Can a validly baptized non-Catholic commit mortal sin, thereby losing the state of grace?

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Accepted answer

According to the same source as the two listed conditions:

The gravity of the matter is judged from the teaching of Scripture, the definitions of councils and popes, and also from reason. Those sins are judged to be mortal which contain in themselves some grave disorder in regard to God, our neighbour, ourselves, or society.

Thus, even without knowledge of the Gospel, or of the Sacred Tradition of the Catholic Church, a validly baptized non-Catholic can commit mortal sin, from the very fact that he has a rational intellect, and a moral obligation under the Natural Law.

It is undeniable that a man cannot be invincibly ignorant of the natural law, so far as its first principles are concerned, and the inferences easily drawn therefrom. 2

Ignorance is said to be invincible when a person is unable to rid himself of it notwithstanding the employment of moral diligence, that is, such as under the circumstances is, morally speaking, possible and obligatory.

Furthermore:

Some sins admit of no lightness of matter, as for example, blasphemy, hatred of God; they are always mortal (ex toto genere suo), unless rendered venial by want of full advertence on the part of the intellect or full consent on the part of the will.

Therefore, it is possible for a validly baptized non-Catholic, without impediment to the will or intellect (e.g. if he were drugged or somehow impaired against his will) to commit a sin, the gravity of which can be known by natural reason, and without invincible ignorance of the same. He would, therefore, meet all 3 conditions for mortal sin.

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