When we confess the sin of gossiping, it appears to be a venial sin.  But, there are 5 vices that fuels the enemy to tempt a soul to a mortal sin.

1.Curiosity

It refers to the pursuit of knowledge that is not proper to your state of life. One pursues knowledge that is not good for them spiritually. The first sin of curiosity is the sin of Eve. She has infused knowledge. When she saw the serpent talking, she knew that animals cannot talk. But, she allowed the pleasurable curiosity.

“ What is this thing?”

2. Detractions

Detractions means saying something that is true to bring down’s someone’s reputation or to effect someone’s reputation.

“Did you hear what this person did? “

Example: Constant bad-mouthing pope and some priests or verbal trashing is not helping us in the spiritual life.

3. Murmuring

It is when you say something true or false, normally true, to separate one’s affections from another.

You make sure someone knows quietly, thus, reflecting malice.

The person chooses to strip this person of affection from others at the detriment of the soul of others. Talking behind people’s back.

4. Calumny

Calumny is to tell something false about someone else. It is done in order to satisfy a person’s desire to bring one person down.

Gossiping feeds appetite and descends to a judgment. They start to hate.

5. Contumely

It accuses something to their face, goes around accusing someone of bad thing. Over the course of time people become judgmental.

Source: Excerpt from the audio on Gossiping  of Fr. Chad RIpperger www.sensustraditonis.org