaching of  Baius  (prop. 46, Denzinger-Bannwart, 1046) and the  Reformers , a sin must be a  voluntary   act . Those actions alone are properly called  human  or  moral  actions which proceed from the  human  will deliberately acting with  knowledge  of the end for which it acts.  Man  differs from all irrational creatures in this precisely that he is master of his actions by virtue of his reason  and  free will  ( I-II:1:1 ). Since sin is a  human act  wanting in due rectitude, it must have, in so far as it is a  human act , the  essential  constituents of a  human act . The  intellect  must perceive and judge of the morality of the  act , and the will must freely elect. For a deliberate mortal sin ther...

Introduction While there appears to be a significant confusion within the Catholic Church on many aspects of sin, I'd like to highlight the Malice of Sin (see part D2). The Malice of sin is found in that it is a conscious and voluntary transgression of the eternal law of God.  When these conditions are met (conscious, voluntary transgession), it carries with it an implied contempt of the will of God and a turning away from Him who is the end for which we are designed. In short, we prefer to subject ourselves to a creature rather than to the Creator as such it is an offense offered to God and injures Him in that it deprives God of the reverance and honor due to Him.