p. 27Method of Examination of Conscience

In his Spiritual Exercises St. Ignatius teaches a twofold examination of conscience,—the particular and the general.

I. The Particular Examen

Every man has a predominant passion, fault, imperfection, or sin, which is, as it were, the root and source of all the others. The particular examen is the most efficient remedy against this evil. Although we may have several passions or faults, we should, nevertheless, combat one of them in a special manner, and after extirpating or removing it, we should proceed to combat and extirpate the others also, one at a time. The following are the prescriptions of St. Ignatius on this subject, which he most punctually followed till his death.

First, on rising in the morning at once resolve earnestly to avoid carefully during the morning the fault thou wishest to combat and lay aside; but if thou hast the misfortune to fall into it, strike thy breast, but so, however, as not to be noticed by others.

Secondly, at noon before dinner, and at night before retiring, invoke the Holy Ghost, and then review in thy mind each hour (works, places, events, persons), from early rising, or at noon to the moment of examination, to find out how often thou hast fallen into the fault thou art striving to extirpate. Thou shouldst keep a daily account of the number of faults discovered at each examination, so that thou mayst compare the result of each with the preceding, day by day, and week by week, and thus discover whether there is any amendment in thy conduct. After this awaken in thy heart sincere sorrow, and firmly resolve to do better till the next examination. To simplify this comparison, the account of faults committed may be kept thus, using the upper line of each day to mark the faults committed in the morning, and the lower one for the faults committed in the afternoon.

The space allotted for each day grows shorter as the week proceeds, to show that the number of thy faults should daily diminish.

With the particular is usually joined

II. The General Examination of Conscience

This examination of conscience comprises all the sins and faults we may commit in thought, word, deed and omission, and embraces the following points:—

1. Thanksgiving to God for benefits received.

2. Prayer for grace to know, repent of, and shun our faults.

3. Examination of each sin committed in thought, word, deed and omission since the previous examination.

4. Prayer for pardon.

5. Resolution to amend.—Our Father.

How to Make the Particular and the General Examen of Conscience

At the time appointed make the sign of the cross, recollect thyself, and with fervor and attention.

I. Thank God for the benefits conferred on thee.

O my God, I firmly believe that Thou art here present, that Thou seest and hearest me, and knowest even my most hidden thoughts and my innermost affections. In profound humility and awe I adore Thee and acknowledge Thee as my Lord and God. To Thee I owe all that I am and have, both in the order of nature and in that of grace. Out of infinite love Thou hast created me and preserved me until now out of Thy exceedingly great mercy, and kept me this day through Thy loving and watchful providence. The Redemption, through p. 29Christ’s Incarnation and death, and its fruits—the vocation to the true faith and sanctifying grace are so many proofs of Thy fatherly love for me. For these and innumerable other benefits, both corporal and spiritual, received from Thy fatherly hand since the beginning of my existence, and especially on this day, I thank Thee from my inmost heart and will ever remain grateful to Thee. Hence I intend to retract and repair, as far as in me lies, all my past ingratitude towards Thy infinite Goodness.

II. Beseech God for grace to discover all thy sins, to repent of them, and to amend in all earnestness.

Come, O Holy Ghost, enlighten my mind, that I may know wherein I have offended the divine Majesty and Goodness. Move my heart with Thy grace, that I may conceive true sorrow for my faults and sins, and efficaciously resolve to amend in future.

III. The examination itself should not take up more than one-third of the time allotted to the examination of conscience, so as to leave sufficient time for the requisite acts accompanying it.

Ask of thyself a strict account, first, in the particular examen of the fault thou art endeavoring to root out; secondly, in the general examen of all the faults committed since the previous examination.

1. At noon ask thyself: How did I make the particular examen last night? the general? How did I say my night prayers? Did I retire to rest at the appointed hour? Did I try to occupy myself until I fell asleep with thoughts of the morning meditation? If I awoke during the night, did I begin to pray? Did I rise as soon as I was called? Did I make my resolution in accordance with the subject of my particular examen? Did I think of the meditation and occupy myself with thoughts in reference to it? Did I say any prayers while dressing? Did I make my meditation well? Did I devoutly hear Mass? and say the divine office devoutly? Did I employ my time well and fulfil my duties faithfully in every respect? Did I endeavor to have a good intention in all my actions?

2. In the evening ask thyself: Did I make well both examinations of conscience at noon? Did I devoutly say the prayers before and after meals? Did I not commit some fault during meals? Did I make my spiritual reading?

3. In the evening and at noon ask thyself: What special duties had I to perform? What special events happened? What did God then expect of me? What did I then do—will—desire—omit? Examine also in particular thy devotion and love towards God, whether thou didst omit or carelessly say thy prayers, whether thou didst wilfully entertain distractions therein, whether thou wert wanting in reverence in the church and in recollection and in making a good intention; whether thou didst evince dissatisfaction and mistrust towards God in adversity; whether thou didst yield to doubts against faith; whether thou wert wanting in obedience to thy superiors, or neglected thy duties towards thy subjects. Then examine the sins thou didst commit against thy neighbor through unjust suspicion, rash judgments, envy, jealousy, hatred, revenge, contempt, anger, quarrelling, fault-finding, detraction, slander, unfaithfulness, dishonesty, lying, false accusation, bad example, aversion, or inordinate attachment. Finally, examine thyself on modesty and holy purity, and whether thou didst sin through vanity, self-complacency, pride, sensuality, dangerous pleasures, intemperance, wilful sinful p. 30thoughts, words and deeds, human respect, impatience, pusillanimity, sloth, loss of time, etc.

IV. Humbly repent of thy sins and, what is the principal thing, crave for forgiveness.

O my God, I have unhappily failed to keep the promise I made at the last examen. I acknowledge and own my fault before Thee. Would that I had never offended Thee! Forgive me, O merciful God, the sins and faults of this day and of every day of my life. Forgive them in consideration of the infinite satisfaction offered for them by Thy well-beloved Son, my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, for I repent of them with my whole heart, because on account of them I have deserved to be punished by Thee, but more especially because I have been so ungrateful to Thee, my greatest Benefactor and most loving Father, and because I have offended Thee, the chief and most amiable Good, and have so greatly outraged Thy infinite Goodness. O that I had never offended Thee! O Lord, deign to show that Thy mercy is greater than my wickedness, and grant me the grace to bewail my sins bitterly until death. I have sinned, O Lord, I have sinned and acknowledge my iniquities. Hence I earnestly beseech Thee to pardon me. Pardon me, O Lord, and cast me not into perdition with my iniquities. Be not forever angry with me, and do not let me suffer everlasting punishment for my guilt, for Thou art God, the God of the contrite of heart.

V. Earnestly resolve, with the help of divine grace, to amend.

My Lord and my God, I solemnly declare before Thee that I will no longer prove ungrateful towards Thee. Relying on Thy grace, O God, I now firmly resolve never more to commit sin, and especially—(here mention the fault which forms the subject of thy particular examen, or the sin which on this day has more grievously offended God), and, therefore, to flee all its occasions, and rather to lose all, to suffer all, than ever to fall into a grievous sin.

Means of Persevering in One’s Good Resolution

1. Renew daily thy resolution at prayer, at holy Mass, and often during the day, especially before certain occasions.

2. Foresee the occasions of relapse, in order to avoid them, or at least to guard against them.

3. If thou relapsest, repent at once.

4. Every time thou fallest back into thy predominant fault, impose on thyself a small penance, both as a satisfaction for the fault and to increase thy watchfulness.

5. Often consider the motives thou hast for avoiding certain faults.

“Were we,” says the Imitation, “to extirpate only one fault every year, how soon should we become perfect!”