Examination of Conscience for Servants, Clerks and Apprentices

“Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.” (1 Pet. ii. 18.)

Dependants owe just reverence, obedience and fidelity to their masters and employers.

Hence these persons often sin grievously and always against justice, who do not take sufficient care of property or trusts committed to their charge, who take food, drink or other matters, not allowed them, either for their own or for the use of other persons. Restitution must be made for the value of what has been given away, sold or consumed. They usually sin grievously by making known their employer’s secrets or personal serious faults, by bringing them into contempt or hatred, or by causing them to fall into passions, or errors, to their great loss of character or position. According to the nature of the case, dependants sin, more or less, who answer insolently or murmur when they receive directions, who do not properly execute the labours or trusts enjoined on them, who waste their time uselessly or injudiciously, who labour or do business for themselves to the loss of their employers, and who do not manifest a ready obedience in all things, that affect the substance of their contract, or that regard the observance of good morals.

Have I broken lawful or just engagements or agreements?

Have I served my employers diligently and faithfully?

Have I wasted their substance?

Have I disobeyed their orders or wishes?

Have I given away or damaged any portion of their property?

Have I caused them loss by my neglect or oversight?

Have I taken or kept their substance on pretence of my wages or emolument being too low?

Have I kept back change when making purchases?

Have I revealed the faults of my employers to their prejudice, and without necessity?

Have I concealed from my employers the thefts or misconduct of incorrigible fellow-servants in matters appertaining to my charge?

Have I been the cause of other servants’ dismissal, owing to my false or malicious charges or insinuations?

Have I engaged in a service, where faith or morals had been exposed, or where I would not be permitted to hear mass or approach the sacraments?

Have I assisted my employers in any immoral or criminal design?

Have I been induced by my employers or fellow servants, to join in uncatholic forms of prayer, to read sectarian books or tracts, or to be enticed to Protestant churches, meetings, or sermons?

Have I sown discord amongst my fellow servants, or amongst members of the family in which I reside? ¹

1. See Note, p. 75.