Dear Victoria:

I think you misunderstand me a little. What I said was, "Although the use of "cuss words" may not constitute grave sin, or perhaps not even venial sin in some cases, the use of such words may indeed be a violation of social conventions."

I said "may", "perhaps", and "in some cases". All that depends upon the situation. Even if some cussing is technically not even a venial sin in the ordinary sense, it is still a violation of the virtue of prudence and temperance.

If the cussing takes place in front of another person, then it is a sin against the virtue of charity as it is an assault to the mind and spirit of the hearer.

The bottomline is that Christians are not to cuss. If they do cuss they are damaging their Christian witnessed, which damages Christ. Thus, in essence, each time we cuss we are slapping Jesus in the face.

It does not matter whether cussing is mortal or venial.  We are not to sin, period. Sin is sin regardless of whether it is venial or mortal. We should be working to avoid all sin. And we should be working to develop the virtues within us. To fail at the virtues is to fail Christ.

The Church teaches that bringing venial sins to Confession is good, too. Confession is a healing and strengthening Sacrament in addition to that of confession and reconciliation. The Church encourages people to confess their venial sins. The Sacrament will help to heal and avoid venial sins.

The same goes for failures in the practice of the virtues that may not be technically sin. The Sacrament can heal and strengthen a person to avoid those failures and to advance in spiritual maturity.

So all this "should" I confess this or that that people agonize over is not necessary. If you have to ask the question, bring the sin to Confession.

"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one" (Col. 4:6).

"Hear and understand: Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man. . . . Do you not see that whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and so passes on? But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a man" (Matt. 15:10–11, 17–18).

Be sure to read Soap Out that Mouth!

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary