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From online sources, A good Catholic examination of conscience can be a great help in making a new start in the life of faith.

We use an examination of conscience to help call to mind our sins and failings during a period of quiet reflection before approaching the priest in Confession.

It’s important for a good Catholic examination of conscience to be thorough. This will help you learn about things that you may not be aware of. It’s also a chance to develop your conscience.

This is a critical aid for the beginning Catholic.

To make an examination:

1 – Set aside some quiet time for reflection.

2 – Start by praying to the Holy Spirit, asking for help in making a good examination to prepare for Confession.

3 Read through the items on this list and honestly reflect on your behavior for each item.

4 – If necessary, take this list or some brief notes (keep them private!) to Confession to help you remember things.

A Catholic examination of conscience traditionally follows the outline of the Ten Commandments

(I) – “I AM THE LORD, YOUR GOD. YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GOD BESIDES ME.

1 – Have I doubted or denied God’s existence?

2 – Have I been ungrateful to God for His benefits?

3 – Am I open to God’s will?

4 – Do I rely solely on myself and not on God?

5 – Have I abandoned the Catholic Faith? Formally left the Catholic Church?

6 – Have I joined a non-Catholic church or anti-Catholic group or practiced another religion or joined a group forbidden to Catholics (Masons, communists, etc.)?

7 – Have I refused to believe any truths of the Faith or any teachings of the Church?

8 – Did I fail to profess or defend the Faith?

9 – Have I failed to go to confession at least once a year?

10 – Have I been faithful to my daily prayers?

11 – Have I practiced any superstitions? Engaged in superstitious practices?(Including horoscopes, fortune tellers, etc.). Been involved in the occult? (Seances, ouija board, worship of Satan, etc.)

12 – Am I unwilling to turn away from everything that is opposed to God’s work in my soul?

13 – Disobeyed the commandments of God or the Church?

14 – Refused to accept what God has revealed as true ?

15 – Nourished and protected my faith?

16 – Rejected everything opposed to a sound faith?

17 – Deliberately misled others about doctrine or the faith?

18 – Despaired about my salvation or the forgiveness of my sins?

19 – Presumed on God’s mercy? (Committing a sin in expectation of forgiveness, or asking for forgiveness without conversion and practicing virtue.)

20 – Loved someone or something more than God (money, power, sex, ambition, etc.)?

21 – Let someone or something influence my choices more than God?

22 – Hidden a serious sin or told a lie in confession?

(II) – “YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD, YOUR GOD, IN VAIN.”

1 – Have I taken the Lord’s name in vain, for example, carelessly, in anger, or surprise?

2 – Do I speak irreverently of holy persons, places, or things?

3 – Have I cursed myself or others?

4 – Did I use profanity, vulgar, suggestive or obscene speech?

5 – Have I called down evil upon anyone or anything?

6 – Did I get angry with God and blamed God for my failings?

7 – Have I angered others so as to make them curse?8 – Have I broken or failed to keep a vow made to God?

9 – Have I murmured or complained about God?

10 – Used the name of God in cursing or blasphemy?

11 – Spoken about the Faith, the Church, the saints, or sacred things with irreverence, hatred or defiance?

12 – Watched television or movies, or listened to music that treated God, the Church,the saints, or sacred things irreverently?

13 – Belittled others in my speech?

14 – Behaved disrespectfully in Church?

15 – Misused places or things set apart for the worship of God?

16 – Committed perjury? (Breaking an oath or lying under oath.)

(III) – “REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.

1 – Set time aside each day for personal prayer to God.

2 – Missed Mass on Sunday or Holy Days of Obligation (through own fault without sufficient reason)?

3 – Committed a sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament?

4 – Received a sacrament while in the state of mortal sin? 5 – Habitually come late to and/or leave early from Mass without a good reason?

6 – Shop, labor, or do business unnecessarily on Sunday or other Holy Days of Obligation?

7 – Not attending to take my children to Mass?

8 – Knowingly eat meat on a forbidden day (or not fasting on a fast day)?

9 – Eat or drink within one hour of receiving Communion (other than medical need)?

10 – Have I been irreverent while receiving the Most Blessed Sacrament?

11 – Have I been willfully distracted during Mass?12 – Do I distract others during Mass?

(IV) – “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.

1 – (If still under my parents’ care) Obeyed all that my parents reasonably asked of me?

2 – Neglected the needs of my parents in their old age or in their time of need?

3 – (If still in school) Obeyed the reasonable demands of my teachers?

4 – Neglected to give my children proper food, clothing, shelter, education, discipline, and care (even after Confirmation)?

5 – Provided for the religious education and formation of my children for as long as they are under my care.

6 – Ensured that my children still under my care regularly frequent the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion?

7 – Educated my children in a way that corresponds to my religious convictions.

8 – Provided my children with a positive, prudent, and personalized education in Catholic teaching on human sexuality. 9 – Been to my children a good example of how to live the Catholic Faith?

10 – Prayed with and for my children?

11 – Lived in humble obedience to those who legitimately exercise authority over me?

12 – Have I broken the law in regard to the elderly ?

13 – Have I supported or voted for a politician whose positions are opposed to the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church?

14 – Have I disobeyed, insulted, or shown disrespect to my parents or legitimate superiors?

15 – Did I neglect my duties to my husband, wife, children or parents?

16 – Did I neglect to give a good religious example to my family?

17 – Am I disrespectful, impolite, or discourteous toward my family?

18 – Have I failed to meet my children’s physical, spiritual, emotional, and educational needs?

19 – Have I disobeyed the lawful demands of my superiors, teachers, or employer?

20 – Did I fail to actively take an interest in the religious education and formation of my children?

21 – Did I cause tension and fights in my family?

22 – Did I care for my aged and infirm relatives?

(V) – “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER”

1 – Unjustly and intentionally killed a human being?

2 – Been involved in an abortion, directly or indirectly ( through advice, etc.)?

3 – Have I entertained thoughts of suicide, desired to commit suicide, or attempted suicide?

4 – Supported, promoted or encouraged the practice of assisted suicide or mercy killing?

5 – Deliberately desired to kill an innocent human being?

6 – Unjustly inflicted bodily harm an another person?

7 – Unjustly threatened by another person with bodily harm?

8 – Verbally or emotionally abused another person?

9 – Hated another person, or wished him evil?

10 – Been prejudiced, or unjustly discriminated against others because of their race, color, nationality, sex or religion?

11 – Joined a hate group?

12 – Purposely provoked another by teasing or nagging? Have I spread gloom through my words and actions?

13 – Recklessly endangered my life or health, or that of another, by my actions?

14 – Driven recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs?15 – Abused alcohol tobacco or other drugs?

16 – Sold or given drugs to others to use for non-therapeutic purposes?17 – Over-eaten?

18 – Encouraged others to sin by giving scandal? Have I led others into sin

19 – Helped another to commit a mortal sin (through advice, them somewhere, etc.?)

20 – Caused serious injury or death by criminal neglect?

21 – Indulged in serious anger?

22 – Refused to control my temper?

23 – Been mean to, quarreled with, or willfully hurt someone? Have I used harsh or abusive language toward others?

24 – Been unforgiving to others, when mercy or pardon was requested? Is there anyone with whom I refuse to speak, or against whom I bear a grudge?

25 – Sought revenge or hoped something bad would happen to someone? Do I deliberately harbor unkind and revengeful thoughts about others? Have I taken revenge?

26 – Delighted to see someone else get hurt or suffer? Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortunes?

27 – Treated animals cruelly, causing them to suffer or die needlessly?28 – Used artificial contraception or birth control?

29 – Have I failed to help someone in danger or in need?30 – Have I wished evil on anyone?

(VI) – “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY”

1 – Practiced the virtue of chastity?

2 – Given in to lust? (The desire for sexual pleasure unrelated to spousal love in marriage.)

3 – Used an artificial means of birth control?

4 – Refused to be open to conception, without just cause? (Catechism, 2368)

5 – Participated in immoral techniques for in vitro fertilization or artificial insemination?

6 – Sterilized my sex organs for contraceptive purposes?

7 – Deprived my spouse of the marital right, without just cause?

8 – Claimed my own marital right without concern for my spouse?

9 – Deliberately caused male climax outside of normal sexual intercourse? (Catechism, 2366)

10 – Willfully entertained impure thoughts?

11 – Purchased, viewed, or made use of pornography?

12 – Watched movies and television that involve sex and nudity?

13 – Listened to music or jokes that are harmful to purity?

14 – Committed adultery? (Sexual relations with someone who is married, or with someone other than my spouse.)

15 – Committed incest? (Sexual relations with a relative or in-law.)

16 – Committed fornication? (Sexual relations with someone of the opposite sex when neither of us is married.)

17 – Engaged in homosexual activity? (Sexual activity with someone of the same sex.)

18 – Committed rape?

19 – Masturbated? (Deliberate stimulation of one’s own sexual organs for sexual pleasure.)19 – Engaged in sexual foreplay (petting) reserved for marriage?

20 – Preyed upon children or youth for my sexual pleasure?

21 – Engaged in unnatural sexual activities?

22 – Engaged in prostitution, or paid for the services of a Prostitute?

23 – Seduced someone, or allowed me to be seduced?

24 – Made uninvited and unwelcome sexual advances toward another?25 – Purposely dressed immodestly?

 (VII) – “YOU SHALL NOT STEAL. 

1- Stolen? (Take something that doesn’t belong to me against the reasonable will of the owner.) Have I accepted or bought the stolen property?

2 – Envied others on account of their possessions?

3 – Tried to live in a spirit of Gospel poverty and simplicity?

4 – Given generously to others in need?

5 – Considered that God has provided me with money so that I might use it to benefit others, as well as for my own legitimate needs?

6 – Freed myself from a consumer mentality?

7 – Practiced the works of mercy? Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent need?

8 – Deliberately defaced, destroyed or lost another’s property?

9 – Cheated on a test, taxes, sports, games, or in business? Am I dishonest in my business dealings?

10 – Squandered money in compulsive gambling?

11 – Make a false claim to an insurance company.

12 – Paid my employees a living wage, or failed to give a full day’s work for a full day’s pay? Have I cheated my employees of their wages?

13 – Failed to honor my part of a contract? Have I cheated my employer of an honest day’s work?

14 – Failed to make good on a debt?

15 – Overcharging someone, especially to take advantage of another’s hardship or ignorance?

16 – Misused natural resources.

17 – Have I failed to make restitution for what I stole?

18 – Have I helped someone steal?

19 – Have I borrowed without permission? Have I failed to return things borrowed?

 (VIII) *“YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR .

1 – Have I lied deliberately?

2 – Have I deliberately misled or deceived anyone?

3 – Perjured myself under oath?

4 – Did I gossip or reveal others’ faults or sins?

5 – Committed detraction? (Destroying a person’s reputation by telling others about his faults for no good reason.)

6 – Committed slander or calumny? (Telling lies about another person in order to destroy his reputation.)

7 – Committed libel? (Writing lies about another person in order to destroy his reputation.)

8 – Been guilty of rash judgment? (Assuming the worst of another person based on circumstantial evidence.)

9 – Failed to make reparation for a lie I told, or for harm done to a person’s reputation?

10 – Failed to speak out in defense of the Catholic Faith, the Church, or of another person? Have I failed to prevent the defamation of another’s character?

11 – Betrayed another’s confidence through speech?

12 – Have I failed to keep promises or oaths?

13 – Have I signed false documents?

14 – Have I failed to keep promises or oaths?

15 – Have I revealed secrets and betrayed trust?

16 – Have a failed to forgive someone or held a grudge?

17 – Did I fail to keep secret what should be confidential?

18 – Have I disclosed another’s sins without serious reason?

( IX) “YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S WIFE

”1 – Did I commit impure acts with another – fornication (premarital sex) or adultery (sex with a married person)?

2 – Did I commit impure acts by myself (masturbation)?

3 – Do I engage in homosexual acts?

4 – Have I refused my spouse the marriage right without good reason?

5 – Am I dating someone who is civilly divorced but still bound by a valid marriage?

6 – Did I marry or advise anyone to marry outside the Catholic Church?7 – Have I willfully entertained impure thoughts or desires?

8 – Did I respect all members of the opposite sex, or have I objectified them?

9 – Have I read, listened to, viewed, or spoken of impure things?

10 – Have I worn revealing or immodest clothing?

11 – Have I succumbed to occasions of impurity?

 (X) “YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR’S GOODS 

1 – Am I greedy or selfish?

2 – Am I envious of someone’s possessions, talents, or blessings?

3 – Do I indulge in self-pity?

4 – Am I proud, vain, or desire to be praised?

5 – Have I exaggerated my success?

6 – Have I minimized or made excuses for my failures?

7 – Have I measured my charity by what others have given, rather than my ability to give?