Question
Does
the Catholic church teach that someone dying with mortal sin always
goes to hell? With so many unexpected deaths, accidents, there must be a
second chance to say "I'm sorry."
Answer
At the last moment it may be possible to repent. But some people die so quickly that they may not have that moment. If a person dies as God’s enemy—which is what we are in mortal sin—then he goes to hell by his own choice. Most of us have had a lifetime to choose himQuestion
It is my understanding that if someone dies in the state of mortal sin he will not go to heaven. What incentive do I have not to sin if I am already in the state of mortal sin?Answer
The incentive not to sin always ought to be the desire not to offend God. Even if someone has fallen and committed a mortal sin, he should desire not to offend God any further. We live to serve him. Avoiding eternal punishment should be a side issue. He ought to come first.The reason a person does not go to heaven if he dies in the state of mortal sin is that he is deliberately rejecting God and is choosing something or someone else as the ultimate object of his love. The Lord will never reject one who dies loving him. If he approaches death in the state of mortal sin and repents because he loves the Lord, the Lord will welcome him. Jesus endured Good Friday precisely because he loves us. Our incentive should always be to respond to his love. That is always appropriate for each and every one of us!
Question
Is it possible for a person with a mortal sin still on his soul to die and go to heaven?
Answer
No. "To die in mortal sin without repenting and accepting God’s merciful love means remaining separated from him forever by our own free choice" (CCC 1033). But it is important to understand what constitutes a mortal sin and the ways mortal sin can be forgiven.In order for a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be met: (1) The sin must have grave matter, (2) one must have adequate knowledge that it is a grave offense, and (3) one must commit the offense with deliberate consent (CCC 1857–1859). If one of these conditions is not met, the sin will be venial, not mortal.
There are two kinds of sorrow for sin: contrition and attrition, which are called also perfect contrition and imperfect contrition. Perfect contrition does not mean the perfect degree of contrition, but the perfect kind of contrition—that is, sorrow for sins based on charity, or supernatural love of God. Imperfect contrition is sorrow for sin based on anything other than charity (such as being sorry for our sins because we fear the punishment of hell and God’s wrath).
Perfect and imperfect contrition are not mutually exclusive. A person can have both at the same time. Both perfect and imperfect contrition assume the resolve to sin no more. Even with this resolve, it is possible to commit the same sin in the future. What is important is that at this moment in time we make a firm resolution to turn away from mortal sin.
Under normal circumstances, for a mortal sin to be forgiven, it must be confessed in the sacrament of penance. If the penitent has perfect or imperfect contrition for his sin, confesses all his mortal sins since his last good confession, resolving not to commit the sin again, and receives absolution from the priest, his mortal sins are forgiven.
What happens if confession to a priest is impossible, and one is close to death or in danger of dying? Provided a person, finding himself in this situation, has perfect contrition for his mortal sins, and resolves not to sin again and receive sacramental confession as soon as possible, his mortal sin is forgiven. Imperfect sorrow is not contrition under these circumstances.