EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

It is necessary that we tell in confession, as far as we can remember, all the mortal or grievous sins we may have been guilty of since our last worthy confession, giving the number of times each one has been committed. If we have nothing but venial or light sins to tell, it is always well to include one or other of the more serious sins of the past. The following list will help us to know our sins.

Preliminary Examination

• When did you make your last confession?
• Did you have real sorrow for the sins then told?
• Did you conceal or forget any mortal sin?
• Have you performed your penance, and done as your confessor directed?
• Have you really tried to keep your good resolutions?

Table of Sins against the Commandments

• First Commandment: Have you doubted in matters of faith?

• consulted fortune-tellers?

• believed in dreams?

• made use of superstitious practices?

• gone to places of false worship?

• belonged to forbidden societies?

• read anti-Catholic books and papers?

• neglected your religious instruction?

• omitted religious duties through human respect?

• Have you murmured against God, or despaired of His mercy?

• Or have you rashly presumed on His goodness in committing sin?

• Have you neglected your daily prayers?

• been irreverent toward God, sacred persons, places, or things?

• Second Commandment: Have you taken the name of God in vain?

• spoken disrespectfully of the saints or holy things?

• sworn falsely, rashly, or in slight and trivial matters?

• Have you cursed, blasphemed, or caused others to do so?

• Third Commandment: Have you kept holy the Sunday and holydays by assisting at Mass with devotion?

• Have you performed or commanded unnecessary servile work?

• bought or sold without necessity, or in any other way profaned these days?

• Fourth Commandment: Have you shown due honor and obedience to your parents, pastors, and other superiors?

• Have you been respectful to aged persons?

• Have you had proper care for your children and those dependent upon you, in particular as regards religious training and duties?

• Have you given them good example?

• Fifth Commandment: Have you procured, desired, or hastened the death of any one?

• Have you been guilty of anger, hatred, quarreling, revenge?

• used provoking language, insulting words, ridicule?

• refused to speak to others?

• caused enmities?

• given scandal?

• Sixth and Ninth Commandments: Have you been guilty of impurity or immodesty in thoughts, words, or actions?

• Have you put yourself in an occasion of sin by reading bad books, keeping bad company, attending immoral performances, and the like?

• Have you been an occasion of sin to others by your conversation, dress, actions?

• Seventh and Tenth Commandments: Have you stolen or retained ill-gotten goods?

• cheated?

• refused to pay your just debts?

• damaged or wasted the property of others?

• accepted bribes?

• neglected to make restitution, or to help the poor?

• Have you coveted what belongs to others?

Eighth Commandment: Have you borne false witness for or against another? been guilty of detraction, flattery, hypocrisy, lying, rash judgment?

Table of Sins against the Precepts of the Church

1. Have you observed the Sundays and holydays by hearing Mass and avoiding servile works?
2. Have you neglected prescribed fasts and abstinences without sufficient reason?
3. Have you confessed your mortal sins at least once a year?
4. Have you gone to Holy Communion during the Easter time?
5. Have you contributed according to your means to religion and the Church?
6. Have you married not in accordance with the laws of the Catholic Church, or aided others in doing so?

Table of Capital Sins

1. Have you been guilty of pride, vainglory, love of applause, contempt of others?
2. Have you been too eager in seeking the goods of this world, or had your heart set on them?
3. Have you violated the Sixth and Ninth Commandments in any way?
4. Have you been guilty of unreasonable anger, or disagreeableness of disposition?
5. Have you eaten or drunk to excess, or caused others to do so? 6. Have you rejoiced at the misfortune, or been grieved at the success of others?
6. Have you wasted time in idleness and self-indulgence? Have you neglected the duties of your state of life, or performed them remissly? Have you desired to commit sin, or gloried in sin committed?

THE FOUR SINS WHICH CRY TO HEAVEN FOR VENGEANCE

1. Wilful murder.
2. The sin of Sodom.
3. Oppression of the poor.
4. Defrauding the laborer of his wages.

SINS AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST

1. Presumption of God’s mercy.
2. Despair.
3. Impugning the known truth.
4. Envy at another’s spiritual good.
5. Obstinacy in sin.
6. Final impenitence.

NINE WAYS OF BEING ACCESSORY TO ANOTHER’S SIN

1. By counsel.
2. By command.
3. By consent.
4. By provocation.
5. By praise or flattery.
6. By concealment.
7. By partaking.
8. By silence.
9. By defense of the ill done.

THE SEVEN SPIRITUAL WORKS OF MERCY

1. To admonish sinners.
2. To instruct the ignorant.
3. To counsel the doubtful.
4. To comfort the sorrowful.
5. To bear wrongs patiently.
6. To forgive all injuries.
7. To pray for the living and the dead.

THE SEVEN CORPORAL WORKS OF MERCY

1. To feed the hungry.
2. To give drink to the thirsty.
3. To clothe the naked.
4. To visit and ransom the captives.
5. To harbor the harborless.
6. To visit the sick.
7. To bury the dead.

THE EIGHT BEATITUDES

(Matt. V)

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
2. Blessed are the meek; for they shall possess the land.
3. Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.
4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice; for they shall be filled.
5. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy.
6. Blessed are the clean of heart; for they shall see God.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.
8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’ sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

PRAYERS TO OBTAIN CONTRITION

After the examination of conscience it is all-important to awaken true sorrow for the sins committed. This sorrow must always include the resolve to avoid all serious sin in the future, and we should also determine to guard against wilful venial sin. It is well to say an act of contrition before entering the confessional.