Sloth

Sloth is sluggishness of mind which neglects to begingood. It is a kind of oppressive sorrow (for what is, in itself,good) which so weighs on a person’s mind that he chooses to donothing. Sloth is spiritual laziness. It is a sin, and a capitalsin.

Sloth is sorrow for spiritual good. It is a specialvice opposed to charity. For charity rejoices in the good whichsloth finds the occasion for sadness.

Sloth is, therefore, by its nature, contrary tocharity, and, by that fact, it is a mortal sin in its genus orgeneral essential kind. Yet, like all sins that are mortal in theirgenus, sloth is not mortal in fact, unless it be fully accepted bythe deliberate will.

Sloth is rightly listed among the capital (or source)sins-from which many other sins flow.