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Are you saying a man can slip through the cracks. Live a righteous life, commit a mortal sin (please define this), not be able to get to a priest, and then go to hell? Not being confrontational - just curious.

Did I post this:

One who is dying and has no access to a priest is not doomed, he may make an act of contrition in his own heart.

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SD

commit a mortal sin (please define this)

Baltimore Catechism:

66. What is mortal sin?
Mortal sin is a grievous offense against the law of God.
Flee from sins as from the face of a serpent; for if thou comest near them, they will take hold of thee. (Ecclesiasticus 21:2)

67. Why is this sin called mortal?
This sin is called mortal, or deadly, because it deprives the sinner of sanctifying grace, the supernatural life of the soul.
Before man is life and death, good and evil; that which he shall choose shall be given him. (Ecclesiasticus 15:18)

68. Besides depriving the sinner of sanctifying grace, what else does mortal sin do to the soul?
Besides depriving the sinner of sanctifying grace, mortal sin makes the soul an enemy of God, takes away the merit of all its good actions, deprives it of the right to everlasting happiness in heaven, and makes it deserving of everlasting punishment in hell.
For the wages of sin is death; but the grace of God, life everlasting in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

69. What three things are necessary to make a sin mortal?
To make a sin mortal these three things are needed:
first, the thought, desire, word, action, or omission must be seriously wrong or considered seriously wrong;
second, the sinner, must be mindful of the serious wrong;
third, the sinner must fully consent to it.

70. What is venial sin?
Venial sin is a less serious offense against the law of God, which does not deprive the soul of sanctifying grace, and which can be pardoned even without sacramental confession.
Be ye therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 6:48)

Good to see you back in action, Gscc.

"Are you saying a man can slip through the cracks. Live a righteous life, commit a mortal sin (please define this), not be able to get to a priest, and then go to hell? Not being confrontational - just curious."

I think it's fine to be confrontational with Soothing Dave, it doesn't seem to bother him in the least. ;-)

I think the underlying principle is summarized well in Ezekiel.

"But if a wicked man turns away from all his sins which he has committed and keeps all my statutes and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die. None of the transgressions which he has committed shall be remembered against him; for the righteousness which he has done he shall live. Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?

But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does the same abominable things that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of the righteous deeds which he has done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which he is guilty and the sin he has committed, he shall die. "Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just? When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die for it; for the iniquity which he has committed he shall die. Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is lawful and right, he shall save his life. Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not just.' O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the Lord GOD; so turn, and live." (Ezekiel 18: 21-32)

God is for us, and He desires all men to be saved. A righteous man can be condemned, however, if he turns away from God to wickedness.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a wonderful Sacrament. For one, it makes us examine our lives and ask how we might do better, and be honest about our repeated failings. It's one thing to tell yourself that you regret all your sins, it's an entirely another to confess your sins to God in the presenceof another human being in explicit detail. It teaches us to go easier on others with failings, and it forces us to take a good look in the mirror. It's also a good opportunity to discuss the Christian Life where the rubber meets the road--daily life-- with an experienced Spiritual advisor-namely the minister. More than anything, however, the Sacrament of Reconcilliation is a time of turning to God and healing.

Scripture tells us to confess our sins to one another:

"Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects." (James 5:16)

Does your community practice this? This certainly isn't limited to Catholics and Orthodox, as I think I've seen an Evangelical Christian on this forum mention that their community had a practice of confessioning sins to one another.

By the way, you have freepmail. ;-)