A personal act or omission that does not conform to God's will or law. Actual sins may be divided into the following catgories: sins of commission or omission, according to the precept which they violate; interior or exterior sins, according to the manner of committing them; sins against God, one's neighbor, and one's self, according to their object; mortal and venial sins, according to their effect on the soul; sins of ignorance, veakness, and malice, according to the cause which leads to them; capital or non-capital sins, according as they do or do not lie at the root of other sins.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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