Remission of Venial Sins

No sin is forgiven without repentance or penance. Yet amore perfect penance is required for the forgiving of mortal sin;each mortal sin is to be detested and rejected. A more general grief or sorrow is sufficient in the case of venial sins.

Mortal sin is removed by penance (virtue and sacrament)when grace is infused into the soul to drive out and replace sin. Venial sin does not drive out grace, and hence, in one who has no mortal sin on his soul, venial sins can be forgiven without the infusion of new grace by a movement of grace or charity already inthe soul. Also whenever grace is newly infused, venial sins are forgiven.

The pious use of holy water and the exercise of devotional acts can suffice to take away venial sins. Such pioususes and practices always tend to remove sin, because they can be a true movement of grace in the soul arousing love of God and detestation of what offends him.

A man who has both mortal and venial sins, cannot get rid of his venial sins while the mortal sins remain. For by mortal sin a man is turned completely from God, and no sanctifying grace is in him to move for the cancellation of venial sins.