No, but I've never been in the unique position of ministering to Catholics in preparation for their marriage.
I did, however, recently inform one of my best friend's that he was putting his eternal soul in peril by willfully seeing another woman while he was separated from his wife and the woman he was seeing was separated from her husband. In fact, the only reason I didn't punch him in the face to wake him up was because he was in Pennsylvania, and I'm in Hawaii. I had asked him to be a godfather to my daughter, and told him that unless he immediately broke off all contact with the woman, I wouldn't let him be my daughter's godfather after all. He called me the next day to tell me that he'd gone to confession and cleanly broke off all contact with the woman. I'm glad that I "slammed" him with mortal sin.
Let me ask you: Do you think it's good to withold the truth of the gravity of their situations?
And you believed him? If he'd see another woman while separated from his wife, why do you assume he'd tell you the truth about breaking with her?
I would have asked him if he had decided that it was over between he and his wife. If he said yes, then I would have talked to him about making it final and stop betraying vows he had made.
If he said no, then I would have told him he was driving a wedge between he and his wife if they ever DID get back together. He would KNOW he cheated on his wife, and it would hang over them like a cloud.
I find that sins are also things that violate human nature, and that a discussion of what wrong behavior does to self-respect, to people you've vowed your life to, to your own self-image as an honest or dishonest person is more effective than talking about the peril to one's soul.
Terror works with children. I don't use it on adults.
And you believed him? If he'd see another woman while separated from his wife, why do you assume he'd tell you the truth about breaking with her?
I would have asked him if he had decided that it was over between he and his wife. If he said yes, then I would have talked to him about making it final and stop betraying vows he had made.
If he said no, then I would have told him he was driving a wedge between he and his wife if they ever DID get back together. He would KNOW he cheated on his wife, and it would hang over them like a cloud.
I find that sins are also things that violate human nature, and that a discussion of what wrong behavior does to self-respect, to people you've vowed your life to, to your own self-image as an honest or dishonest person is more effective than talking about the peril to one's soul.
Terror works with children. I don't use it on adults.