The Vatican Synod of Bishops ruled Monday that perjury is not a mortal sin, downgrading the sin to venal.'God and The Mother Church will be more than satisfied with a penance of 20 rosaries for any act of perjury,' Cardinal Angelo Sodano said. 'Any earthly prohibition against lying in a court of law has no relevance to the holy teachings of The Bible.' The proclamation comes on the heels of last Friday's doctrinal clarification that adultery only occurs when both participants are adults. 