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EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE BEFORE CONFESSION
1. Have I ever failed to confess a serious sin, disguised it or justified it?
2. Have I been guilty of irreverence for this sacrament by failing to examine my conscience carefully?
3. Have I failed to perform the penance given me by the confessor or disobeyed any of his directions?
4. Have I neglected the Easter duty of receiving Holy Communion or failed to confess my sins within a year?
5. Have I any HABITS of serious sin to confess first (impurity, drunkenness, gossip, anger, sloth, vanity, neglect of duties, etc.)?
FIRST THREE COMMANDMENTS
Love God with your whole heart, mind and soul
FIRST COMMANDMENT
Am I ignorant of my catechism (Act of Contrition, Apostle's Creed, Ten Commandments, Seven Sacraments, the Our Father)?
Have I willfully doubted or denied any of the teachings of the Church (heresy)?
Have I taken active part in any non-Catholic worship?
Am I a member of any anti-Catholic or any secret society?
Have I practiced any superstitions (horoscopes, fortune tellers, etc.)?
Is God the most important thing in my life, even before mother, father, sister, brother, wife and children - before money, things, pride, honor, and even love.
Have I attempted to know God so that I can love Him.
Have I obeyed God His way and not my way.
Have I obeyed God's bishops in all things except sin?
Have I attributed to God or His messengers what was not from Him?
SECOND COMMANDMENT
"Vain" in Greek is "shav" which means "commonly, falsehood or vanity"
Have I used God's name in vain by way of profanity?
Have I treated God commonly?
Have I given to God words that are not His?
Have I used God for my own honor?
Have I murmured or complained against God (blasphemy)?
Have I maligned priests or others consecrated to God?
Have I sworn by God's name (oath) either falsely or rashly?
Have I broken any public or private vow?
Have I treated God commonly at Mass or in conversation?
THIRD COMMANDMENT
Have I missed Holy Mass on Sundays or holy-days through my own fault?
Have I been late for Holy Mass through my own negligence?
Have I been inattentive at Holy Mass or otherwise failed in reverence for the Most Blessed Sacrament?
Have I done unnecessary servile work (physical labor) on Sunday?
Have I eaten meat on Friday or failed to make another sacrifice?
Have I left Holy Mass before the priest left?
LAST SEVEN COMMANDMENTS
Love everyone as you love yourself
FOURTH COMMANDMENT
"Honor" in Greek "kabed" OT & "timao" NT, means to make heavy, weighty.
Have I been disrespectful to my parents or neglected them?
Have I failed in obedience or reverence to others in authority?
Have I mistreated my spouse or children?
Have I been disobedient or disrespectful to my husband?
Regarding my children:
-Have I neglected their material or emotional needs?
-Have I failed to care for their early Baptism or their proper religious instruction?
-Have I allowed them to neglect their religious duties?
-Have I tolerated their keeping questionable company or steady dating?
-Have I otherwise failed to discipline them?
-Have I given them bad example?
-Have I let boys and girls sleep together?
-Have I interfered with their freedom to marry or follow a religious vocation?
FIFTH & EIGHTH COMMANDMENTS
Have I quarreled with any one?
Have I caused others to sin by my anger?
Have I treated people unkindly?
Have I make anyone unhappy by my actions or words?
Have I cursed anyone or otherwise wished evil on him?
Have I taken pleasure in anyone's misfortune?
Is there anyone to whom I refuse to speak or be reconciled?
Have I lied about anyone (calumny)? (Must be publicly corrected)
Have I rash judged anyone of a serious sin?
Have I engaged in gossip (detraction) or spread scandal? (Must be publicly corrected)
Have I lent an ear to scandal about my neighbor, even if true?
11=Have I damaged anyone's reputation, even if true? (Must be publicly corrected)
Have I been jealous or envious of anyone?
Have I made anyone unhappy in any way other than correcting sin?
SIXTH & NINTH
Have I denied my spouse his or her marriage rights?
Have I practiced birth control?
Have I abused my marriage rights in any other way?
Have I committed adultery or fornication?
Have I touched or embraced another impurely?
Have I sinned with others of the same sex?
Have I sinned impurely with myself?
Have I harbored lustful desires for anyone? (Same sin as 4)
Have I indulged in other impure thoughts?
Have I failed to dress modestly?
Have I done anything to provoke or occasion impure thoughts in others?
Have I read indecent literature or looked at indecent pictures?
Have I watched suggestive films or programs?
Have I permitted my children or others under my charge to do these things?
Have I used indecent language or told indecent stories?
Have I willingly listened to such stories?
Have I boasted of my sins?
Have I sinned against chastity in any other way?
SEVENTH & TENTH COMMANDMENTS
Have I stolen anything?
Have I damaged anyone's property through my own fault?
Have I cheated or defrauded others?
Have I damaged anyone's reputation?
Have I refused or neglected to pay any debts?
Have I neglected my duties or been slothful in my work?
Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent necessity?
Have I failed to make restitution?
OTHER SINS
Have I knowingly caused others to sin?
Have I cooperated in the sins of others?
Have I sinned by gluttony?
Have I become intoxicated?
Have I abused narcotics?
Have I been motivated by avarice?
Have I indulged in boasting or vainglory?
Have I received Holy Communion or another sacrament in the state of mortal sin?
Is there any other sin I need to confess?
Prayer for a Good Confession
O my God, by my grievous sins I have re-crucified Thy divine Son to myself and have deserved Thy everlasting wrath in the fires of hell. Even more, I have been most ungrateful by my sins to Thee, my Heavenly Father, Who have created me out of nothing, redeemed me by Thy Son, and sanctified me in the sacraments by Thy Holy Spirit. But Thou hast spared me to make this confession. Receive me back as Thy prodigal son and grant me to confess myself well, that I may begin anew to love Thee with my whole heart and soul, henceforth keeping Thy Commandments and suffering patiently whatever temporal punishment for my sins may remain. I hope by Thy goodness and power to obtain everlasting life in paradise. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
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