Expert: Fr. Michael - 3/27/2010

Question
I am a convert to Catholicism from an alternitive religon. My pre Catholic Religon was very violent in its views, (thankfully it is now a dead religon as it ended with my conversion.)I believed that to torture or hurt people was morally just and that sinners should never be shown any mercy or forgiveness. Recentlly someone got me increadibly angery and I began to comfort myself by thinking cruel and violent thoughts, (to be precise it was the thought of me as an ancient Cannanite Priest Immolating numerous random live Children before Molech while the screams of their Heart broken Mothers were drowned out with excessively loud heavy metal music.) I conffessed this recently as Cruel and violent thoughts. My question is  did I give enough detail in Conffession? Is this a mortal or venial sin (I would never actually do something so cruel). Does even thinking about it qualify as a mortal sin or is it venial. I was raised Prodestant and my Mother taught me that if you even think about it it is as bad as if you did it. Is she right?

Answer
This is the kind of question that you should direct to your traditional confessor at the time of confession.  He is in the best position to guide you and to ask you any pertinent questions.  If you do not have a traditional confessor, see the geographical list at www.traditio.com/nat.htm.