The Sodalist's Vade Mecum

An Examination of Conscience for those who Confess their Sins Regularly and Frequently.

I. In Relation to God.

1. Have you frequently omitted morning or evening prayer? Have you prayed negligently, and with wilful distraction?

2. Have you been negligent in the discharge of any of your religious duties? Have you taken care that those under your charge have not wanted the instruction necessary for their condition, nor time for prayer, or time to prepare for the sacraments?

3. Have you spoken irreverently of God and holy things? Have you taken his name in vain, or told untruths?

4. Have you omitted your duty through human respect or interest, &c.?

5. Have you been zealous for God’s honor, for justice, virtue, and truth, and reproved such as act otherwise?

6. Have you resigned your will to God in troubles, necessities, sickness?

7. Have you carefully avoided all kinds of impurity, and faithfully resisted thoughts of infidelity, distrust, presumption?

II. In Relation to your Neighbor.

1. Have you disobeyed your superiors, murmured against their commands, or spoken of them contemptuously?

2. Have you been troubled, peevish, or impatient, when told of your faults, and not corrected them? Have you scorned the good advice of others, or censured their proceedings?

3. Have you offended any one by injurious words or actions, or given way to hatred, jealousy, or revenge?

4. Or lessened their reputation by any sort of detraction, or in any matter of importance?

5. Have you formed rash judgments, or spread any report, true or false, that exposed your neighbor to contempt, or made him undervalued?

6. Have you by carrying stories backward and forward, or otherwise, created discord and misunderstanding between neighbors?

7. Have you been froward or peevish towards any one in your carriage, speech, or conversation?

8. Or taken pleasure in vexing, mortifying or provoking them?

9. Have you mocked or reproached them for their corporal or spiritual imperfections?

10. Have you been excessive in reprehending those under your care, or been wanting in giving them just reproof?

11. Have you borne with their oversights and imperfections, and given them good counsel?

12. Have you been solicitous for such as are under your charge; and provided for their souls and bodies?

III. In Relation to Yourself.

1. Have you been obstinate in following your own will, or in defending your own opinion in things either indifferent, dangerous, or scandalous?

2. Have you taken pleasure in hearing yourself praised, or acted from motives of vanity or human respect?

3. Have you indulged yourself in too much ease and sloth, or any ways yielded to sensuality or impurity?

4. Has your conversation been edifying and moderate; or have you been cross, proud, or troublesome to others?

5. Have you spent over-much time in recreation or useless employments, and thereby omitted or put off your devotions to unseasonable times?

6. Have you yielded to intemperance, rage, impatience, or jealousy?

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Examination of Conscience upon the Ten Commandments.

The First Commandment.

“I am the Lord thy God,” &c. Exodus xx.

• Have you been guilty of heresy or disbelief, or wilful doubting of any article of faith?
• How often?
• and for how long a time?
• Or have you rashly exposed yourself to the danger of infidelity, by reading bad books, or keeping wicked company?
• How often?

Have you, by word or deed, denied your religion, or gone to places of false worship, so as to join in any way in the worship, or to give scandal? How often?

Have you been ignorant of the articles of your creed, of the commandments, or of any of those things which Christians in your station are bound to know? For how long a time?

• Have you despaired of salvation, or of the forgiveness of your sins?
• Or have you rashly presumed upon finding mercy; going on in your sins, without any thought of amendment; or depending upon 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 turn to God by repentance? and for how long a time?

• Have you committed anything that you judged or doubted to be a mortal sin, though perhaps it was not so?
• How often?
• Or have you exposed yourself to the evident danger of mortal sin?
• How often?
• and of what sin?
• Have you been negligent in the worship of God?
• seldom or never adoring and praising him, or giving him thanks; praying but little, or with little attention; and neglecting to make acts of faith, hope, or love of God?
• How long has this negligence continued?

Have you made a sacrilegious confession or communion, by concealing some mortal sin in confession, or what you doubted might be mortal: or for want of a hearty sorrow for your sins, and a firm purpose of amendment; or by being grossly negligent in the examination of your conscience? How often?

Have you received any other sacrament, for example, confirmation or matrimony, in mortal sin?

• Have you neglected to perform the penance enjoined in confession?
• or said it with wilful distractions?
• How often?

Have you received the Blessed Sacrament after having broken your fast?

• Have you been guilty of idolatry, or of giving divine honors to anything created, or used any witchcraft, or charms, or spells, or such like other diabolical inventions?
• How often?
• and with what scandal or ill example to others?

Have you employed prayers or sacred names to superstitious uses? How often?

Have you consulted fortune-tellers, or made use of any superstitious practices, to find out things to come, recover things lost, &c.? How often?

Have you given credit to dreams, taken notice of omens, or made any other superstitious observations? How often?

Have you blasphemed God or his Saints? How often?

Have you abused the Holy Scriptures, or scoffed at holy things? How often?

The Second Commandment.

“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”

• Have you taken God’s name in vain, or used it without respect in common discourse?

• Have you taken a false oath, or sworn to what you did not certainly know whether it was true or false?

• Have you taken a rash oath, or without a sufficient reason?

• Have you taken an oath to do anything that was wicked or unlawful?

• or broken your lawful oaths?

• How often?

• Have you had a custom of swearing rashly and inconsiderately by the name of God, by your soul, or by the way of imprecation upon yourself?

• How long have you had this custom?

• How many times a day have you sworn in this manner?

• Have you sworn by the blood or wounds of God, or any other blasphemous oaths?

• How often?

• Have you cursed yourself or others, or anything else?

• and if so, was it from your heart?

• How often?

Have you been accessary to others swearing, cursing, or blaspheming? How often?

Have you made a rash vow, without sufficient knowledge or deliberation?

Have you broken any vow or solemn promise made to God? How often?

The Third Commandment.

“Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.”

Have you neglected to keep holy the Sunday?

• Have you done any servile work without necessity on Sundays or Holydays?

• or been accessary to others so doing?

• How often?

• Have you spent those days in idleness or in sin?

• or been accessary to others spending them so?

• How often?

The Fourth Commandment.

“Honor thy father and thy mother.”

• If a Child.— Have you been wanting in your duty to your parents, by not loving them, or not showing them due respect; or by disobeying them?

• and was it in any matter of moment?

• Or have you been disobedient or disrespectful to any other lawful superiors?

• How often?

• Have you desired your parents’ death, or cursed them?

• Or given them injurious language?

• Or lifted up your hand against them?

• Or threatened them?

• Or provoked them to swear, or otherwise to offend God?

• Or caused them any considerable trouble or uneasiness?

• How often?

• Have you stolen from your parents, or otherwise wronged them?

• Or squandered away their substance?

• How much, and how often?

Have you neglected to succor your parents in their necessities, either corporal or spiritual?

• If a Parent.— Have you been negligent in procuring that your children should be speedily baptized?
• Or that they should be timely instructed in their prayers and the Christian doctrine?
• Or have you been wanting in giving them early impressions of the fear and love of God?
• Or in taking care of their discharging their duty with regard to the sacraments?

Have you neglected to correct them; or been excessive in your correction?

Have you neglected to remove from them the occasions of sin, such as wicked companions, bad books, &c.; or suffered them to lie in the same bed with one another, with danger to their chastity?

Have you flattered them in their passions, or indulged them in their evil inclinations?

Have you given them bad example? How often, and in what manner?

• If a Servant.— Have you disobeyed your master or mistress?
• Have you been wanting in diligence or industry?
• Have you injured or destroyed their property through carelessness or neglect?
• or suffered others to injure them?

Have you stolen from them, or given anything away without their knowledge?

Have you betrayed their confidence by revealing their secrets, by tale-bearing, by lies, &c.?

Have you obeyed or flattered them in anything sinful? If a Master or Mistress.— Have you neglected to watch over the conduct of your servants?

Have you refused, without necessity, to allow them time to hear Mass on Sundays and Holydays, or to frequent the sacraments?

Have you overburdened them with work, or treated them injuriously?

The Fifth Commandment.

“Thou shalt not kill.”

Have you been guilty of anger or violent passion? And if so, what scandal was given?

• Have you desired any one’s death, through hatred or malice?
• or for your temporal interest?
• How often?

Have you revenged yourself of any one by word or action, or desired revenge, or taken pleasure in the thoughts of it? How often?

Have you provoked, challenged, or struck others, or been guilty of quarrelling or fighting with them? How often; and what mischief have you done them?

• Have you borne malice to others, or refused to be reconciled to them?

• For how long a time?

• And what sort of evil had you in your heart against them?

• Have you procured, or thought to procure a miscarriage?

• or given any counsel, aid, or assistance thereunto?

• How often?

• Have you done anything to shorten your own or any other’s life, or to hasten death?

• or rashly exposed yourself or others to danger?

• How often?

• Have you desired your own death, through passion or impatience?

• or entertained any thoughts of making away with yourself?

• or attempted or designed any such thing?

• How often?

• Have you neglected to give alms according to your condition and ability?

• Or to reclaim sinners when it lay in your power?

• How often?

• Have you been guilty of any spiritual murder, by drawing others into mortal sin?

• Or have you been accessary to the sins of others, by counsel, or command, or provocation, or any other way?

• How often?

• And what sins?

Have you given scandal or occasion of sin to others, by lewd or irreligious discourse; by drunkenness or swearing, by immodesty of dress or behavior, &c.?

N. B.— The circumstance of scandal is generally founded in all sins that are known to others, by reason of the force of ill example, which encourages others to sin.

The Sixth Commandment.

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

• Have you been guilty of any acts of impurity?
• (Under this head, all sins against purity must be carefully examined; as well as whatsoever leads to their indulgence or commission.) Have you been guilty of filthy talking?
• of reading immodest books?
• of indecency of dress?
• of looking at unchaste objects?
• of taking any dangerous or improper liberties?

N. B.— As the sins against this and the Ninth Commandment are most grievous, and, at the same time, most various, the prudent counsel of your Director will assist you, if necessary, in a more particular examination.

The Seventh Commandment.

“Thou shalt not steal.”

• Have you been guilty of stealing or cheating, or in any way wronging your neighbor in buying or selling, or in any other bargains or contracts?

• Or have you been accessary to another’s committing any such injustice?

• How often?

• and to what value?

• Have you unjustly retained what belonged to another?

• How long?

• and to what injury?

Have you caused any damage to your neighbor in his house, cattle, or other goods? How often?

• Have you contracted debts without design of paying them; or without any prospect of being able to pay them?

• Or have you delayed or refused to pay your just debts when you were able?

• Or have you, by prodigal expenses, rendered yourself unable; and so wronged your creditors or your own family?

• How often?

• Have you been guilty of negligence in the securing or administering of trusts confided to your care, whether for ecclesiastical, charitable, or other purposes?

• Has any actual loss resulted from this negligence?

• To what extent?

• Have you been negligent in the administration of property otherwise entrusted to you, as guardian or administrator?

• If so, have others thereby suffered?

• To what extent?

Have you been guilty of usury in the loan of money? How often?

• Have you put off false money?
• How much?
• How often?

Have you professed any art, or undertaken any business, without sufficient skill or knowledge? And what injury has your neighbor suffered from it?

Have you bought or received stolen goods, or taken of those who could not give? How often?

• Have you neglected your work or business to which you were hired, or by contract obliged?
• How often?
• and to what injury?
• Or have you broken your promises in matters of consequence?

N. B.— In all sins of injustice, whereby you have done any wrong to your neighbor, either in his person or in his goods, or in his character, honor, or good name, you are strictly obliged to make full satisfaction and restitution, if it be in your power; otherwise the sin will not be forgiven.

Have you, then, neglected or delayed, without just cause, to make satisfaction and restitution, when it was in your power? How long?

The Eighth Commandment.

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

• Have you been guilty of telling lies?
• And whether in any matter of consequence, or to the injury of any one?
• How often?

Have you been guilty of hypocrisy or dissimulation? How often?

Have you entertained a bad opinion of your neighbor without grounds, or judged rashly of his actions or intentions? How often?

Have you been guilty of backbiting, or uncharitable conversation, by speaking of the known faults of your absent neighbor? How often?

• Have you been guilty of the sin of detraction, which consists in taking away or lessening your neighbor’s reputation by publishing his secret faults or defects?

• How often have you done so?

• From what motive?

• and before how many?

• Have you been guilty of calumny, which consists in saying of your neighbor what is false or uncertain?

• How often?

• and before how many?

N. B.— In either case you are obliged to restore his character as far as you are able.

• Have you willingly given ear to detraction or calumny?
• Have you taken pleasure in it?
• Or in any way encouraged it?
• Or not hindered it when you might?
• How often?

Have you injured your neighbor’s honor by reproaches and affronts, or robbed him of his peace of mind by scoffs and derision? How often?

• Have you, by carrying stories backwards and forwards, or in any other way, caused misunderstanding or quarrels between others?
• How often?
• and to what prejudice?

N. B.— Here also judges, lawyers, solicitors, &c., ought to examine themselves, what injustice they may have been guilty of in managing causes, &c.; as well as accusers, witnesses, &c.

The Ninth Commandment.

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.”

Have you taken pleasure in any unchaste thoughts or imaginations? Have you entertained any impure desires or feelings?

The Tenth Commandment.

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.”

• Have you desired your neighbor’s goods, not caring whether you had them right or wrong?
• Or been in a disposition of steal- ing, or otherwise wronging him, if it lay in your power?
• How often?

Have you desired your neighbor’s loss or misfortune, or any public calamity, that you might be the gainer by it? How often?

The Commandments of the Church.

I. Have you neglected to keep holy the days of obligation? Have you worked on those days without necessity?

• II. Have you neglected to hear Mass on Sundays and Holydays of obligation?

• or have you heard it with wilful distractions?

• or not taken care that your children and servants should hear it?

• How often?

• III. Have you broken the days of abstinence commanded by the Church?

• or eaten more than one meal on fasting-days?

• or been accessary to others so doing?

• How often?

IV., V. Have you neglected to confess your sins once a year? or to make a worthy Communion during Easter time?

• VI. Have you solemnized marriage at the forbidden times?
• Have you married within the forbidden degrees of kindred?
• or with any other known impediment?

The Capital or Deadly Sins.

Pride.— Have you been guilty of pride, or complacency in yourself, or contempt of others? How often?

Have you been guilty of vainglory, by doing your actions to procure esteem? How often?

• Have you taken delight in the esteem and applause of others?

• or have you been uneasy and discontented when you did not receive such esteem or applause?

• How often?

• Covetousness.— Have you been guilty of covetousness, in desiring or loving too much the things of this world?

• Have you sought after them too eagerly?

• or been too much distressed at the loss of them?

• How often?

• For the sins of Lust see the Sixth Commandment.

For the sins of Anger, see the Fifth Commandment.

• Gluttony.— Have you been guilty of gluttony, by eating or drinking to excess, so as to endanger or injure your health or reason?
• How often?
• and with what scandal?

Have you indulged an inordinate gratification of your appetite? How often?

• Have you made others drunk?

• or sought to make them so?

• or boasted of having made them so?

• How often?

• Envy.— Have you envied or repined at your neighbor’s good, either spiritual or temporal?

• or rejoiced at his harm?

• How often?

Have you been guilty of jealousy, in consequence of any attention or preference shown to others? Have you rejoiced to see them disappointed or mortified?

Sloth.— Have you been guilty of sloth, or laziness of mind or body, which has prevented you from discharging your duty? How often?

• Have you neglected your spiritual duties?
• or discharged them with tepidity or indolence?
• Have you studied too much your own ease, leading an unmortified and unchristian life?

Have you squandered away much of your time in idleness or useless occupation?

Have you entertained with pleasure the thoughts of saying or doing anything which it would be a sin to say or do? How often?

• Have you had the desire or design of committing any sin?

• What sin?

• How often?

• Have you gloried in any sin whatsoever?

• How often?

• and before what company?

• and what sin?

N. B.— Here also masters and servants, husbands and wives, lawyers and physicians, ecclesiastics and magistrates, &c., ought to examine into the sins which are peculiar to their states, and how far they may have neglected the duties of their respective callings.