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An Examination of Conscience
Some preliminary questions
- Am I determined to courageously call good and evil by their proper name? Do I sincerely
want to be set free from sin, to turn again to God, to begin a new life, and to enter into
a deeper friendship with God through this confession?
- In past confessions, did I forget to mention, or deliberately conceal, any grave sins?
- Have I received Holy Communion while conscious of having committed a mortal sin but not
having gone to confession?
- Did I perform the penance I was given in my last confession? Did I make reparation for
any injury to others? Have I been sincere in my efforts to lead a better life in keeping
with the Gospel?
Questions related to the greatest commandment: "You shall love the Lord your God
with your whole heart."
- Is my heart set on God, so that I really love him above all things and am faithful to
his commandments, as a child loves and obeys its father? Or am I more concerned about the
things of this world? Have I a right intention in what I do, seeking above all to fulfill
the will of God?
- God spoke to us in his Son. Is my faith in God firm and secure? Am I wholehearted in
accepting the Church's teaching? Have I been careful to grow in my understanding of the
faith, to hear God's word, to study the doctrine of the Church, to avoid dangers to faith?
Have I been strong and fearless in professing my faith in God and the Church? Am I
consistent with the faith in public and private life?
- Have I prayed morning and evening? When I pray, do I really raise my mind and heart to
God or is it a matter of words only? Do I offer God my difficulties, my joys, and my
sorrows? Do I turn to God in time of temptation? Do I thank him often for his many favors?
- Do I have love and reverence for God's name? Have I offended him by blasphemy, swearing
falsely, or taking his name in vain? Have I shown disrespect for the Blessed Virgin Mary
and the saints?
- Have I missed Mass on Sundays or Holy Days--or caused others to do so -- through my own
fault? Have I participated in Mass with attention and devotion? Have I fulfilled the
precept of annual confession and of communion during the Easter season?
- Are there "false gods" in my life: superstition, spiritism or other occult
practices; money or other things, human ambitions or even persons that mean more to me
than God does?
Questions related to the commandment of a right love of self and the love of neighbor:
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
- Where is my life leading me? Is the hope of eternal life my inspiration? Am I really
trying to grow in a spiritual life through prayer, reading the word of God and meditating
on it, receiving the sacraments, self-denial and acceptance of the sorrows and
disappointments of life for the love of Christ? Have I kept the precept of fasting and
abstinence? Have I striven to control my vices, my bad inclinations and passions, e.g.
envy, love of food and drink? Have I fought especially against self- love or have I been
proud and boastful, thinking myself better in the sight of God and despising others as
less important than myself? Have I imposed my own will on others, without respecting their
freedom and rights?
- What use have I made of time, of health and strength, of the gifts God has given me,
like the talents of the Gospel? Do I use them for the glory of God and the good of others
and my true good? Do I use them fully, or have I been lazy and too much given to leisure?
- Do I have a genuine love for my neighbors? Or do I use others for my own ends, or do to
them what I would not want done to myself? Have I given grave scandal by my words or
actions?
- In my family life, have I contributed to the well-being and happiness of the others by
patience and genuine love? Have I been obedient to parents, showing them proper respect
and giving them help in their spiritual and material needs? Have I been careful to give a
Christian upbringing to my children, and to help them by good example and by exercising
authority as a parent? Have I been faithful to my husband (wife) in my heart and in my
relations with others?
- Do I share my possessions with the less fortunate? Do I do my best to help the victims
of oppression, misfortune, and poverty? Or do I look down on my neighbor, especially the
poor, the sick, the elderly, strangers, and people of other races?
- Does my life reflect the mission I received in confirmation? Do I share in the apostolic
and charitable works of the Church and in the life of my parish? Have I helped to meet the
needs of the Church and of the world and prayed for them: for unity in the Church, for the
spread of the Gospel among nations, for peace and justice, etc.?
- Am I concerned for the good and prosperity of the human community in which I live, or do
I spend my life caring only for myself? Do I share to the best of my ability in the work
of promoting justice, morality, harmony, and love in human relations? Have I done my duty
as a citizen? Have I paid my taxes?
- In my work or profession am I just, hardworking, honest, serving society out of love of
others? Have I paid a fair wage to my employees? Have I been faithful to my promises and
contracts?
- Have I obeyed legitimate authority and given it due respect?
- If I am in a position of responsibility or authority, do I use this for my own advantage
or for the good of others, in a spirit of service?
- Have I done violence to others by damage to life or limb, reputation, honor or material
possessions? Have I been responsible for advising an abortion or procuring one? Have I
been involved in permitting or encouraging the breakdown of matrimony and its integrity
through artificial fertilization? Have I kept up hatred for others? Am I estranged from
others through quarrels, enmity, insults, or anger? Have I been guilty of refusing to
testify to the innocence of another because of selfishness?
- Have I kept my senses and my whole body pure and chaste as a temple of the Holy Spirit,
consecrated for resurrection and glory, and in order to have the self-mastery and selfless
love required to live out my vocation in life? Have I dishonored my body by fornication,
impurity, unworthy conversation or thoughts, evil desires, or actions? Have I given in to
sensuality? Have I indulged in reading, conversation, shows, and entertainment that offend
against Christian and human decency? Have I encouraged others to sin by my own failure to
maintain these standards? Have I been faithful to the moral law in my married life? Am I
guilty of the sin of contraception?
- Have I been truthful and fair, or have I injured others by deceit, calumny, detraction,
rash judgment, or violation of a secret?
- Have I stolen the property of others? Have I desired it unjustly and inordinately? Have
I damaged it? Have I made restitution of other people's property and made good their loss?
- If I have been injured, have I been ready to make peace for the love of Christ and to
forgive, or do I harbor hatred and the desire for revenge?
Act of Contrition
My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and
failing to do good, I have sinned against You, whom I should love above all things.
I firmly plan, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever
leads me to sin. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered and died for us. In His
name, my God, have mercy. Amen.
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