Dear Henry:

The Cardinal (or Capital) Sins are sins that engender other sins and vices. As such, we really need to avoid these since they lead us into many other sins. There are seven Cardinal Sins:

1) Pride
2) Covetousness
3) Lust
4) Anger
5) Gluttony
6) Envy
7) Sloth

In addition to these sins leading us to yet other sins, these seven can, but not always, be mortal sins.

Mortal sin is a sin so serious that it severs our friendship with God and "destroys charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God's law; it turns man away from God, who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an inferior good to him."  It does not just damage that relationship (as does venial sin) but severs and terminated our relationship with God and His Church. That is why the Sacrament of Confession is also called the Sacrament of Reconciliation -- we are reconciled to God and His Church, restored into His friendship.

To be guilty of Mortal Sin three things must be true. All three of the following elements must be true or the sin in question is not mortal:

1) the sin in question must be grave (serious)

2) we must have full knowledge that the sin is grave

3) we must have deliberate consent -- knowing the sin to be grave we deliberately choose with freedom of will to commit the sin anyway. This means that if our freedom to choose is impaired by things like mental illness, immaturity, etc. that we may not truly be free to consent to the sin which is requited by this item.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary