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Examine Your Conscience


Lil Red

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I am going to post five different examination of conscience: by commandments; by values of faith, hope, and charity; a "modern"; an examination of conscience for venial sins and imperfections; and a short examination for right before bed, or in an emergency. I encourage your feedback on this, please PM (private message) me. This topic will stay closed.

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1. The Priest will begin with the Sign of the Cross.

2. The Penitent begins by saying “Bless me Father for I have sinned, it has been ____ (number of days, weeks, months, etc.) since my last confession. These are my sins”.

---NOTE: some priests will start it out for you, just by asking, "how long since your last Confession?" But for you, if this is your first, just make sure the first thing you tell the priest is that this is your first Confession... and I'm sure he'll be more helpful in guiding you through it.

3. Confess all mortal sins committed since your last confession by kind and number. You may also confess any venial sins.

4. At the end of your confession say these or similar words: “For these and all the sins I may have forgotten, I am sorry.”

5. The Priest may ask questions for clarification or give you some counsel on a point from your confession.

6. The Priest will give you a penance, and then ask the Penitent to say an act of contrition.

7. The Penitent makes an act of contrition in these or similar words: O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all of my sins because of Thy just punishments. But most of all because they offend Thee my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.

8. The Priest will give you absolution. (The words necessary for forgiveness are “I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”).

Preliminary

Besides telling the NATURE of our sins, we must also recollect, as far as possible, the NUMBER of times we have committed them, telling also (and only) those CIRCUMSTANCES which at times may either make a venial sin mortal or a mortal sin notably worse.

1.Have I ever failed to confess a serious sin or disguised it?

2.Have I been guilty of irreverence for this sacrament by failing to examine my conscience carefully?

3.Have I failed to perform the penance given me by the confessor or disobeyed any of his directions?

4.Have I neglected the Easter duty of receiving Holy Communion or failed to confess my sins within a year?

5.Have I any HABITS of serious sin to confess first (impurity, drunkenness, etc.)?

Prayer for a Good Confession

O my God, by my grievous sins I have re-crucified Thy divine Son to myself and have deserved Thy everlasting wrath in the fires of hell. Even more, I have been most ungrateful by my sins to Thee, my Heavenly Father, Who have created me out of nothing, redeemed me by Thy Son, and sanctified me in the sacraments by Thy Holy Spirit. But Thou hast spared me to make this confession. Receive me back as Thy prodigal son and grant me to confess myself well, that I may begin anew to love Thee with my whole heart and soul, henceforth keeping Thy Commandments and suffering patiently whatever temporal punishment for my sins may remain. I hope by Thy goodness and power to obtain everlasting life in paradise. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

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EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BY COMMANDMENT

FIRST COMMANDMENT

"I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before Me." (Ex 20:2,3)

•Did I doubt or deny that God exists?

•Did I refuse to believe in what God has revealed to us?

•Did I believe in hypnotism, black magic, witchcraft, divination, New Age/atheism/agnosticism, fortune telling, horoscopes, good-luck charms, palmistry, séances, dreams, the occult, tarot cards, Ouija boards, or reincarnation?

•Did I deny that I was Catholic?

•Did I leave the Catholic faith?

•Did I give time to God each day in prayer?

•Did I love God with my whole heart?

•Did I despair of or presume on God’s mercy?

•Did I have false gods in my life that I gave greater attention to than God, like: money, TV, property, profession, fame, drugs, pleasure, etc?

•Have I failed to receive Holy Communion at least once per year?

•Have I desecrated the Holy Eucharist?

•Am I guilty of simony (deliberate intention of buying or selling for a temporal price such things as are spiritual of annexed unto spirituals)?

•Have I adhered to a schismatic group?

•Have I received Holy Eucharist in a state of mortal sin?

•Did I join the Masons or other secret society?

•Am I ignorant of my catechism?

•Have I taken active part in any non-Catholic worship?

•Have I knowingly read any anti-Catholic literature?

SECOND COMMANDMENT

"You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain." (Ex 20:7)

•Did I blaspheme or insult God?

•Did I take God's name carelessly or uselessly?

•Did I curse, or break an oath or vow?

•Did I get angry with God?

•Have I seriously wished evil upon another?

•Did I use God’s name intentionally as a curse?

•Have I made an oath in a secret society?

•Did I commit perjury (crime of taking a false oath)?

•Did I seriously slander or insult a sacred person (i.e. priests) or object?

•Did I tell a lie or withhold a serious sin in confession?

THIRD COMMANDMENT

"Remember that you keep holy the Sabbath Day." (Ex 20:8)

•Did I miss Mass Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation through my own fault?

•Did I come to Mass on time? Leave early?

•Did I do work on Sunday that was not necessary?

•Did I set aside Sunday as a day of rest and a family day?

•Did I show reverence in the presence of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament?

•Did I intentionally fail to fast or abstain on appointed days?

•Have I done unnecessary shopping on Sunday?

FOURTH COMMANDMENT

"Honor your father and your mother." (Ex 20:12)

•Did I disobey or disrespect my parents or legitimate superiors?

•Did I neglect my duties to my husband, wife, children or parents?

•Did I neglect to give good religious example to my family?

•Did I fail to actively take an interest in the religious education and formation of my children?

•Did I fail to educate myself on the true teachings of the Church?

•Did I give scandal by what I said or did, especially to the young?

•Did I cause anyone to leave the faith?

•Did I cause tension and fights in my family?

•Did I care for my aged and infirm relatives?

•Did I give a full day's work for a full day's pay?

•Did I give a fair wage to my employees?

•Did I wish death or evil on my parents?

•Did I fail to carry out the last will of my deceased parents?

FIFTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not kill." (Ex 20:13)

•Did I kill or physically injure anyone?

•Did I have an abortion, or advise someone else to have an abortion? (One who procures and abortion is automatically excommunicated, as is anyone who is involved in an abortion, Canon 1398. The excommunication will be lifted in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.)

•Did I use or cause my spouse to use birth control pills (whether or not realizing that birth control pills do abort the fetus if and when conceived)?

•Did I attempt suicide?

•Did I take part in or approve of "mercy killing" (euthanasia)?

•Did I get angry, impatient, envious, unkind, proud, revengeful, jealous, hateful toward another, lazy?

•Did I give bad example by drug abuse, drinking alcohol to excess, fighting, quarreling?

•Did I abuse my children?

•Did I knowingly vote for someone who is pro-abortion?

•Did I willfully lead another into serious sin?

•Did I drive dangerously or recklessly?

•Have I self mutilated?

•Do I have excessive tattoos or body piercings?

•Do I have piercing of the nipples or sexual organs?

•Have I gotten sterilized?

•Did I willfully fail to bury the body or ashes of the dead?

•Did I willfully engage in unjust lawsuits?

•Have I committed bigotry?

•Have I intentionally placed temptation before the weak?

SIXTH COMMANDMENT AND NINTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not commit adultery." (Ex 20:14) "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife." (Ex 20:17)

Note: In the area of deliberate sexual sins listed below, all are mortal sins if there is sufficient reflection and full consent of the will. "No fornicators, idolaters, or adulterers, no sodomites,... will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Cor 6:9-10) "Anyone who looks lustfully at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his thoughts." (Mt 5:28)

•Did I willfully entertain impure thoughts or desires?

•Did I use impure or suggestive words? Tell impure stories? Listen to them?

•Did I deliberately look at impure TV, videos, plays, pictures or movies? Or deliberately read impure materials?

•Did I commit impure acts by myself (masturbation)?

•Did I commit impure acts with another - fornication (premarital sex), adultery (sex with a married person)?

•Did I practice artificial birth control (by pills, device, withdrawal)?

•Did I marry or advise anyone to marry outside the Church?

•Did I avoid the occasions of impurity?

•Did I try to control my thoughts?

•Did I engage in homosexual activity?

•Did I respect all members of the opposite sex, or have I thought of other people as objects?

•Did I or my spouse have sterilization done?

•Did I abuse my marriage rights?

•Did I dress or act in a manner intended to cause arousal in another (spouses excepted)?

•Have I shown flagrant immodesty in my dress?

•Did I commit bestiality (sexual acts with animals)?

•Did I participate in oral sex (permitted as foreplay in marriage)?

•Did I participate in anal sex or other degrading sex practices?

•Have I committed the sin of prostitution?

•Did I rape anyone?

•Did I participate in in vitro fertilization or artificial insemination?

•Did I participate in surrogate motherhood?

•Did I use “selective reduction” of babies in the womb?

•Did I willfully divorce or desert my spouse?

•Have I been involved in or support human cloning?

•Did I participate in types of fertility testing that involve immoral acts?

•Did I commit incest?

•Did I commit polygamy or polyandry (many wives/husbands)?

•Did I cohabitate prior to marriage?

•Did I destroy the innocence of another by seducing or introducing them to immorality?

•Have I participated in “swinging” or wife swapping?

•Have I boasted of my sins?

•Have I sinned against chastity in any other way?

SEVENTH & TENTH COMMANDMENTS

"You shall not steal." (Ex 20:15) "You shall not covet your neighbor's goods." (Ex 20:17)

•Did I steal, cheat, help or encourage others to steal or keep stolen goods? Have I made restitution for stolen goods?

•Did I fulfill my contracts; give or accept bribes; pay my bills; rashly gamble or speculate; deprive my family of the necessities of life?

•Did I waste time at work, school or at home?

•Did I envy other people's families or possessions?

•Did I make material possessions the purpose of my life?

•Have I participated in slavery?

•Have I pirated computer software?

•Have I been seriously cruel to animals?

•Have I violated copyrights?

•Did I commit forgery?

•Am I guilty of tax evasion, price fixing, fraud/embezzlement, or blackmail?

•Have I willfully destroyed or defaced another’s property?

•Have I stolen something consecrated to God or stolen from a holy place?

•Have I taken advantage of the poor, simple, inexperienced or less fortunate?

•Have I denied help to the poor, needy or destitute when able to help them easily?

•Have I been seriously and willfully greedy?

EIGHTH COMMANDMENT

"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." (Ex 20:16)

•Did I lie?

•Did I deliberately deceive others, or injure others by lies?

•Did I commit perjury?

•Did I gossip or reveal others' faults or sins?

•Did I fail to keep secret what should be confidential?

•Have I committed calumny (an abusive attack on a person's character or good name)?

•Have I been an accomplice to another’s grave sin?

•Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortune?

OTHER SINS

•Did I fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday?

•Did I eat meat on the Fridays of Lent or Ash Wednesday?

•Did I fail to receive Holy Communion during Eastertime?

•Did I go to Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin? Without fasting (water and medicine permitted) for one hour from food and drink?

•Did I make a bad confession?

•Did I fail to contribute to the support of the Church?

•Did I fast for one hour before Communion (food & drink)?

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EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BY VALUES OF FAITH, HOPE AND CHARITY

FAITH

1 Do I make an honest effort to grow in the virtue of faith by daily mental prayer on the mysteries of the faith as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ?

2. Do I make at least a short act of faith every day?

3 Do I pray daily for an increase of faith?

4 Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?

5 Do I unnecessarily read or listen to those who oppose or belittle what I know are truths of my Catholic faith?

6 What have I done today to externally profess my faith?

7 Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith?

8. Do I make a serious effort to resolve difficulties that may arise about my faith?

9 Do I ever defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed?

10. Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?

HOPE

1 Do I immediately say a short prayer when I find myself getting discouraged?

2 Do I daily say a short act of hope?

3 Do I dwell on my worries instead of dismissing them from my mind?

4 Do I fail in the virtue of hope by my attachment to the things of this world?

5 Do I try to see God's providence in everything that "happens" in my life?

6 Do I try to see everything from the viewpoint of eternity?

7 Am I confident that, with God's grace, I will be saved?

8 Do I allow myself to worry about my past life and thus weaken my hope in God's mercy?

9. Do I try to combine every fully deliberate action with at least a momentary prayer for divine help?

10. How often today have I complained, even internally?

CHARITY

1 Have I told God today that I love Him?

2 Do I tell Jesus that I love Him with my whole heart?

3 Do I take the occasion to tell God that I love Him whenever I experience something I naturally dislike?

4 Have I capitalized on the difficulties today to tell God that I love Him just because He sent me the trial or misunderstanding?

5 Do I see God's love for me in allowing me to prove my love for Him in the crosses He sent me today?

6 Have I seen God's grace to prove my love for Him in every person whom I met today?

7. Have I failed in charity by speaking unkindly about others?

8 Have I dwelt on what I considered someone's unkindness toward me today?

9. Is there someone that I consciously avoid because I dislike the person?

10. Did I try to carry on a conversation today with someone who is difficult to talk to?

11. Have I been stubborn in asserting my own will?

12. How thoughtful have I been today in doing some small favor for someone?

13. Have I allowed my mood to prevent me from being thoughtful of others today?

14. Am I given to dwelling on other people's weaknesses or faults?

15. Have I been cheerful today in my dealings with others?

16. Do I control my uncharitable thoughts as soon as they arise in my mind?

17. Did I pray for others today?

18. Have I written any letters today?

19. Have I controlled my emotions when someone irritated me?

20. Have I performed any sacrifice today for someone?

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MODERN DAY EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

How Much Do I Love God?

Do I love God and show it by obeying the Ten Commandments?

Do I think about pleasing God, and try to live every day as well as I can?

Do I believe in God and trust him?

Do I accept what the Catholic Church teaches?

Do I try to grow in knowledge and love of my Catholic faith?

Am I courageous in professing my faith in God and the Church?

Am I happy to be a Catholic, willing to be known as one?

Do I turn to God often during the day, especially when I am tempted?

Do I love and reverence God's name? Did I ever take his name in vain?

Did I blaspheme or swear falsely?

Did I show disrespect for our Lady and the saints?

Do I participate at Mass with attention and devotion on Sundays and holy days?

Have I fulfilled the precept of Communion during the Easter Season?

Are there "false gods" in my life-money, clothes, superstition, desire for popularity-that actually mean more to me than God does?

How Much Do I Love My Neighbor?

Do I really love my neighbor, or do I use people for my own ends? Do I do to them what I would not want done to myself?

Have I given bad example by my words or actions?

Do I contribute to the happiness of every member of my family?

Am I loving and respectful to my parents, my spouse, my children?

If I am permitted, am I willing to share my possessions with those who have less, or do I look down on them?

Do I share in the apostolic and charitable works of my parish?

Do I pray for the needs of the Church and the world?

Am I hardworking and conscientious in fulfilling my duties?

Am I truthful and fair? Did I ever damage another's good name?

Have I ever damaged another person's property or possessions? Have I stolen?

Have I quarreled? Insulted others?

Do I harbor hatred and a thirst for revenge?

How Is My Personal Growth in the Christian Life?

Do I think about heaven and hope for eternal life with God?

Do I pray often? Do I read God's Word, the Bible, and reflect on it?

Do I receive the sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist regularly?

Am I pure in my thoughts, words, desires, actions?

Do I keep away from indecent literature, movies or other forms of entertainment that do not respect God's gift of sexuality?

Do I know how to give of myself for others?

Do I try to grow spiritually? Can I look at myself honestly to see where I can grow?

Am I lazy? Do I waste a lot of time?

Do I use my talents and time to help others know Jesus?

What is my attitude toward the sacrament of God's mercy, the sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation?

Do I want my sins forgiven, so that I can begin a new life and deepen my friendship with God?

Did I deliberately conceal serious sins in past confessions through fear or shame?

If so, now I want to tell them sincerely, trusting that God will forgive me as he forgave the prodigal son.

Did I perform the penance I was given during my last confession? Did I make up for any injuries I caused others?

Have I really been trying to become a better Catholic, the way the Gospel teaches?

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Venial Sins and Imperfections*

* Imperfections are not sins so they do not need to be confessed. No distinction is made on this sheet between venial sins and imperfections because it is not always easy to make the distinction. Some things are imperfections because they are very small, other things are imperfections because they are dispositions of the soul and not willful actions or failures, still others because they are habitual.

1. I am the Lord your God. You shall not have strange gods before me.

- Failure to pray on a daily basis

- Not trying to love God with my whole mind, heart, soul and strength

- Trying to control things rather than seek God’s will

- Entertaining doubts against the Faith

- Failing to seek out or learn the teachings of the Church

- Indifference or ingratitude to God

- Lukewarmness in the relationship with God

- Not trying to grow spiritually; being content with mediocrity

- Acedia (spiritual sloth)

- Putting other things or people before God, e.g., TV, radio, sports, hobbies, etc.

- Attachment to human respect or affection, i.e., caring more about what others think than what God thinks in order to fit in or be liked

- Not trusting God

- Failure to fulfill the duties of one’s state in life

- Tempting God

- Being angry at God

- Embarrassment of being Catholic

- Failure to defend the Church when ridiculed

- Failure to support the work of the Church monetarily and/or with time and ability

- Not taking part in the work of evangelization

- Being willfully distracted at Mass or in prayer

- Putting off confession needlessly

- Failing to accept or offer up suffering

- Refusing or denying the mercy of God

- Not trying to practice recollection or the frequent remembrance of God’s presence

- Failure to pray when tempted

- Failure to examine one’s conscience daily

- Giving into depression, self pity or self deprecating thoughts

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

- Using the Lord’s name lightly, in surprise or in anger (habitual, not thinking)

- Cursing thoughtlessly

- Using the names of Mary, a Saint, the Pope or other sacred persons irreverently

- Using vulgar or inappropriate language

- Telling bad jokes about sacred persons or objects

- Speaking badly of the Church

- Inappropriate or irreverent use of Scripture

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

- Doing unnecessary work on Sunday

- Failing to keep Sunday as a day for family and recreation

- Failing to spend extra time on Sunday in prayer and study of the Faith

- Allowing sports or other schedules to dictate the Sunday schedule

- Being irreverent in church

- Not paying attention or participating at Mass

- Coming late to Mass or leaving early without a serious reason

- Desecrating the day by sinful amusements, bad company, inappropriate entertainment, etc.

4. Honor your father and mother.

- Fighting with siblings

- Disobedience to parents or authorities

- Failure to give proper respect to parents or those in authority

- Treating those under one’s authority disrespectfully

- Failure to respect the dignity of children

- Speaking badly about parents

- Speaking badly about children

- Speaking badly about one’s spouse

- Neglecting duties toward spouse or children

- Failing to give good example to one’s family

- Not trying to cultivate peace in the family

- Taking one’s spouse for granted

- Making fun of or failing to help the elderly or handicapped

- Not praying for those entrusted to your care

- Failing to pray for those in authority over you, e.g., parents, teachers, employers, government officials, etc.

- Failure to teach children adequately about God and the spiritual life

- Lack of gratitude toward parents

- Nagging spouse or children

- Treating adult children like minors

- Meddling in the affairs of married children

- Too lax with rules, boundaries and discipline

- Too strict with rules, boundaries and discipline

- Breaking just civil laws without serious reason

- Being ashamed of or embarrassed about parents

5. You shall not kill.

- Pride, arrogance

- Vanity

- Stubbornness without good reason

- Rudeness

- Failure to apologize

- Fighting or arguing over slight matters

- Anger

- Using obscene or vulgar gestures

- Prejudice

- Harboring a grudge

- Seeking revenge or retaliation

- Wishing evil upon another

- Impatience

- Selfishness

- Listening to bad music

- Excessive watching of television

- Excessive playing of computer games

- Excessive use of the internet

- Watching TV or movies that promote sex or violence

- Playing computer games that promote sex or violence

- Refusing to forgive another

- Intemperance (overeating or drinking too much)

- Driving carelessly

- Failing to care for one’s health

- Smoking or chewing tobacco

- Abusing medications

- Sloth (laziness)

- Procrastination

- Lack of puncuality

- Failure to respect the dignity of self or others

- Giving scandal to another

- Treating another unjustly

- Failure to take medications if such are necessary

- Doing things willfully to anger others

- Violating friendships

- Failure to pray for deceased parents or relatives

- Using the “silent treatment” on others

- Failure to pray for sinners

6. You shall not commit adultery.

- Lack of custody of the eyes (looking inappropriately at others)

- Allowing the heart to stray from one’s spouse

- Dressing somewhat immodestly

- Acting or carrying oneself immodestly

- Treating others as objects

- Failure to respect persons of the opposite sex

- Seeking wrongful attention from another

- Selfishness in marital intimacy

- Failure to be open to life without serious reason

- Keeping bad company

7. You shall not steal.

- Attachments to persons or things

- Theft of small or inexpensive items

- Willful Failure to return borrowed items

- Wasting time

- Failure to pay debts promptly

- Failing to practice charity or to help the poor

- Squandering money on needless things or pursuits

- Not keeping a promise

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

- Lying

- Gossiping

- Spreading rumors or tale bearing

- Talking behind another’s back

- Being negative, critical or uncharitable in thought regarding others

- Making rash judgments

- Being unjustly suspicious

- Failure to seek to restore the good name of another whom you have injured through speech

- Cheating in games, school work, etc.

- Speaking unkindly to or about others

- Exaggerating the truth

- Bragging or boasting

- Flattery

- Complaining, whining or attention seeking

9. You shall not desire your neighbor’s wife.

- Telling or listening to impure or vulgar jokes or stories

- Brief entertainment of impure thoughts or fantasies

- Not trying to control the imagination

- Curiosity or playing with temptation

- Seeking out or looking at persons or pictures which are immodest

10. You shall not desire your neighbor’s goods.

- Envy (sadness or anger at the good fortune of another)

- Jealousy (desire for the goods of another)

- Greed

- Materialism

- Not trusting that God will provide for all material and spiritual needs

- Attachment to riches or material goods

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  • 8 months later...

[b][u]Short Examination of Conscience[/u][/b]

1. Have I loved God above all things?
2. Has my speech been worthy?
3. Have I attended Mass on Sundays and Holy Days?
4. Have I respected my parents, superiors, and those around me?
5. Have I harmed with my words or my actions?
6. Have I kept myself clean, pure and faithful to my vows?
7. Have I cheated or stolen?
8. Have I spoken uncharitably about others or gossiped?
9. Have I weakened my vows with my obsession with another?
10. Have I been jealous of the things others have?

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