Posted on by Msgr. Charles Pope

Catalog of Sin – All Items are in Stock, With Free Shipping and Handling from the Supplier

111714The video at the bottom of the page is something of a spoof on drug commercials, treating sin like a drug. Wait until you hear the side effects disclaimer at the end. 🙂

I also thought today of doing a little post on the sins that cry to heaven for vengeance, since I was talking to a parishioner today who is suffering because his employer has not paid him for three weeks. His employer, a shipping agency, says this is  due to “administrative difficulties.” He was angry (rightfully so) and getting desperate. I reminded him that withholding wages was a sin that cried to heaven and that God was angry. The rest of our conversation I’ll keep private.

With that painful situation in mind, and thinking about how the negligent sin of one affects another, it occurs to me offer a few lists of sins that may prove as helpful reminders to all of us in our struggle against it. Sometimes it helps to see sin in categories and to be able to “name the demons,” as an aid in combatting them. These are just a few helpful lists. There are others and I invite you to add to them. For the sake of brevity, I do not fully develop them all.

In keeping with the video below, consider these lists a kind of “Sin on Sale”—a clearance sale if you will. The lists below can be purchased separately or together in packages. All items are ALWAYS in stock; shipping and handling are free from the supplier. But do beware of the potential, and likely, side effects!

The sins that cry to heaven for vengeance: (CCC 1867)

  1. Murder (Gn 4:10)
  2. Sodomy (Gn 17:20-21)
  3. Oppression of the poor (Ex 2:23)
  4. Defrauding workers of their just wages (Jas 5:4)

Seven Deadly Sins: (more on these HERE)

  1. Pride – the sinful drive that distorts proper self-love so that we esteem our own self more than is proper
  2. Greed – the excessive and insatiable desire for more than is reasonable or proper
  3. Lust – the sinful drive that leads to excessive or inappropriate desires or thoughts of a sexual nature
  4. Anger – the sinful drive that leads to inordinate and unrestrained feelings of hatred and wrath
  5. Gluttony – the sinful drive to overindulge in,  or over-consume anything (especially food and drink to the point of waste)
  6. Envy – sorrow or sadness at the goodness or excellence of another person because I think it makes me look bad or appear less excellent
  7. Sloth – the sinful drive that leads to sorrow or sadness at the good things God wants to do for me

Sins against the Holy Spirit:

  1. Despair
  2. Presumption
  3. Envy
  4. Obstinacy in sin
  5. Final impenitence
  6. Deliberate resistance to the known truth.

Sins against faith: (CCC 2088-2089)

  1. Hesitating doubt – delaying the overcoming of doubts, difficulties, or objections due to indifference or laziness
  2. Voluntary doubt – disregarding of the truth or on-going resistance to overcoming doubt
  3. Incredulity – willful refusal to assent to revealed truths of the faith
  4. Heresy – the choosing and overemphasizing of certain truths of the faith to the exclusion of others
  5. Schism – refusal of submission to the Pope or Catholic communion
  6. Apostasy – total repudiation of the Christian faith

Sins against God’s love: (CCC 2094)

  1. Indifference
  2. Ingratitude
  3. Lukewarmness
  4. Sloth – sorrow or aversion at the good things God offers to the soul,
  5. Hatred of God – usually rooted in a prideful notion that refuses to be second to God.

Sins against the Honor that is Due to God: (CCC 2111-2117)

  1. Superstition – the elevation of certain practices such that they are regarded as more important or powerful than prayer or trust in God
  2. Idolatry – divinizing what is not God, false worship, holding creatures more precious than the one Creator who is God
  3. Divination – undertaking practices meant to disclose the future, e.g., horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, recourse to mediums, etc.
  4. Magic and spiritism – attempting to tame occult powers and place them at our service or to have power over others in this way

Sins of Irreligion: (CCC 2118-2128)

  1. Tempting God – putting God to the test
  2. Sacrilege – stealing sacred things, profaning sacraments or liturgical actions, desecrating or speaking irreverently of sacred persons, places, or things that are blessed or consecrated to God
  3. Simony – buying or selling spiritual things, seeking to profit from them merely because they are blessed
  4. Atheism – denying the existence of God, including the practical atheism of materialism and utopian notions that man can save himself
  5. Agnosticism – an indifference toward God that refrains from formally denying His existence

Sins against the name of God: (CCC 2142-2155)

  1. Promises – infidelity to promises or oaths made with God’s name
  2. Profanity – using God’s name in vain ways that do not respect its sacred character, (e.g., empty expressions like “Oh, my God!”)
  3. Blasphemy – speaking ill of God, trivializing, cursing, or ridiculing him. By extension, ridiculing sacred things or the Saints
  4. Swearing – calling God to witness in matters that are trivial. Also, swearing a false oath, or committing perjury when under oath
  5. Cursing – using God’s name to curse or call down evil on others

Sins against the Lord’s Day: (CCC 2185)

  1. Refusing the worship owed to God
  2. Refusing the joy proper to the Lord’s day
  3. Refusing the relaxation of mind and body commanded on the Lord’s day
  4. Refusing reasonable works of mercy proper to the Lord’s day

Sins Against life: (CCC 2268-2283)

  1. Intentional homicide – all unjust killing
  2. Abortion
  3. Euthanasia
  4. Suicide
  5. Acting with reckless disregard for the safety and life of oneself or others

Sins against Chastity: (CCC 2351-2357)

  1. Lust – willfully entertaining inordinate or disordered desires for sexual pleasure
  2. Masturbation
  3. Fornication
  4. Adultery
  5. Pornography
  6. Prostitution
  7. Rape
  8. Homosexual activity

Sins of Injustice and theft: (CCC 2409ff)

  1. Theft
  2. Deliberately keeping borrowed things
  3. Damaging the goods of others without restitution
  4. Fraud
  5. Paying unjust wages
  6. Forcing up prices
  7. Refusing to pay debts
  8. Work poorly done
  9. Tax evasion
  10. Forgery
  11. Excessive and wasteful practices
  12. Hoarding
  13. Excessive and unnecessary exploitation of natural resources
  14. Refusing our legitimate obligations to the community
  15. Refusing our legitimate obligations to the poor

20 Works of the Flesh:

  1. Divisions (quarreling) (1 Cor 3:3)
  2. Adultery (Gal 5:19)
  3. Fornication (Gal 5:19)
  4. Uncleanness (impurity or sexual defilement) (Gal 5:19)
  5. Licentiousness (abuse of freedom) (Gal 5:19)
  6. Idolatry (Gal 5:19)
  7. Sorcery (φαρΌαÎșΔία pharmakeia; to administer drugs for spells or contraceptive and abortifacient effects) (Gal 5:20)
  8. Hatred (Gal 5:20)
  9. Discord (Gal 5:20)
  10. Jealousy (Gal 5:20)
  11. Wrath (Gal 5:20)
  12. Selfishness (Gal 5:20)
  13. Dissension (Gal 5:20)
  14. Heresy (Gal 5:20)
  15. Envy (Gal 5:21)
  16. Murder (Gal 5:21)
  17. Drunkenness (Gal 5:21)
  18. Reveling (carousing) (Gal 5:21)
  19. Lust (Col 3:5)
  20. Concupiscence (evil desires) (Col 3:5)

40 Characteristics of the Ungodly, especially in the last days: (2 Tim 3:2-9; Romans 1:28-29)

  1. Lovers of themselves
  2. Covetous
  3. Boasters
  4. Proud
  5. Blasphemers
  6. Disobedient to parents
  7. Unthankful
  8. Unholy
  9. Without natural affection
  10. Truce-breakers
  11. False accusers
  12. Without self control
  13. Fierce (brutal)
  14. Despisers of those who do good
  15. Traitors
  16. Rash
  17. Lovers of pleasure more than God
  18. Having the form of Godliness but denying the power of it.
  19. Seducers
  20. Unteachable
  21. Resistant to the truth
  22. Suppressing the truth
  23. Corrupt minds
  24. Foolish concerning the faith
  25. Without progress
  26. A base mind
  27. Futile in their thinking
  28. Possessed of darkened and senseless minds
  29. Celebratory of and practicing unnatural sexual relations
  30. Claiming to be wise but being fools
  31. Dishonoring their bodies
  32. Haters of God
  33. Insolent
  34. Inventors of evil
  35. Heartless
  36. Ruthless
  37. Faithless
  38. Approving sin and those who practice it
  39. Under strong delusion (2 Thess 2:11)
  40. Blinded by the god of this age (2 Cor 4:4)

Need more items? Try here: Litany of Penance and Reparation

These are just a few helpful lists drawn from the Catechism, with reference also to the Catholic Source Book and other places.

So there it is, a clearance sale on sin. And now, here’s a word from our sponsor!

35 Replies to “Catalog of Sin – All Items are in Stock, With Free Shipping and Handling from the Supplier”

  1. LOL! i shouldn’t laugh, but that video was so on point 🙂 On a more serious note, God bless you for the list and brief descriptions of sins. The Holy Spirit is busy Father! i have been praying since last night for something just like you posted here. PERFECT! Thank You Holy Spirit.

    1. Most of the sources are listed, right out Scripture and the Catechism. I have compiled them over the year and also take inspiration form Meredith’s Complete Book of Bible Lists

  3. Wailing is a side effect they left out ‘wailing and gnashing of teeth.’

    40 Characteristics of the Ungodly, especially in the last days: (2 Tim 3:2-9; Romans 1:28-29)
    1.Lovers of themselves<–this one can be misunderstood, in two ways. The hierarchy of charity given by St. Augustine and followed by St. Aquinas is as follows: 1. God, 2. One' Self, 3. One's Neighbor, and 4. One's Own Body. The way St. Aquinas describes it is that we should never sin, even to keep our neighbor from sinning. If one loved one's neighbor more than oneself, then he would kill his neighbor immediately after his neighbor is baptized to make sure his neighbor goes to heaven. The second way is this: if in recollection we don't immediately turn to God, then recollection is a detrimental and not beneficial experience.

    Really, the main reason I clicked on this post to day was to share this song with Monsignor Pope and any of his readers who would like to hear it, a song about good ol' St. Jerome: dion- The Thunderer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5F0cs0YiVs

  4. Great list I had no idea there were so many on an abbreviated list. ; 0) I would hate to see an exhausted list. I will use this list in my classes in the future.

  5. Oppression of the poor (Ex 2:23), Also stated in Proverbs 22:22
    Refusing to pay debts: Some debts are not just debts, but are the result of fraud, exploitation, or overreaching.
    Some people are in financial straits in this economy, and cannot pay debts. They are not guilty of sin; they need to spend their limited funds on subsistence for themselves and their families.
    Deuteronomy 15:1

  6. The list is illuminating, if somewhat sobering. As I read it, I asked myself “How on earth am I supposed to avoid the near occasion of sin?” It seems so hard.

    1. It’s easier than you think. The more you fill your life with God, the less room there will be for sin. We are finite vessels so trying to fill yourself with infinite love is a pretty short path to lightening your sin load.

      1. i pray this prayer, offering it to others to help prepare them to surrender their sins and lives to Christ.

        God is calling all to Him.

        A Prayer of Willingness

        Lord God, i may not yet have been called but i’m willing.
        I’m willing to surrender my flesh in order to be born of Your spirit
        I’m willing to surrender all the old hatreds, grudges and resentments and begin to live in love.
        I’m willing to surrender my darkest thoughts and emotions, my deepest most hidden sins into the healing light of Your mercy.
        I am willing to give up my reliance on the things of this world and place it with You.
        I am willing to begin ridding myself of unhealthy attachments to alcohol, pornography, drugs and fornication and become firmly attached to You my God.
        I am willing to rid myself of envy, vanity and pride that says i can do all without help from You.
        Lord, i am willing to give up mistrust and trust in You alone.
        Though i do not fully see, i’m willing to try, to step out on faith and allow Your Holy Spirit to show me the way to You.
        Please Lord, accept my willing, as yet unformed heart and lead me to peace and joy in You. So that on that day, i too can sing with joy, Your praises forever. Amen.

        Won’t you answer Him?

        This prayer came to me intact, after weeks of agonizing over souls who feel they have not been called to repent. One morning i woke, went to my ministry page and typed it all out in one 4 minute session. Deo Gratias!

  7. Thank you Msgr., not enough is spoken about sin as if it was attached to the person and we are somehow insulting the dignity of someone if we speak of their sin. But it is like you point out here, taken on by us, so much so we can become addicted and it becomes hard to give up. So what is the remedy? Of course as we know (but so many do not know) it is our Lord Jesus Christ who gives us Himself as a sacrifice, the Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. Who of us can be saved? Who can be without sin? Only those sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb… blessed are those who are called to the Supper of the Lamb! God knew we were all lost, none were without sin. In His Mercy he showed favor to mankind, in great Love and Mercy, that we may be united with Him forever.. Repent and follow God, He desires that none should be lost.

  8. Can you clarify something?

    “I reminded him that withholding wages was a sin that cried to heaven and that God was angry with him. ”

    You mean God is angry with the employer, correct? Not the man/employee.

  9. What a wonderful guardian the church is to have taken the effort to let us all know the actions and inactions which are sinful. While the Decalogue is written in our hearts the particular personal offenses against God are given to us through the Spirit of Truth. But how can i be sinless in the world of temptation? His grace is sufficient if i cooperate with It. But how do I cooperate with it? By accessing Sanctifying Grace through sacraments of penance and holy communion! You have to come to know that Sanctifying Grace is Divine Power that allows human beings to do that which is humanly impossible. Always remember the merit is in the fight! Feed the good side of your life and starve the evil side. Keep running the race! Jesus will never stop helping you if you ask him for the help. We have all heard “ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it shall be opened to you! But wait! This means if I don’t ask i won’t receive and if i don’t seek or knock I won’t find! Fight hard! Don’t give up! The gravity of our fallen human nature is not too much Jesus and His church!.

  10. Usury tends to get overlooked. Thankfully, it appears in the Compendium to the Catechism.

    1. Well, remember that including it in a list like this does not mean that the Church formally teaches it is one of the sins against the Holy Spirit. But why do many moral theologians include it as such? Because it is sorrow at goodness and excellence in another, with a consequent desire to ridicule or even destroy that goodness so that the one who envies “looks better” by comparison. Thus, quite frequently the goodness that is envied (which means despised, not admired!) is sorrow at the gifts of God. You may recall that when Jesus taught that a “Sin against the Holy Spirit” could not be forgiven the context was that some were saying that it was by the power of Beelzebub that he cast out demons and worked miracles. Hence in envying Jesus (despising his good works because he made the enviers look less glorious) they presumed evil, and shunned the Holy Spirit. Further, as St. Augustine teaches, envy is THE diabolical sin, since it sees good and seeks to destroy it, rather than appreciate or imitate it. As such it is an attempt to destroy the gifts of the Spirit.

      More on Envy here: http://blog.adw.org/2012/01/envy-is-the-diabolical-sin/

      1. Thanks for your kind response. I hadn’t realized that envy was jealousy over the good, not the goods. I thought it was wanting other people’s things.

  12. Regarding Profanity – using God’s name in vain ways that do not respect its sacred character, (e.g. empty expressions like “Oh my God!”), specifically the “Oh my God” aspect.

    I have tried to confess this and have been told that it is not a sin. My only thought is that perhaps it depends on the context, i.e., used in a habitual manner rather than in times of surprise, fear or other emotional responses, when it becomes more of a call to God.

    The confusion I find in the confessional is sometimes daunting to me, someone who struggles with fear of authority and confessing the “wrong” way. Is it best just to continue to confess this even if the priest doesn’t think it is a sin? Or do I not confess it out of obedience to him?

    1. If you use the words “I took the Lord’s Name in vain” then you have admitted to breaking a commandment which is a sin. The priest may be looking at the deeper context, perhaps you said you were excited or frightened at the time. The priest may not have seen intent to sin in such a case.

      Bottom line, if your conscience says sin, then confess and, here is the kicker, REPENT. Yup, not enough to say sorry if you have no intention of changing. If your intent is there, pray to the Holy Spirit for assistance and I guarantee help will be forthcoming.

    2. Many years ago, a co-worker received a phone call telling him of the sudden death of his about 6-year old son, who had as an infant survived open heart surgery and surgical repair of other conditions. My co-worker’s exclamation in that instance was quite heart-felt and understandable. (Lord, how could you allow us to put so much prayer and effort into the survival of this small child, and then take him away?)
      The co-worker was not a frequent user of profanity.
      The Lord understands situations of heartfelt sorrow, and is ready to forgive errors on our part.
      TeaPot562

  13. No wonder we’re all sinners. With a list this exhaustive it’s hard to avoid a misstep.

  14. Reading this list reminds me how utterly sinful I am. It incites me to examine my conscience; indeed it is an examination of conscience. Thank you. I am reminded of the great power of the sacrament of Penance and look forward to receiving it.

    I do not understand this statement
    18.Having the form of Godliness but deny the power of it.
    What is this?

  15. Thank you. This will be a great help for examination of conscience and confession. I always have trouble figuring out how to name my sins. It will be much easier for me to be specific during confession….a great gift. Thanks again.

  16. Dante grouped sinners into nine circles in Hell. I counted 14 here. Excellent post, Monsignor. I saw myself indicted.

  17. “The sins that cry to heaven for vengeance: (CCC 1867)

    Murder (Gn 4:10),
    Sodomy (Gn 17:20-21).”

    Well, since we now have 33 states for “gay” marriage (thanks to activist judges for overturning the will of the people), and abortion (which is murder of the innocent) the law of the land, I wonder what kind of strike force God will send us? Will it be when “gay” marriage reach 50 states?

    Perhaps God won’t send the strike force yet, because He knows the Judges were wicked (e.g., Roe v. Wade, etc.) and not all the people were wicked.

    So there must be a modern-day Abraham to plead with God not to destroy Sodom.

  18. Excellent and powerful compilation. As with schismatic doctrine, it is easy to emphasize a few and ignore the rest. Seeing them in all their anti-glory makes clear the need for us to be impartial witnesses as we look into our own souls. Great list for those converts and others heading to first…or any…confession, too.

  21. In the lists of “Sins against the Holy Spirit” I was a bit surprised of the lack of what is referred to in; Matthew 12:31&32 and Mark 3:28-30.

  22. But Monsignor the clergy has NOT taught about SIN since Vatican II. Nobody sins anymore–everyone goes right up to Communion.

  23. Now I’m confused. Can you give an example of sloth? I pulled out the Catechism and got generally the same definition, but that doesn’t seem to be very helpful. “Sadness to the good things God wants to do for me” doesn’t seem to fit in with sitting around with my feet up when I should be cutting the lawn. Thanks!

  24. Pingback: Pastoral Sharings: "First Sunday of Advent" | St. John

  25. I find this list of sins very discouraging, a depressing revelation of the hopelessness of salvation. Thank the Good Lord for St. Sister Faustina and for sharing the Chaplet of Divine Mercy which I say every day for the greater part of the day. That is my beacon of hope and faith and so should it be for the whole world, for we are all great sinners at one time or another!

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