Q. 1.What is the sin of detraction?

A. 1.The sin of detraction is the revealing another person's real faults to a third person without a valid reason, thereby lessening the reputation of that person. While some refer to this as “gossip”, it is closer to “character assassination.”

On this matter, # 2477 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

“Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. [Cf. CIC, can. 220] He becomes guilty:

- of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them; [Cf. Sir 21:28]”

By its nature, the sin of detraction is intended to damage the reputation of someone. The one who engages in detraction is the one who speaks against an individual when that individual is absent, in order to damage his reputation.

For this reason Ecclesiasticus 41:15 says, “Take care of your good name. For this will remain with you longer than a thousand great and precious treasures.”

And so detraction is in its own right a mortal sin.