Sarah Mitchell
Examination of Conscience is a cornerstone of Catholic life, a reflective exercise in which one assesses their thoughts, words, and deeds in light of the Church's moral teachings. This spiritual exercise is rooted in Scripture, particularly the Ten Commandments and Beatitudes, and is meant to prepare individuals for the Sacrament of Confession and reconciliation with God. It involves evaluating one's commitment to Jesus Christ and the Church, fostering personal holiness, and developing a deeper love for God, loved ones, and neighbours. The process typically involves finding a quiet space to reflect and pray, cultivating humility, and being honest about one's sins and failings. It can also be tailored to different age groups and life stages, such as adults, teens, or children, to provide more relevant guidance.
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What You'll Learn
Preparation: Find a quiet place to reflect and pray
The first step in your Examination of Conscience is to find a quiet place to reflect and pray. This can be done at home or at church while waiting to enter the confessional. The key is to find a place where you can be free from distractions and feel comfortable.
It is important to recognise that this process is an ongoing journey of conversion and spiritual growth. You may wish to begin by praying for guidance and illumination of your conscience. Approach this spiritual exercise with sincerity and honesty.
You can create a sacred space for Jesus in your home, no matter how small. This could be a simple chair, table, corner, or even an entire room. You may wish to include items that are meaningful to you, such as fragrances, icons, statues, or candles. You can also add a Bible or devotional for Scripture reflection and a journal for drawing or writing.
Remember, Jesus often sought out quiet places to pray and be alone. Following his example, we can find creative ways to make time for private prayer, even in the midst of our busy lives.
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Pride: Reflect on your attitude and behaviour
Pride is defined as "an untrue opinion of ourselves, an untrue idea of what we are not". When reflecting on your attitude and behaviour, it is important to consider whether you have a superior attitude in thinking, speaking, or acting. Ask yourself: Have I been snobbish? Have I carried myself in an offensive or haughty manner? Do I hold myself above others? Do I demand recognition and to be first? Do I refuse to seek or accept advice? Do I bully or boss others around? Do I speak ill of others, lie about them, or shift blame onto them? Am I prone to arguing and being offensive in my arguments? Do I have a "know-it-all" attitude? Am I self-conscious?
In addition to these behaviours, pride can also manifest as vanity, which is an excessive concern about what others think of you. This can lead to lying or exaggerating to make oneself look good, wasting time and money on appearance, and being discontent with one's position. It is important to reflect on whether you have allowed the opinions of others to influence your actions and motivate you to deviate from God's will.
Pride can also cause one to neglect their duties or fail to do or say what is right out of fear of how others will respond. This can include failing to give witness to one's faith in Christ in public. Furthermore, pride can lead to damaging the reputation of others through one's words, attitude, or reactions.
When examining your conscience with regard to pride, it is crucial to be thorough and honest, recognising your sins and failings during a period of quiet reflection. This process is intended to help you develop spiritually and deepen your awareness of your spiritual state.
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Envy: Examine your feelings towards others' possessions
Envy is a sadness we feel at the good fortune of others. It is one of the seven deadly sins, and Catholics are encouraged to examine their feelings of envy as part of an Examination of Conscience. This is a reflective exercise that helps Catholics identify their sins and failings, and prepare for confession.
To examine your feelings of envy towards others' possessions, you could ask yourself the following questions:
- Am I envious of someone's possessions, and do I desire them for myself?
- Do I feel sad at the prosperity of others?
- Do I feel joy at their failures?
- Do I envy the riches of others?
- Have I damaged another person's reputation out of envy?
- Have I repeated or exaggerated accusations, driven by envy?
- Do I seek comfort and luxury to excess, at the expense of my duties?
It is important to approach this examination with sincerity and honesty, and to recognise your ongoing need for spiritual growth and development.
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Scripture: Base your examination on the Ten Commandments
A Catholic Examination of Conscience is a cornerstone of Catholic life and is a reflective exercise in which one assesses their thoughts, words, and deeds in light of the Church's moral teachings. This spiritual exercise is approached with sincerity and honesty, recognizing one's ongoing need for conversion and spiritual growth.
The Examination of Conscience traditionally follows the outline of the Ten Commandments and the Precepts of the Catholic Church. Here is a guide based on the Ten Commandments:
First Commandment: "I am the Lord your God, you shall not have strange gods before Me."
- Have I denied God?
- Have I been ashamed of or denied my faith in front of others?
- Have I rejected the Catholic faith, joined another Christian denomination, or practiced another religion?
- Have I ridiculed the teachings or practices of the Church?
- Have I neglected my prayers?
- Have I used witchcraft, Wicca, or other Occult practices?
- Have I loved someone or something more than God (money, power, sex, ambition, etc.)?
Second Commandment: "Do not take the name of the Lord in vain."
- Do I use God's name carelessly, in anger, or in surprise?
- Have I called down evil upon anyone or anything?
Third Commandment: "Keep holy the Sabbath Day."
- Have I, through my own fault, failed to come to Mass each Sunday and every Holy Day of Obligation?
- Do I arrive at Mass late or leave early without good reason?
Fourth Commandment: "Honor your father and mother."
- Have I disobeyed or treated my parents with disrespect?
- Have I neglected my elderly parents?
- Am I disrespectful, impolite, or discourteous towards my family?
- Am I disrespectful towards the elderly?
- Have I killed anyone?
- Have I had an abortion or helped another to have an abortion?
- Have I mutilated my body or another's body?
- Did I attempt suicide or seriously consider thoughts of suicide?
Seventh and Tenth Commandments: "You shall not steal. Do not covet your neighbor's goods."
- Have I taken anything that was not mine?
- Have I damaged or defaced private or public property by vandalism?
- Have I accepted or bought stolen property or helped someone to steal?
- Have I made money, or any possession, a false god?
- Do I waste money or spend it extravagantly?
Eighth Commandment: "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
- Have I lied deliberately?
- Have I slandered others?
Tenth Commandment: "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife."
- Have I committed adultery?
- Have I committed incest?
- Have I committed fornication?
Other Questions to Consider:
- Have I supported or voted for a politician whose positions are opposed to the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church?
- Have I contributed a just amount of my time, talents, and money to support my parish and the work of the Church?
- Have I given scandal by living with a member of the opposite sex without the benefit of a marriage blessed by the Catholic Church?
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Confession: Approach a priest to confess your sins
Confession is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ to offer forgiveness for sins against God and others. It brings reconciliation between God and the penitent, between the penitent and others, and to the individual penitent.
To prepare for confession, it is important to conduct an Examination of Conscience. This involves reflecting on your sins and confessing them to a priest. The Examination of Conscience is traditionally based on the Ten Commandments and the Precepts of the Catholic Church. It is a cornerstone of Catholic life and can be tailored to individuals based on their age, marital status, and life circumstances. It is a means of spiritual growth, reconciliation, and renewal.
- Find a quiet and comfortable space: Turn off your phone and remove all distractions.
- Pray for guidance: Begin with a prayer to invoke the Holy Spirit to guide your reflections and cultivate humility and openness to God's grace.
- Examine your conscience: Reflect on your thoughts, words, and deeds in light of the Church's moral teachings. Consider your sins, such as pride, envy, and breaking the Commandments.
- Enter the confessional: Greet the priest and make the Sign of the Cross. You may say, "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been (time period) since my last confession."
- Confess your sins: Simply and honestly tell the priest your sins. You may want to discuss the circumstances and root causes of your sins. Don't be afraid, as the priest is bound to confidentiality.
- Express contrition: After confessing your sins, say, "I am sorry for these sins and all the sins I cannot remember."
- Accept penance: The priest will assign you a penance, such as a prayer, an offering, or an act of service, to show your sorrow and begin anew.
- Pray the Act of Contrition: Express your true sorrow for your sins. You may use a formal prayer, such as, "O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended You, and I detest all my sins because of Your just punishments, but most of all because they offend You, my God."
- Receive absolution: The priest will pray for your sins to be forgiven by God's grace. Make the Sign of the Cross when the priest says, "I absolve you from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
- Conclusion: The priest may conclude with "Go in Peace." You may say, "Have a blessed day, Father," and offer a short prayer for the priest.
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Frequently asked questions
An examination of conscience is a reflective exercise in which one assesses their thoughts, words, and deeds in light of the Church’s moral teachings. It is meant to prepare one for the sacrament of confession and foster spiritual growth, reconciliation, and renewal.
The first step is to pick an examination of conscience that is tailored to you, considering factors such as age, marital status, and your particular station in life. The second step is to find a quiet and comfortable place to reflect and pray. The third step is to pray for a successful examination of conscience, invoking the Holy Spirit to guide your reflections.
Some examples of questions to ask vary depending on the type of examination chosen. For example, an examination based on the Ten Commandments may include questions such as "Have I rejected the Catholic faith or joined another religion?" or "Have I loved someone or something more than God?". An examination based on the Seven Deadly Sins may include questions related to pride, such as "Do I have a superior attitude in thinking, speaking, or acting?".
After reflecting on your sins, go to the confessional and say, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been [state the time period] since my last confession, and these are my sins...". The priest will give you a penance and ask you to pray the Act of Contrition.
The examination of conscience is a cornerstone of Catholic life, helping individuals develop a deeper awareness of their spiritual state and fostering personal holiness. It aids in evaluating one's commitment to Jesus Christ and His Church, leading to a deeper love for God, loved ones, and neighbours.
