According to the Catholic Church, a venial sin is a “forgivable” sin, a lesser sin that does not result in eternal damnation in Hell. A venial sin involves a “partial” loss of grace.
I’ve been studying up on this.
One must confess venial sins and be prepared to do penance. Hypothetically, it goes something like this: “Forgive me, Jenny Craig, for I have sinned. I must confess that I ate an entire half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting last week, supplemented only by a bag of Oreo cookies and a double handful of cappuccino Jelly Bellys.”
And hypothetically, Jenny says, “You’re bordering on a mortal sin here, but I’ll cut you some slack. Do 750 sit-ups, walk 15 miles, floss your teeth, take a laxative, and see me next week.”
It’s at this point I give thanks that it’s just a hypothetical scenario. And the fact that I’m not Catholic.