Examples of venial sin?

Another answer:

The above answer is precisely wrong and actually represents what we Catholics consider mortal sin. Mortal sin is that which disconnects one from our life source, that being God Himself. The reason the examples given above are mortal sins is that they are viloations - that is, sins against love. And as God is love, they are sins directly against Him. Audultery clearly is a sin against love as it violates the committment of wholly giving oneself to another (two becoming one) and instead fraudulently uses God's unifying gift of sex for selfish pleasure with another. Masturbation is also a sin against love as it too is self-focused rather than using God's gift or sex as he has intended it. God created the gift of sex and sexual pleasure to be both a unifying gift to those joined in committed sacramental love and a gift by which this love brings forth life. Adultery and Masturbation do not bring forth beautiful new life - quite to the contrary they bring pain and loneliness - the wages of sin is death.