On 10 March, Archbishop Gianfranco Girotti of the new sins of the Apostolate Penitentiary told L’Osservatore Romano that when the faithful examines their conscience for sins, they should not stop at personal sins, but continue to search for sins that are on a social dimension. He noted that with the advancement of technology, things like genetic manipulation, pollution that affects the area of ecology, drug abuse, drug trafficking, and pedophilia should all be considered during an examination of conscience.<br/><br/>
During an interview with Ming Pao Daily News, Rev. Lawrence Lee, Chancellor of the Diocesan Chancery, remarked that the faithful need to not only mind their own spiritual lives, but also have a concern for society at large.<br/><br/>
Even though the popular media had interpreted Archbishop Girotti’s words as a modern version of the seven deadly sins, his intent was merely to remind the faithful to commit to a sense of social responsibility.<br/><br/>
Archbishop Girotti also mentioned that one must also bear a conscientious responsibility to social inequality “by which the poor are getting poorer and the rich are getting richer”.<br/><br/>
In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the “seven deadly sins” listed are pride, avarice, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth. Now, whether on a personal or a social level, it is still most important for us to be united with Jesus, or else we would be just following the letter of the law without fellowship with our Lord—“that they also may be in us” (John 17:21)<br/><br/>
References:
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=86923
http://www.ewtn.com/vnews/getstory.asp?number=86834