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The media has coined the term “seven new deadly sins” to describe some examples of social sins spelled out by Bishop Gianfranco Girotti on 9 March, 2008. Many Catholics were frustrated with this characterization, arguing that the sins listed in the article were hardly new, and that in fact the Church had been decrying these activities for centuries. However, the term “seven new deadly sins” appears to have caught on, and it certainly attracted attention to the Catholic Church and the Pope, who pointed out that many people, including Christians, began leading a more secular and selfish life in the 20th century.
Before delving into the content of the seven new deadly sins, it may help to briefly discuss the nature of sin in the Catholic church. “Deadly” or mortal sins are sins which must be absolved before death, through confession and penitence. The seven new deadly sins discussed by Bishop Girotti are what are known as “social sins,” distinctive from individual sins. Social sins reflect a collective failure on the part of society; some examples include oppression of the poor, racism, and sexism. Unlike individual sins, social sins involve a multitude of selfish and complex decisions, and they require a shift in social perceptions to be changed.