Bringing you the "Good News" of Jesus Christ and His Church While PROMOTING CATHOLIC Apologetic Support groups loyal to the Holy Father and Church's magisterium
Home About
AskACatholic.com
What's New? Resources The Church Family Life Mass and
Adoration
Ask A Catholic
Knowledge base
AskACatholic Disclaimer
Search the
AskACatholic Database
Donate and
Support our work
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
New Questions
Cool Catholic Videos
About Saints
Disciplines and Practices for distinct Church seasons
Purgatory and Indulgences
About the Holy Mass
About Mary
Searching and Confused
Contemplating becoming a Catholic or Coming home
Homosexual and Gender Issues
Life, Dating, and Family
No Salvation Outside the Church
Sacred Scripture
non-Catholic Cults
Justification and Salvation
The Pope and Papacy
The Sacraments
Relationships and Marriage situations
Specific people, organizations and events
Doctrine and Teachings
Specific Practices
back
Church Internals
Church History

Maddie Nagel wrote:

Hi, guys —

  • What does the Catholic Church teach about suicide?

Maddie

  { What does the Catholic Church teach about suicide? }

Paul replied:

Maddie,

Suicide is the taking of an innocent human being, hence it is objective self-murder. It is a grave violation of the fifth commandment.

Whether everyone who commits this grave evil is guilty of the serious sin of suicide is another question. Keep in mind, for someone to be guilty of mortal sin three elements must be present:

  1. it must be grave matter (suicide is)
  2. the person must have knowledge of the gravity of what they're doing, and
  3. the person must fully and freely consent to it

It is at least possible that mental illness may mitigate a person's knowledge [and/or] freedom at the time the act is committed and hence diminish their guilt.

This is why the Church allows for Christian burials for suicide victims; only God can judge the level of their understanding and free consent, therefore only God can judge their personal guilt.

Peace,

Paul

Maddie replied:

Dear Paul,

Thank you so much for your help this really clears things up as I am researching this topic for my Study of a religion assignment at school.

Many thanks,

Maddie

Paul replied:


No problem, Maddie.

Thanks for writing.

Paul
[Related posting] [Related posting] [Related posting]

Please report any and all typos or grammatical errors.
Suggestions for this web page and the web site can be sent to Mike Humphrey
© 2012 Panoramic Sites
The Early Church Fathers Church Fathers on the Primacy of Peter. The Early Church Fathers on the Catholic Church and the term Catholic. The Early Church Fathers on the importance of the Roman Catholic Church centered in Rome.