St. John tells us something about the difference between those sins that can really take our souls down fast and those that are of lesser degree.

“If anyone sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, , he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal”.

---I John 5: 16-17

“Mortal sin is defined by St. Augustine (Contra Faustum, XXII, xxvii) as "Dictum vel factum vel concupitum contra legem æternam", i.e. something said, done or desired contrary to the eternal law, or a thought, word, or deed contrary to the eternal law. This is a definition of sin as it is a voluntary act. As it is a defect or privation it may be defined as an aversion from God, our true last end, by reason of the preference given to some mutable good.”

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htm#III

Venial--Venial sin is essentially different from mortal sin. It does not avert us from our true last end, it does not destroy charity, the principle of union with God, nor deprive the soul of sanctifying grace, and it is intrinsically reparable. It is called venial precisely because, considered in its own proper nature, it is pardonable; in itself meriting, not eternal, but temporal punishment. . . . It is distinguished from mortal sin on the part of the disorder. By mortal sin man is entirely averted from God, his true last end, and, at least implicitly, he places his last end in some created thing. By venial sin he is not averted from God, neither does he place his last end in creatures. He remains united with God by charity, but does not tend towards Him as he ought.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htm#III

Sins of Appetite Lust Gluttony Avarice (Greed) Wrath Sloth

Sins of Fraud Envy Pride

“The inordinate craving for, or indulgence of, the carnal pleasure which is experienced in the human organs of generation.”

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09438a.htm

“(From Lat. gluttire, to swallow, to gulp down), the excessive indulgence in food and drink. . . . or, according to the apt rendering of Father Joseph Rickably: too soon, too expensively, too much, too eagerly, too daintily. Clearly one who uses food or drink in such a way as to injure his health or impair the mental equipment needed for the discharge of his duties, is guilty of the sin of gluttony.”

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06590a.htm

“Avarice (from Latin avarus, "greedy"; "to crave") is the inordinate love for riches. . .

It is more to be dreaded in that it often cloaks itself as a virtue, or insinuates itself under the pretext of making a decent provision for the future.”

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02148b.htm

The desire of vengeance. . . in conformity with the prescriptions of balanced reason, anger is not a sin. It is rather a praiseworthy thing and

justifiable with a proper zeal. It becomes sinful when it is sought to wreak vengeance upon one who has not deserved it, or to a greater extent than it has been deserved, or in conflict with the dispositions oflaw, or from an improper motive.”

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01489a.htm

In general it means disinclination to labour or exertion. . . The idea of right living inspires not joy but disgust, because of its laboriousness.”

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14057c.htm

Two forms: Sadness or displeasure at the

success of another because I think I deserve it more.

Joy or pleasure at the failure of another because I think it proves my superiority.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08326b.htm

This is the sin that most resembles Satan!“Pride is the excessive love of one's own

excellence. . . . By it the creature refuses to stay within his essential orbit; he turns his back upon God, not through weakness or ignorance, but solely because in his self-exaltation he is minded not to submit. St. Gregory, considers it the queen of all vices.”

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12405a.htm

Humility counteracts PrideForgiveness counteracts WrathGenerosity counteracts AvaricePurity counteracts LustLove counteracts EnvyDiligence counteracts SlothTemperance counteracts

Gluttony