Examination of Conscience before Confession

O MERCIFUL Redeemer! Hope and refuge of sinners, look with compassion on my guilty soul. I am about to prepare myself for the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation. But without Thy assistance all my endeavors to obtain the requisite dispositions will be unavailing. I beseech Thee, pour forth Thy grace into my heart, and preserve me from the misfortune of performing this holy action negligently, or of being deluded by a false sorrow. Grant that I may be deeply penetrated with all those feelings and sentiments I should have, in recurring to this institution of Thy infinite goodness. Grant, also, that my first desire in approaching the tribunal of Penance, and my first motive in desiring to be reconciled to Thee, may be to accomplish Thy divine will. Purify, I beseech Thee, in the furnace of Thy own love, my poor, miserable heart, from all self-seeking and self-love; grant that I may, in every part of my preparation for this holy Sacrament, be guided by Thy divine Spirit. I ask this favor in Thy own sweet name, that name through which Thou hast promised to grant whatsoever we ask of Thee.

O Virgin, Mother of my Jesus, thou hast a clearer knowledge than any other created being of the excess of His love and mercy toward poor sinners; and thou knowest much better the ingratitude and deplorable misfortune of the sinner who offends him. I beseech thee by that sword which pierced thy soul at the foot of the cross, and by the knowledge of His love and mercy, obtain for me such sentiments of contrition, that I may be perfectly restored to His favor and love, and never again do, say, or think of anything in the least offensive to Him.

My dear Guardian Angel, to whose care I am committed, obtain for me, through thy intercession with God, the favor of making this confession with the most perfect dispositions.

My holy patrons, and all ye blessed inhabitants of heaven, interest yourselves in my behalf, and obtain that my conversion may be entire.

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE.

I. The preceding Confession and Communion.

Have you forgotten anything; neglected the due examination of your conscience; concealed any mortal sin, or colored it so as to make it appear less grievous? If you have had this misfortune, you must say what space of time has since elapsed, and whether you confessed or communicated during that interval. Have you neglected to submit to your confessor well-founded doubts, legitimate disquietudes; received absolution without sincere sorrow and a firm purpose of amendment; neglected the due fulfilment of the sacramental penance, or deferred it without necessity?

II. Commandments of God.

Have you wilfully doubted of any article of faith; rashly exposed yourself to the danger of infidelity, by reading bad books or keeping bad company? Have you by word or deed denied your religion; gone to places of false worship, so as to join in the worship, or to give scandal; been ignorant of the articles of your creed, of the commandments, of any of those things which Christians in your station are bound to know; despaired of salvation, or of the forgiveness of your sins; rashly presumed upon finding mercy; gone on in your sins without any thoughts of amendment, or depending on a death-bed repentance? How long have you been in this way? Have you, after falling into mortal sin, neglected for a long time to return to God by repentance; neglected your morning and evening prayers; employed prayers or sacred names to superstitious uses; profaned the holy Scriptures by any whimsical or unauthorized interpretation, or construction; profaned or abused holy places or things consecrated to God; believed in fatality, magic, dreams, or superstition; consulted fortune-tellers, taken notice of omens, or made any other superstitious observations?

2. Have you trifled with the name of God, by using it irreverently; taken rash or false oaths; induced others to do so; cursed or sworn, or caused others to do so; violated your lawful promises or led others to do so; executed what you rashly swore to do?

3. Have you neglected to sanctify the Lord's day, either by omitting to attend Mass without sufficient cause, or hearing it irreverently; spent the Sunday, or any part of it, in servile work, without necessity?

4. Have you shown any disrespect to your parents, answering them in a petulant manner; grieved them, or provoked them to anger; neglected them in sickness, poverty, or any other necessity; disowned them, or been ashamed of them before others; abused or cursed them; lifted your hand against them; stolen or squandered their substance; been impatient or peevish when they reminded you of your faults; disregarded their good advice; neglected to execute their will after their death; delayed unnecessarily to do so? Have you shown contempt or disobedience to your lawful superiors, spiritual or temporal; contempt or disrespect to aged persons? Parents should remember that if children owe them love, respect, and obedience, they themselves are bound to discharge certain duties, on the performance of which depends, in a measure, the conduct of their children. Have you loved your children with a Christian love; corrected them for their faults in a Christian manner, that is, without irascibility, but with firmness and meekness, and at the favorable moment; been attentive to inspire them with sentiments of fear and love of God; to teach them their prayers and the Christian Doctrine? Have you neglected to see that they regularly approach the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist; to remove from them the occasions of sin, such as dangerous companions and bad books; to educate them according to your means? Have you flattered their passions, connived at their faults, or allowed them to indulge in their evil inclinations; scandalized them, endeavored to dissuade them from embracing the state of life to which they appeared to have been called by the Almighty; compelled them to embrace a particular state of life, or to marry a particular person?

5. Have you committed any act that was likely to lead to the death of a fellow creature; encouraged others to do so; desired any one's death through hatred, malice, or self-interest; provoked, challenged, or struck others, or been guilty of quarreling or fighting; desired your own death through passion or impatience; entertained a deliberate hatred for any fellow creature; refused to pardon those who did you injury; taken private revenge for real or supposed injuries; suborned others to do it, or desired it in your heart?

6. 9. Have you wilfully entertained unchaste thoughts and desires; said or listened to filthy things; sung or listened to bad songs; looked at unchaste objects; read or lent bad books; made or kept lascivious pictures; dressed indecently; committed any unchaste act; yielded to evil desires, or induced others thereto; kept up a guilty friendship; given away to familiarity, or taken part in improper amusements? In this matter you must express yourself with the greatest sincerity and modesty possible; declare the circumstances that may change the kind of sin; and be not afraid to ask and give all the necessary explanations, just as a sick person desirous of being cured, discloses all, without reserve, to the physician.

7. 10. Have you possessed, or desired to possess, unjustly, the property of your neighbor; bought or received goods from suspicious persons; through malice, envy, or revenge, done injury to your neighbor's property; declined, when in your power, to pay your just debts; refused when in your power, or delayed to make restitution for the injury done your neighbor?

8. Have you privately or publicly sworn, said, or insinuated that which is false or doubtful against your neighbor; spoken ill of him; called him by abusive names; declined to defend his character when it was your duty to do so? Have you flattered people in their crimes and excesses; accused them of faults of which you knew or had reason to think that they were innocent; listened to the private conversation of others; setting your neighbors at variance by relating the private business of one to another.

III. The Precepts of the Church.

Have you broken days of abstinence, or eaten more than one meal on fasting days, or been accessory to others doing so? Have you obeyed the precept of annual confession and Paschal Communion?

IV. The Seven Deadly Sins.

PRIDE. Have you vainly esteemed yourself on account of your fine appearance, your riches, your talents, or your birth? Have you blushed at the condition of your parents; spoken vainly of yourself, and taken pride, even in your faults; taken delight in the esteem and applause of others; been ruled by human respect in your exercises of piety?—COVETOUSNESS. Have you given alms according to your means; had too much attachment to the goods of this world; deferred to pay your debts?—LUST. See the Sixth Commandment.—ENVY. Have you been chagrined at the success or good fortune of another; sought to lessen him in the estimation of others; rejoiced to see him disappointed or mortified?—GLUTTONY. Have you indulged an inordinate gratification of your appetite; been guilty of eating or drinking to excess, or caused others to do so?—ANGER. See the Fifth Commandment.—SLOTH. Have you remained in bed through laziness, after the appointed hour of rising; squandered your time in idleness or useless occupation; feigned to be sick, thereby to be dispensed from work?

Observe that in each of those sins you may have been guilty, not only of your own sin, but of the sins of others, by counselling, commanding, consenting to or praising the sins of others; assisting or otherwise sharing in them; not hindering them when you could, and by concealing them when it was your duty to make them known. You may have been guilty of the sins of others, also, by giving them bad example.

PRAYER AFTER THE EXAMINATION.

O GOODNESS inconceivable! against Thee alone have I sinned, and in Thy sight have I committed iniquity. My God, is this the result of all the protestations of fidelity I have so often made Thee? Alas! my heart is wrung with anguish in considering the number of times I have despised and outraged Thee. O bountiful God, open to me the treasures of Thy graces, that I may thence draw a profound sorrow for having so often offended Thee. Touch my heart, that it may be overwhelmed with regret. O my adorable Redeemer, lend an attractive ear to the supplications I make Thee. Grant me tears to weep over the sins which I have committed in Thy presence; let Thy sacred blood flow on my guilty soul; let Thy sacred wounds plead to Thy heavenly Father in my behalf. Receive me into Thy extended arms; shelter me, merciful Jesus, in Thy sacred heart, and with Thy precious blood seal me Thy own forever.