Examination of Conscience
What is a Conscience?
Conscience is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the process of performing, or has already completed.
What is an Examination of Conscience?
An examination of conscience is a review of one’s past thoughts, words and actions for the purpose of discerning their conformity with or unconformity with Jesus Law (The moral & ethical law). An examination of conscience helps us identify the moments in our life when we’re turning away from God, His Law and other people.
The examination of conscience is an excellent means of perfecting ourselves as human beings and above all as children of God, for as a famous treatise writer says: “if we do not know ourselves, it is morally impossible to attain perfection.”
In other wards: “just like a garden, the spiritual life requires continual care, for defects can spring up in the most hidden recesses and in the most unexpected ways, choking the flowers and fruits of virtue that God wants to cultivate within us.”
How often should we examine our conscience?
In order to grow in virtue and “grow out” of sin, you should do a brief examination of conscience every night before bed. Recall all of your venial sins from the day, and ask for God’s forgiveness. If you have committed mortal sin, make sure you get to Confession as soon as possible.
10 Commandments
Examination of Conscience based on 10 Commandments.
“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 ridiculed the teachings or practices of the Church?
- Have I neglected my prayers?
- Have I used witchcraft, Wicca, or other Occult practices?
- Have I practiced various forms of superstition such as fortune tellers, mediums, tarot ouija boards, tarot cards?
“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?
“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?
- Do I allow myself to be distracted at Mass?
“Honor your father and mother.”
- Have I disobeyed my parents or treated them with disrespect?
- Am I disrespectful, impolite, or discourteous toward my family?
- Have I neglected my work or my studies? Have I been helpful in my home?
- Have I failed to study seriously and with diligence?
- Have I missed an exam at school because of laziness?
- Am I disrespectful toward the elderly?
- Am I disobedient to the civil law or to those in authority such as the police?
“You shall not kill.”
- Did I have an abortion or help another to have an abortion?
- Have I mutilated my body or another’s body?
- Did I attempt suicide or seriously consider thoughts of suicide?
- Do I act violently by fighting or hitting others?
- Have I had thoughts of hatred toward another?
- Have I taken illegal drugs or abused prescription drugs?
- Have I sold or distributed illegal drugs?
- Do I neglect to take proper care of my body?
- Do I eat too much, or sleep too much?
- Do I drink beer or other alcoholic beverages in excess?
- Have I allowed myself to become intoxicated?
- Am I too concerned about my health or appearance?
- Do I deliberately harbor unkind and revengeful thoughts about others?
- Have I taken revenge?
- Have I used harsh or abusive language toward another?
- Do I act rudely, impolitely, or ridicule others? Have I been guilty of the sin of racism?
- Am I cruel to animals?
“Do not commit adultery. And Do not covet your neighbors wife.”
- Have I desired or done impure things?
- Have I taken pleasure in entertaining impure thoughts or desires?
- Have I read impure material, listened to music with impure lyrics, or looked at impure images, whether in photos or on television or in movies or on the Internet?
- Have I aroused sexual desire in myself or another by impure kissing, embracing, or touching?
- Have I committed impure actions alone, i.e., masturbation? Have I committed homosexual acts or other unnatural acts?
- Do I use artificial contraception whether surgical, barrier or chemical methods?
- Have I dressed immodestly or been too concerned with the way I look?
- Do I use vulgar language or tell or listen to impure jokes or stories?
“You shall not steal. And Do not covet your neighbor’s goods.”
- Have I taken anything that was not my own?
- Have I damaged private or public property or defaced it by vandalism?
- Have I been guilty of shop-lifting?
- Have I accepted or bought stolen property or helped someone to steal?
- Have I bribed someone?
- Do I gamble excessively?
- Have I borrowed something without the owner’s permission?
- Have I failed to return something I borrowed?
- Do I waste money or spend it extravagantly?
- Have I harbored a greed for money or worldly possessions?
- Have I made of money, or any possession, a false god?
- Do I waste goods or food? Have I cheated on tests or schoolwork?
- Have I cheated in games or sports?
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
- Have I lied deliberately?
- Have I sworn to do something sinful or illegal?
- Have I slandered others by attributing to them sins they did not commit or of which I had no evidence?
- Do I gossip about others or listen to gossip? Have I told a secret I was asked to keep?
- Have I betrayed someone’s trust?
- Have I criticized anyone uncharitably?
- Do I make rash judgments and harbor false suspicions about others?
- Have I deliberately misled or deceived anyone?
- Have I refused to forgive someone or held a grudge against him or her?
- Have I failed to apologize or make amends to someone I offended?
- Am I greedy or selfish or do I indulge in self-pity? Am I proud or vain or do I show off?
- Am I superficial and worldly?
- Do I desire to be praised by exaggerating my success? Am I touchy and hypersensitive?
- Do I magnify the least oversight or thoughtlessness into an insult or deliberate slight?
- Have I been boastful?
- Have I been arrogant with others?
- Have I obstinately defended actions which are sinful, either my own or other’s?
- Am I rebellious?
- Have I spent useless time planted before the TV when I could be doing more constructive things?
- Am I envious of someone’s possessions and do I inordinately desire them to be my own?
- Do I take delight in the misfortunes of others?
7 Deadly Sins
Examination of Conscience based on 7 Deadly Sins.
Envy is a sadness which we feel, on account of the good that happens to our neighbor.”
- Do I feel sad at the prosperity of others?
- At their success in games? In athletics?
- Do I rejoice at their failures?
- Do I envy the riches of others?
“Pride is an untrue opinion of ourselves, an untrue idea of what we are not.”
- Have I a superior attitude in thinking, or speaking or acting?
- Am I snobbish?
- Have I offensive, haughty ways of acting or carrying myself?
- Do I hold myself above others?
- Do I demand recognition?
- Do I desire to be always first?
- Do I seek advice?
- Am I ready to accept advice?
- Am I in any sense a “bully”?
- Am I inclined to be “bossy”?
- Do I speak ill of others?
- Have I lied about others?
- Do I make known the faults of others?
- Do I seek to place the blame on others, excusing myself?
- Is there anyone to whom I refuse to speak?
- Is there anyone to whom I have not spoken for a long time?
- Am I prone to argue?
- Am I offensive in my arguments?
- Have I a superior “know-it-all attitude” in arguments?
- Am I self-conscious?
- Am I sensitive? Am I easily wounded?
“Sloth is a kind of cowardice and disgust, which makes us neglect and omit our duties, rather than to discipline ourselves.”
- Have I an inordinate love of rest, neglecting my duties?
- Do I act lazily?
- Am I too fond of rest?
- Do I take lazy positions in answering prayers?
- Do I kneel in a lounging way?
- Do I delight in idle conversation?
- Do I fail to be fervent in the service of God?
“Lust is the love of the pleasures that are contrary to purity.”
- Have I desired or done impure things?
- Have I taken pleasure in entertaining impure thoughts or desires?
- Have I read impure material, listened to music with impure lyrics, or looked at impure images, whether in photos or on television or in movies or on the Internet?
- Have I aroused sexual desire in myself or another by impure kissing, embracing, or touching?
- Have I committed impure actions alone or masturbation?
- Do I dress immodestly or am I too concerned with the way I look?
- Do I use vulgar language or tell or listen to impure jokes or stories?
- Have I given into desires of adultery even in my imagination?
“Covetousness is a disordered love of the goods of this world.”
- Do I dispose of my money properly or selfishly?
- Do I discharge my duties in justice to my fellow man?
- Do I discharge my duties in justice to the Church?
“Gluttony is a disordered love of eating and drinking.”
- Do I eat to live or live to eat? Do I drink to excess?
- Do I get drunk? Do I misuse prescription drugs?
- Do I use illegal drugs?
- Have I allowed myself to become addicted to alcohol and/or drugs?
“An emotion of the soul, which leads us violently to repel whatever hurts or displeases us.”
- Am I prone to anger?
- Does practically any little thing arouse my temper?
- Am I what is generally termed “a sore-head”?
- Do I fail to repress the first signs of anger?
- Do I fail to get along well with everybody?
- Do I ponder over slights or injuries and even presume them?
- Do I rejoice at the misfortunes of others?
- Do I think of means of revenge?
- Of “getting even”?
- Am I of an argumentative disposition?
- Have I a spirit of contradiction?
- Am I given to ridicule of persons, places, or things?
- Am I hard to get along with?
- Do I carry grudges, remain “on the outs” with anyone?
- Do I talk about the faults of others?
- Do I reveal the faults or defects of others?
- Do I reveal the faults of others from the wrong motive?
The Precepts of the Church
Examination of Conscience based on the Percepts of the Church.
You shall attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and rest from servile labor.
Have I…- Set time aside each day for personal prayer to God?
- Missed Mass on Sunday or Holy Days (through own fault w/o sufficient reason)?
- Committed a sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament?
- Received a sacrament while in the state of mortal sin?
- Habitually come late to and/or leave early from Mass without a good reason?
- Shop, labor, or do business unnecessarily on Sunday or other Holy Days of Obligation?
- Not attend to taking my children to Mass?
- Knowingly eat meat on a forbidden day (or not fasting on a fast day)?
- Eat or drink within one hour of receiving Communion (other than medical need)?
You shall confess your sins (to a Priest) at least once a year.
Have I…- Made a good Confession of my mortal sins at least once a year?
- Purposely omitted telling my mortal sins in my last Confession?
- Neglected to perform the penance I was given?
- Neglected to make reparation for any harm I have done to others?
You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least once during the Easter season.
Have I…- Neglected to fulfill my Easter duty to receive Holy Communion at least once between the First Sunday of Lent and Trinity Sunday?
- Received Holy Communion while in the state of mortal sin?
- Failed to fast for at least one hour before receiving Holy Communion?
- Received Holy Communion more than twice in one day?
You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
Have I…- Neglected to do penance every Friday of the year, if not abstaining from meat?
- Neglected to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent (if I am 14 years of age and/or older)?
- Neglected to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (if I am between the ages of 18 and 65)?
- Participated in diversions on days of penance (e.g., attended crawfish boils and fish fries, ballgames, movies, shopping on Ash Wednesday & Good Friday)?
- Neglected to spend time in prayer, do spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and practice self-denial?
You shall contribute to the support of the Church.
Have I…- Neglected to contribute a just amount of my time, talents and money to support my parish and the work of the Church?
- Neglected to support the Church by not trying to become a saint or by not striving to make sincere progress each day in sanctity?
You shall contribute to the support of the Church.
Have I…- Contributed a just amount of my time, talents and money to support my parish and the work of the Church?
You shall observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage.
Have I…- Been living in a valid and licit marriage according to the laws of the Catholic Church?
- Abandoned my spouse and family by separation or divorce?
- Kept company with someone whom I cannot marry in the Catholic Church?
- Given scandal by living with a member of the opposite sex without the benefit of a marriage blessed by the Catholic Church?
- Entered into marriage with more than one person at the same time?
Modern examination of Conscience
Modern Examination of Conscience based on 10 Commandments.
“I am the Lord your God you shall not have strange gods before me.”
- IDOLATRY! Placing any person, place, thing, or idea above God who merits our first place.
- FALSE WORSHIP EXAMPLES! Money, power, sex, vanity, drinking and drugs, and the Mass-media, above God.
- SUPERSTITION! Placing our trust in confidence in objects, charms, and numbers.
Involvement in any occult practices: witchcraft, Satanism, black-magic / white magic, tarot cards, witch-doctors, palm-readers, astrology, séances, the Ouija board, mind-readers, trusting in the horoscope.
Engaged in Transcendental Meditation, the New Age movement, believing in Reincarnation, believing in Buddhism, Hinduism as the authentic religion. - AGNOSTICISM! Doubting the possibility of God’s existence.
- ATHEISM! outright denial of God’s existence.
- ANGER AT GOD! Due to suffering or trials or setbacks (physical, economic, emotional) to express anger at God!
- RELIGIOUS SECTS! Becoming involved in/joining a religious sect, i.e., the Mormons, Hari Krishna, or the Jehovah Witnesses.
- PROTESTANT SERVICES! Substituting a Protestant service for Catholic Sunday Mass.
- SACRILEGE! Receiving Holy Communion, Confirmation, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders in the state of mortal sin
- GENERAL ABSOLUTION! Participating in a “General Absolution” service without seeking out individual absolution with a priest.
- CIVIL MARRIAGE! Simply undergoing a civil marriage/ married by a Jewish Rabbi/married by a Protestant minister. As a catholic, this is not considered a sacramental marriage.
- DENIAL OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH! To wilfully deny the catholic faith or due to cowardice, fail to defend it!
- FAITH! Due to laziness and negligence fail to study and cultivate my catholic faith.
- FAITH! Jeopardize my faith by talking to other religions that confuse me and my family.
- CHILDREN! Fail to cultivate the catholic faith in my children.
- SACRAMENTAL LIFE OF MY CHILDREN! To delay and postpone the Baptism of my children.
- DELAY HOLY COMMUNION! To delay year after year the preparation of my children for receiving Jesus in Holy Communion/ also that of Confirmation.
- HOPE! To despair in God’s mercy. My sin is too serious for God to forgive me!
- PRESUMPTION! Other side of the coin, to believe I can go on sinning and God will forgive me without true repentance.
- PUT OFF CONFESSION IN MORTAL SIN! Sin of presumption! God never promises me a tomorrow!
- DESECRATION OF THE EUCHARIST! My greatest reverence should be towards the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Most Holy Sacrament of the Altar.
- IMPROPER RECEPTION OF THE EUCHARIST! Receiving Jesus in Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin.
- NEGLECT OF EASTER DUTY! I must receive the Eucharist at least once a year!
- INDIFFERENTISM! To maintain that all religions are really the same and it does not really matter if one is catholic or not!
- INDIFFERENCE! (Rev. 3) Coldness, apathy, Luke warmness, “Spiritual anemia” (Pope Benedict XVI) towards God. An attitude of “whatever!!!” Who really cares about God!
- SIMONY! Selling religious objects or buying them on E-bay.
- PRAYER! Willfully failing to pray and not teaching one’s children the importance of prayer. Remember the words of St. Alphonsus, “He who prays will be saved; he who does not pray will be damned.”
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.”
This second Commandment refers to the Holy and Sacred character of the NAME of God. The Jewish people of the Old Testament would pronounce the name of God once a year through person of the High Priest in the temple “Yahweh” — meaning, “I am who am” . This was the name of God revealed to Moses! Below are ways that we might break this Commandment by failing to respect God’s holy name!
“At the NAME of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)
- BLASPHEMY! Calling out the Holy Name of God in anger! Words of hatred, reproach or defiance towards God.
Angry words against God for something that happened to you.
Blaming God for the evil in the world!
Blaming God in anger and God for the death of someone you love.
Curse! Using God’s name intentionally as a curse!
Saying: “God damn you!” / “God damn it!”
Serious slander/ calumny of a Sacred Person: the Pope, Bishops, priests, nuns who all are representatives of God.
Making an oath in a secret society. - PERJURY! Lying while under oath in a court-case! Promise to tell the truth on the Bible and lying!
Calling upon Gods’ name and lying.
Promoting words/images/movies that profane the person of God, for example “The Davinci Code” — a movie that blasphemed the Person of Jesus! - CONFESSION! Telling a lie to the priest/holding back a serious sin to the priest. This would be a sacrilegious Confession.
- PROMISES TO GOD failing to carry them out.
- VOWS! Solemn promise to God and failure to keep them, as in the Religious Life: Poverty, Chastity and Obedience.
- TAKING GOD’S NAME LIGHTLY! Joking around with the Name of God.
- JOKES! Irreverent Jokes about God, Mary, the saints and the Church!
- OWN NAME! Parents failing to give their child/children a “Christian name”. (CCC #’s,2156-2159). Giving their children a “pagan name!” As such he / she is lacking the intercession of a patron-saint!
- BLASPHEMY! Calling out the Holy Name of God in anger! Words of hatred, reproach or defiance towards God.
“Remember to keep holy the Lord’s day”.
First and foremost the Lord’s Day (Sunday, the day that Jesus rose from the dead) should be respected by attendance at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. A good reading would be the Apostolic Letter of Saint Pope John Paul II “Die Domino” – Keeping holy the Lord’s day (3rd Commandment).
Here are concrete ways that we can break this commandment!
- Missing Mass on Sunday the day of the Lord!
Missing Holy Days of Obligation, i.e. Christmas…
Failing in one’s Easter duty: to receive Holy Communion at least once a year! The bare minimum!
Coming late for Holy Mass lack of order, disrespect, and bad example to the others in church as well as a disturbance!
Talking in Mass! Rudeness! By talking to others one ignores God!
Cell-phones in use! Leave them in the car or at home! God first!
Text-messages. God sees and hears everything. This is pushing Him aside!
Chewing gum! We are not cows, but human persons!
Immodesty in dress. Church is the house of God! It profanes God’s house and is a source of temptation for others!
Leaving early! Would you do this for the World-cup/World series/ or for an Awards-ceremony/ or interesting movie or play, would you???
Willful distraction! Purposely thinking of other things: lunch, sports, x-boyfriend, etc…
- MISSING MASS! Entertaining guests from out-of – state. Idolatry! Placing of people above God — a modern “golden calf!”
- SLEEPING in Mass! Use your own bed at home!
- NON-PARTICIPATION! Being present in body, but not participating with your mind, heart, and soul. Being a mere spectator, as in an opera!
- WORKING on Sunday! If necessary, it is not a sin to work on Sunday. But if not necessary, Sunday is the day of rest from hard manual work that would exhaust you the rest of the week!
- Missing Mass on Sunday the day of the Lord!
“Honor your father and mother.”
The fourth commandment refers to the respect, honour, love and obedience that we should have for the persons that God has decided to choose to give us human life and existence. For this reason we owe our parents the maximum, respect, prayers, love support and obedience! Also, of great importance in the fourth commandment, is the duty that parents have, in the promise they made on the day of their wedding, to be open to having children, but most important in educating their children in the way of the faith, fear of the Lord, and love for all that refers to God and the Church!
Reading! A very good reading – especially for children in their relationship towards their parents — would be Sirach / Ecclesiasticus 3:1-6!
The following are ways that we can often transgress the fourth commandment.
- Disobeying one’s parents / disrespect towards parents.
Talking back to parents / willful defiance towards them.
Hatred and rejection of parents: willful anger, animosity!
Lying to one’s parents (also against the 8th Commandment)
Yelling, insulting, cursing one’s parents. Words can kill! (Also against the 5th Commandment!)
Pushing, hitting, punching—physical abuse of one’s parents.
Mocking through word or gesture one’s parents.
Sarcasm/irony — using disparaging expressions or words to belittle, or put down mother or father.
Willfully defy the manifest will of Mom or Dad.
Ignore parents -Turn the cold-shoulder and fail to communicate with them.
- AGED PARENTS! Given that they are elderly and feeble to abandon them — no longer visit them, call them, support them in their old age. (Read Sirach chapter 3)!
- HATRED/RESENTMENT/LACK OF FORGIVNESS! Despite the failure of our parents, fail to forgive them their short-comings!
- STATE OF LIFE: SCHOOL! To be lazy and negligent in one’s studies is against the 4th Commandment!
Brothers and sisters fighting, bickering, arguing, insulting is also against the 4th and 5th commandment. Jesus commanded us: “Love one another as I have loved you.” - PARENTS’ OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS CHILDREN. Contraception! Fail before God to be open to having children.
Abortion! Kill the child in the womb (Also against the 5th Commandment) - BAPTIZE! To delay Baptism for insignificant reasons — putting the social above the Sacramental!
- NAME! To give the child a “pagan-name!” (Also against the 2nd commandment)
- PRAYER! To neglect to pray for children / as well as to neglect to teach the children to pray. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.”
- DELAY SACRAMENTS! To delay the 1st Communion of children; to delay the Confirmation of my children.
- CONFESSION! To postpone, delay, or put off for tomorrow the Sacrament of Confession for my child / teen. Many (most children) are totally dependent upon their parents to get to Mass and Confession.
- MASS! Missing Mass is against the 3rd and 4th Commandment, if parents miss Mass. They give bad example or scandal towards their children.
- COHABITATION! Parents living in “Free-union” (Co-habitation) are giving bad example to their children! Adultery — even worse!
- BAD WORDS! Children hear them and repeat them. Children are like human-sponges.
- BAD-TV. PROGRAMS. / INTERNET ACCESS! Allow the devil to get into the home and wreak havoc!
- YELL at kids! Must learn to speak in a gentle fashion!
- STUDIES! Parents failing to supervise their children’s studies, which is the principal obligation of children and teens!
- COURTSHIP! Parents that allow young children to have boy-friend / girl-friend at an immature age are failing their children.
- CHILDREN COHABITATING! Parents that allow their son/daughter to live with their “Significant other” is wrong and scandalous!
- INHERITANCE! Family members — moved by greed — fighting over inheritance and property rights! Love for money is root of all evils!
- Disobeying one’s parents / disrespect towards parents.
“Thou shall not kill!”
The 5th Commandment obliges us to have the greatest respect for every human person. Created in the image and likeness of God, son of God and temple of the Holy Spirit through the Sacrament of Baptism, every human person has infinite value. Only God has the right to give human life from the moment of conception; and only God has the right to take human life and decide on the time, manner and circumstances of death.
As the book of Job reminds us, ”Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb and naked I return to the earth. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Therefore, any menace or attempt against the human person and his innate dignity is a clear transgression against the 5th Commandment that obliges respect for all human life from start till end. We must be at the service of human life and not destructors!
Reading! One of the most renowned Encyclicals of Blessed Pope John Paul II was “Evangelium Vitam” -on Human Life, addressing the key issues related to the human person, his innate dignity and how we must defend human life in all of its stages!
Following are ways that we can be guilty of breaking the 5th Commandment — “Thou shall not kill.”
- Murder — the taking of an innocent life.
- Abortion — the killing of an innocent baby in the womb.
- VOTING! Did I willfully vote for a candidate / candidates that openly promote abortion? How many times?
- PRO-CHOICE! In the past, have I embraced a “Pro-choice”, which is really an “Anti-life” moral position?
- AFTER MORNING PILL! Taking of the pill after relations to prevent implantation in uterine wall; sophisticated form of abortion (murder)
- INFANTICIDE! killing an innocent baby. Mutilation — damaging one’s own body, temple of the Holy Spirit
- TORTURE! Be it physical or mental militates against the dignity of the human person by causing unmerited suffering.
- DRUG ABUSE! Damaging ones’ body by taking drugs: cocaine, crystal, Marijuana, heroine, Speed, etc.
- WILLFUL DRUNKENNESS! Obvious damage of one’s body and mind!
- DRINKING AND DRIVING! Placing at risk the innocent on the road!
- DANGEROUS DRIVING! Jeopardizing one’s health and others by reckless driving.
- SUICIDE! Taking of ones’ own life. Only God has the right to give life and to take it away.
- TUBAL LIGATION/VASECTOMY! Is a form or mutilation: damaging to the point of destroying one’s procreative faculties.
- HATRED! Killing somebody in your heart — “The Cain-complex!”
- UNWILLINGNESS TO FORGIVE!!! Hatred in one’s heart.
- GANG ACTIVITY! Trained to hate, damage and kill others.
- INSULTS/OFFENSIVE WORDS! Indeed we can kill through the tongue! (Read James 3 — the sins of the tongue!)
- OVEREATING/BAD EATING! We damage our own health by bad eating habits! The sin of “Gluttony!”.
- EUTHANASIA! The intentional taking of the life of an elderly sick person or incapacitated person by lethal injection, sometimes called “Mercy-killing” (Dr.Kevorkian).
- EMBRIONIC EXPERIMENTATION! The willful destroying of fertilized embryos.
“You shall not commit adultery.”
This commandment obliges us to respect the proper purpose and end of human sexuality. Further more it requires respect for one’s body which is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It demands self-control and constant mastery over the disordered desire for sexual pleasure. (Capital sin of lust). Either one controls the lower animal nature called by St. Paul the “Flesh” and experiences the liberty of the sons of God; or by constantly giving in to one’s lower nature becomes a slave to his own sin. (Jn. 8).
By not controlling one’s sexual urges this can wreak havoc in all aspects of life. One denigrates his own innate dignity becoming a slave to sin. The other person is not seen in his/her innate beauty but only seen as an object to be used, exploited, and discarded, like a Coke Cola bottle!
Families are destroyed due to adultery; innocent children are afflicted with irreparable wounds and the society as a whole unravels! All must strive to live out the Beatitude: “Blessed are the pure of heart, they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)
Following are the many ways that the 6th commandment can be broken.
- ADULTERY! Being unfaithful to one’s husband or wife; breaking one’s marital commitment.
- DOUBLE ADULTERY two spouses married and cheating on their respective spouses.
- FORNICATION! Also called premarital sex or sexual intercourse before being married.
- MASTURBATION! The solitary sin or impurity with oneself. (CCC #2352) Explained clearly in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
- HOMOSEXUALITY! Sexual relations with the same sex. Women called “Lesbianism”; men, “Gay men”. (Read Genesis 19 and the account of Sodom and Gomorrah!) In the New Testament Read Romans 1.
- SAME-SEX UNIONS! Even though they are becoming legal in many states and countries still it is highly immoral in the eyes of God.
- CONTRACEPTIVES! Artificial means to prevent conception. Today there are many forms: the contraceptive pill (powerful hormones), Norplant, DE Provera, Parches, spermicide, the condom, diaphragm, the IUD. Many of these contraceptive chemical devices are also abortafacient thereby causing “Micro-abortions” — meaning microscopic abortions that can only be seen under the microscope. Read Pope Paul VI’s Encyclical “Humanae Vitae” — on Human life. July 25, 1968.
- IMMODESTY IN DRESS! Dressing in such a way to provoke others, causing indecent and sinful thoughts.
- FRENCH-KISSING! Prolonged kissing between those not yet married. This is part of sexual foreplay only permitted between husband and wife.
- SEXUAL CLIMAX outside the context of sexual intercourse; in other words masturbation among spouses.
- ONANISM! Intentional withdrawal and non-vaginal ejaculation. Comes from Onan in the Old Testament who spilled the seed and was chastised by God by death.
Flagrant immodesty in dress; rejecting the call to be true “Ambassadors of Christ”. - BESTIALITY sexual acts done with animals.
- ANAL SEX or other degrading sexual practices.
- PROSTITUTION! Buying sex; utilizing the woman as a mere object to be used and exploited to simply satisfy one’s lustful desires.
- RAPE! Violating the integrity and dignity of the other; forced sexual intercourse.
In-vitro fertilization / artificial insemination — sperm or egg donation and fertilizing in a Laboratory. Procreation must come about only through the loving embrace between the spouses, husband and wife. This is against the Natural Law! - SURROGATE MOTHERHOOD lending one’s womb for the implantation of a baby conceived artificially.
Types of fertility testing that involve immoral acts. - CLONING.
- DIVORCE! The Bible says that God hates divorce.
- COHABITATION! Trial marriage to see if it works out, to see if both are compatible with each other.
- INCEST! Sexual relationships between relatives.
- POLYGAMY/POLYANDRY meaning having more than one wife; having more than one husband.
- DESTROYING THE INNOCENCE OF ANOTHER there are many ways!
Molestation of innocent children by touching or relations. - LUST IN THE HEART! If the opportunity presented itself, I would go for it! Lust is not a sin until it is given into! (Read the sin of David, II Samuel 9) Also read the chaste Susanna and the lustful elders (Daniel 13).
- SWINGING! Also known as “wife-swapping”. Marriage is both indissoluble and exclusive!
- HOMOSEXUALITY! Sexual relations to those of the same sex.
- TRANSVESTISM/ CROSS-DRESSING a man dressing or acting like a woman.
- TRANSGENDERISM! Going through an operation whereby one changes his sexual organs and identity.
- BISEXUALITY! Preferring and accepting relations to both sexes!
- BESTIALITY! Relations with animals.
“You shall not steal.”
PROPERTY. Every person has a right to property. However, he should respect the property of others as well as use properly his own property. There are a variety of ways that we can “steal”; let’s go through the list for the total and complete examination of our conscience.
- STEALING. Simply taking that which belongs to another and does not belong to you.
Failing to take care of one’s own property
Refusing to return that which somebody lent to you — that which was borrowed. - BORROWED! Returning that which was borrowed but in a bad or destroyed condition.
- RESTITUTION! If one has stolen something, then in justice, he should try to restore it directly or in an indirect manner i.e., give some money to the poor or some charity.
- COPYING IN SCHOOL! A student that is lazy and does not study should not copy from another student that knows the answer and has done his homework. This is “intellectual stealing”.
- WORK ETHICS AND STEALING! If one is being paid for his work and shows up late or extends his lunch break, then this too is stealing! Seeking ways to cut corners!
At store changing the price-ticket. - MOVIES! Jumping in to see a second movie without paying.
- AGE THEFT! Lying about age so as to get a lower entry price. (At Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Sea-world, or the movies)
- LAZINESS! Being lazy at work and failing to carry out one’s work requirements.
- DEPRIVING WORKER OF HIS JUST WAGE! On the other hand, an employer that purposely deprives his worker of a just wage is stealing — depriving the worker of what he has honestly earned by the sweat of his brow. (Gen 3)
- VANDALISM! Destroying the property of another: tagging, breaking windows, slitting tires, damaging houses.
- ROBBERY/ GRAND THEFT.
- SLANDER/CALUMNY! Destroying the good name of somebody. We all have a right to our reputation and good name.
- CHARACTER ASSASINATION — the same.
- .PILFERING. — taking money from one’s parent’s dresser or desk without permission. “He who is faithful in the small will be faithful in the large as well.”
- SACRILEGE! Stealing something that belongs to the church, a sacred object.
Buying from somebody an object known to have been stolen.
Excessive gambling. Stealing the money — in gambling — that should be utilized for the family needs. - LOAN SHARK! Lending money and asking in return exorbitant prices.
Defrauding creditors. Borrowing money and not paying it back.
Tax evasion; lying on tax returns. - WASTING — food, time, energy, talents — our God-given talents. (Mt 25, the Parable of the Talents)
Bribery or taking bribes.
Violating copyrights.
Forgery — signing your own signature for that of another.
Falsifying passports/ Baptismal certificate/official documents.
Pirating computer software.
Blackmail.
Denying to help out the poor and needy. Remember what Jesus said: “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers that you failed to do to me.” (Mt. 25) - ANIMALS! Cruelty to animals; they too are God’s creation.
- STEALING. Simply taking that which belongs to another and does not belong to you.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.”
One of the most precious God-given gifts is that of speech. The purpose of speaking is to communicate THE TRUTH with love. Jesus said that He is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. St. Bonaventure gives us three rules to direct our speech: “One should open his mouth to praise God, accuse oneself and to edify one’s neighbor” – a good rule to guide our speech!
- Lying — changing the truth.
- Stretching the truth/ exaggeration.
- Perjury — lying under oath.
- Slander/calumny — destroying another’s reputation.
- Gossip — speaking behind the back of another.
- Negative criticism.
- Violating confidence / revealing secrets.
- Breaking oaths/ promises made to God.
- Being an accomplice to another’s grave sin.
- Silence by which lies / untruths can easily be spread.
“Thou shall not desire thy neighbour’s wife.”
Jesus goes beyond the mere exterior, but delves into the depths of the human heart. In the context of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus launches a major challenge. Adultery is not simply the mere physical act of cheating on one’s wife/husband by immoral sexual union. He goes way beyond that. Listen to His words: “You have heard it said, “You shall not commit adultery.
But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eyes causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one of your members than to have your whole body thrown into Gehenna.” (Mt. 5: 27-29).
Not only do we have to control our exterior behavior but also the interior intentions of our hearts. God can read even the innermost recesses of the human heart and the most secret of intentions. Remember that Our Lady of Fatima said in 1917 that most souls are lost for all eternity due to sins of the flesh; those committed against the sixth and ninth commandment. Let us dig into the list of ways that we can break the ninth Commandment!
Willfully lusting after another in your heart.
- OBJECT! Viewing a woman/ man as an object to be exploited and utilized. (Theology of the Body of Pope John Paul II)
On purpose giving in to bad/ immoral / impure thoughts.
Day-dreaming, as a married person, about a past boy / girlfriend.
Once you realize and are aware of immoral thoughts against purity failure to reject them.
Staring at immodestly dressed women. - WOMAN! Dressing immodestly thereby being a cause of sin for men.
- WOMAN! Being provocative in dress, word, movement.
- LANGUAGE! Telling dirty stories/ using dirty and vulgar language.
- MUSIC! Listening to impure, provocative, and sensual music that stir up the passions.
- BARS/DISCOS! Attending places where immorality and immodest dress and actions are rampant.
- GENTLEMAN’S CLUB! Attending clubs with immodest dancing and activities.
- TV! Viewing TV. programs that have impurity.
- MOVIES! Viewing movies with immodest sexual scenes.
- SCANDAL! Taking family members to view bad movies.
- MAGAZINES! Looking at pornographic magazines.
- POSTERS! Allowing posters to be viewed publically in one’s home/office or factory.
- PORNOGRAPHY! In any colour, size or form… One of the biggest addictions in the modern world.
- INTERNET PORN! So rampant today and easy to access.
- PARENTS — allowing children free and easy access to internet with great possibility of porn sites. Computer, Smart-phone, other…
Sexting — sending immodest personal pictures.
Receiving — Receiving immodest photos of others. - ART. Purposely viewing immodest art of the human body.
- DESIGN/DEPICTION — being involved in the production, publication and diffusion of immodest material.
- PARENTS’ OMISSION! Parents allowing their young children / teens to have courtships that would place in danger or jeopardize their children’s purity.
- IMMODEST bathing apparel.
Thinking of other women/men after you have been married. - VOYEURISM! Spying on others in their intimacy; peeking through key-holes to see that which is private. “Peeping Tom!”
- SEX-EDUCATION PROGRAMS! Parents willingly allowing their children to be taught the “wrong” purpose of human sexuality in the modern school system. Parents are the first teachers of their children, especially in the realm of human sexuality!
- CURIOSITY! “Curiosity killed the cat.” Allowing one’s eyes to wander freely and having no check over the senses. Remember the sin of David! .
- OBJECT! Viewing a woman/ man as an object to be exploited and utilized. (Theology of the Body of Pope John Paul II)
“You shall not desire (covet) thy neighbour’s goods.”
Jesus said, “What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his life in the process….” And “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and everything else will be given to you beside.”
St. Paul warns us, “Love for money is the root of all evils.” Pope John Paul II reminds us that it is much more important being than having and that doing flows from being. A modern Psychologist nails it with this classic: “If you are what you have and you lose what you have, then who are you?” (Erich Fromm) Giving into the capital sin of greed / avarice.
- MATERIALISM! My god is the god of “Having.”Always wanting more and more and more…
- COMPARISONS! Always comparing oneself and what you have to others.
- JEALOUSY! You feel sad and depressed because somebody has something that you do not have.
- ENVY! Worse yet, you rejoice when something bad happens to “That” person that has something you do not have.
Keeping up with the Joneses! Feeling you must always have what the others have around you.
Never wanting to share what you have.
Failure to support the church.
Intention to steal or destroy the goods of others.
Failure to help the poor and needy. Remember Lk. 16 — The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich man. We can sin due to omission — failure to help out and give to the poor and suffering. - WORRY! The root cause of worry is not trusting in God’s providential care in our lives. “Seek first the Kingdom of God…”
- SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP!
- ACCUMULATE! Like Scrooge accumulating more and more when it is not necessary. Excess dresses, shoes, wardrobe, with the knowledge that many people are dying of hunger throughout the world right now.
- NEVER CONTENT! Always wanting more things and of better quality.
- SPOILING KIDS! Giving them more and more so that they never appreciate anything.
One of the most eloquent sources of inspiration related to Confession and God’s Infinite Mercy can be found in the Diary of Mercy in my soul, of St. Faustina specifically numbers, 1448. She wrote: Write, speak of My mercy. Tell souls where they are to look for solace, that is, in the Tribunal of Mercy [the Sacrament of Reconciliation]. There the greatest miracles take place [and] are incessantly repeated. To avail oneself of this miracle, it is not necessary to go on a great pilgrimage, or to carry out some external ceremony; it suffices to come with faith to the feet of My representative and to reveal to Him one’s misery, and the miracle of Divine Mercy will be fully demonstrated. Were souls like a decaying corpse so that from a human standpoint there would be no [hope of] restoration and everything would already be lost, it is not so with God. The miracle of Divine Mercy restores that soul in full.
These encouraging words from the Diary of St. Faustina should fill us with great trust and confidence that Jesus embraces us with merciful and loving in the sacrament of Confession.
My child, when you go to confession, to this fountain of My mercy, the Blood and Water which came forth from My Heart always flows down upon your soul and ennobles it. Every time you go to confession, immerse yourself entirely in My mercy, with great trust, so that I may pour the bounty of My grace upon your soul. When you approach the confessional, know this, that I Myself am waiting there for you. I am only hidden by the priest, but I myself act in your soul. Here the misery of the soul meets the God of mercy. Tell souls that from this fount of mercy souls draw graces solely with the vessel of trust. If their trust is great, there is no limit to My generosity. The torrents of grace inundate humble souls.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 “LOVE”
Examination of Conscience based on St. Paul’s Hymn of Love. “1 Corinthians 13: 4-7”.
If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
- Have I failed to love as Jesus taught? Sacrificially?
- Have I failed to act totally for the good of others?
- Have I given only “lip service” in my words of love?
- Have I spoken harshly? Falsely? Have I gossiped?
And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.
- Have I failed to use my gifts and talents to build up the Kingdom of God?
- Have I failed to speak the truth in the face of society’s false beliefs about God and Man?
- Have I acted as if I know everything?
- Have I failed to proclaim my faith in the saving life, death and resurrection of Jesus?
If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.
- Have I been generous with my time, talent and treasure?
- Have I been prideful in what I have done?
- Have I given not out of love but only for show or personal gain?
Love is patient, love is kind.
- Have I been impatient?
- Unkind?
- Have I failed to give my full attention to people speaking with me?
Love is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated
- Have I coveted what others have?
- Have I been envious of the goods and friendships others enjoy?
- Have I been boastful? Arrogant?
- Lacking in humility?
Love is not rude, it does not seek its own interests
- Have I been disrespectful of others?
- Abrupt in speaking to others? Looked down on others?
- Have I shunned people in need?
- Been selfish?
Love is not quick-tempered.
- Have I lost my temper?
- Been unjustly angry?
- Have I failed to try to understand the point of view of others?
Love does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
- Have I failed to forgive?
- Have I held a grudge?
- Have I refused to ask forgiveness out of pride or shame?
- Have I gloated over the misfortunes of people I do not like?
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things
- Have I failed to accept joyfully, as God’s holy will, all the challenges, heartaches, and illnesses He has given me to help me grow in reliance on Him?
- Have I failed to trust in the Lord?
- Have I complained out of pique?
- Have I failed to pray for those truly enduing great hardship?
Heavenly Father, You are Love and “Love never fails” (1 Cor 13:8). You are faithful always. Despite my failings and sinfulness, You welcome me back to You with Mercy. Lord Jesus, grant me the Grace to give a good Confession. Lord, I am truly sorry for having offending You and the people in my life. Holy Spirit, with your help, I promised to sin no more and to avoid the occasions of sin. All things are possible with You, Father. Amen.
Love is patient – Have I been patient with my parents, siblings, friends, teachers, and coaches?
Love is kind – Have I been kind toward others even when I don’t feel like it?
Love is not jealous – Have I been happy for others when they succeed or receive praise?
Love is not pompous – Have I talked about myself to try to make people like me?
Love is not inflated – Do I do things for others for my own benefit or do I help others because they truly need my help?
Love is not rude – Have I said mean words to my friends, family, teachers, or other adults? Have I said “please” and “thank you” as often as possible? Have I interrupted others when they are talking?
Love does not seek its own interests – Have I been more interested helping myself than helping others?
Love is not quick-tempered – Do I get angry with my family members or friends?
Love does not brood over injury – Am I happy when others get hurt physically or emotionally?
Love does not rejoice over wrongdoing: Have I praised others for breaking rules? Have I bragged to others about disobeying my parents or teachers?Responsibilities to God:
- Have I prayed every day?
- Have I prayed my morning prayers and night prayers?
- Have I prayed with my parents and family?
- Have I been moody and rebellious about praying and going to church on Sunday?
- Have I asked the Holy Spirit to help me whenever I have been tempted to sin?
- Have I asked the Holy Spirit to help me do what is right?
Responsibilities to others:
- Have I been obedient and respectful to my parents?
- Have I lied or been deceitful to them or to others?
- Have I been arrogant, stubborn or rebellious?
- Have I talked back to parents, teachers or other adults?
- Have I pouted and been moody?
- Have I been selfish toward my parents, brothers, and sisters, teachers, or my friends and schoolmates?
- Have I gotten angry at them? Have I hit anyone?
- Have I held grudges or not forgiven others?
- Have I treated other children with respect or have I made fun of them and called them names?
- Have I used bad language?
- Have I stolen anything? Have I returned it?
- Have I performed my responsibilities, such as homework and household chores?
- Have I been helpful and affectionate toward my family?
- Have I been kind and generous with my friends?
My relationship towards GOD
How do I pray?- Out of fear
- Out of need
- Out of desire for personal gain
- Out of my personal relationship and respect for God
- I don’t pray
How do I attend Mass?
- Out of habit
- Bitterly because I feel I have to
- Out of fear
- Open to the experience, when it fits my schedule
- Regularly, with respect for the Eucharist
- As a part of the community
- I don’t attend Mass
How do I use God’s name?
- To swear
- To express anger
- Out of respect and love
How do I treat all of God’s creation?
- I respect other people equally regardless of race, religion, or economic status
- I see all life as sacred even the unborn
- I am wasteful with the earth’s resources
- My relationship with God is separate from everything else and has no impact on how I see or treat the world around me.
My relationship towards OTHER people
How do I treat my family?- Help when they are in need, even when it is not convenient for me
- Tease and push around my siblings
- Tell my parents where I am going and whom I am hanging out with
- Believe that family comes first
- Fight with or ignore members of my family and make no effort to try to make peace with them
- Forgive them when I feel they’ve hurt me.
How do I treat other people’s sexuality?
- I use crude language and jokes
- I use people for my own physical pleasure
- I see sex as something to be shared by any two people who think they love each other, even outside of marriage
- I see sex as a gift from God and something that should be saved for marriage.
How do I treat my teachers?
- I am rude
- I don’t do my homework
- I am disruptive in class
- I do all my work and show respect
- I am bored and don’t pay attention.
How do I treat people that I don’t know?
- Cheat or lie to get what I need
- Honor and follow through on all the promises and commitments I have made
- Kind and courteous
- I don’t care because I’ll never see them again
- Share what I have with others.
How do I treat my friends?
- With love and respect
- Use them to gain popularity or gifts
- Make fun of them behind their backs
- Accept and understand their differences
- Forgive them when they hurt me
- Compliment and encourage them.
My relationship towards MYSELF
How do I see myself?- Created in the image and likeness of God
- I focus only on what I don’t like about myself.
How do I treat myself?
- Misuse drugs, tobacco or alcohol
- Disrespect my sexuality
- Cause physical damage to my body
- I take care of my physical, emotional and spiritual well-being.
How seriously do I take my education?
- Blow off my studies
- Complete my assignments
- Participate in class and school activities.
How do I make choices?
- Because everyone is doing it
- It’s the easiest way out of the situation
- I want to be popular
- My relationship with God tells me it’s the right thing to do Summary Reflection.
Now that you have reflected on your relationship toward God, toward other people, and toward yourself – ask yourself:
- For what do I seek forgiveness?
- How do I want God to transform me?
- What will I confess and ask God’s forgiveness and grace to change?
An Examination of Conscience for Single Persons
Examination of Conscience for a Single Person based on the responsibilities towards God, myself and society.
Responsibilities to God:
- Have I gone to Mass every Sunday? Have I participated at Mass or have I daydreamed or been present with a blank mind?
- Have I prayed every day (15-20 minutes)?
- Have I read the Bible? Have I studied the truths of our faith and allowed them to become more a part of the way I think and act? Have I read any spiritual books or religious literature?
- Have I told God that I want to love him with my whole heart, mind and strength? Do I hold any resentments toward God?
- Have I recognized my need for Jesus and his salvation? Have I asked the Holy Spirit to empower me to live the Christian life?
- Have I been financially generous to the Church? Have I participated in parish or religious activities?
- Have I held resentments toward the Church or Church authorities? Have I forgiven them?
Responsibilities to others and to myself:
- Have I been rebellious, disobedient or disrespectful to anyone in authority?
- Have I lied to or deceived others—friends, boss, or co-workers?
- Have I been arrogant and stubborn?
- Have I gotten angry or nurtured and held grudges and resentments?
- Have I refused to forgive others—parents, relatives, employers, former friend, a former spouse? Have I cultivated hatred?
- Have I felt sorry for myself or nurtured self-pity?
- Have I engaged in sexual fantasies? Have I looked at others lustfully?
- Have I read pornographic literature or looked at pornographic pictures, shows or movies?
- Have I masturbated?
- Have I lustfully kissed or sexually touched someone? Have I had sexual intercourse?
- Have I had an abortion or encouraged another to have one?
- Have I gossiped about others? Have I slandered anyone? Have told lies about others? Have I mocked or made fun of others?
Responsibilities to society:
- Have I been a Christian witness to those with whom I work or associate? Have I spoken to anyone about the Gospel and how important it is to believe in Jesus?
- Have I allowed the Gospel to influence my political and social opinions?
- Have I had a proper Christian concern for the poor and needy?
- Have I paid my taxes?
- Have I fostered or nurtured hatred toward my ‘political’ opponents, either local, national or international?
- Have I been prejudiced toward others because of race, colour, religion or social status?
An Examination of Conscience for Married Persons
Examination of Conscience for a Marriage Person based on the responsibilities towards God, myself and society.
Responsibilities to God:
- Have I gone to Mass every Sunday? Have I participated at Mass or have I day dreamed or been present with a blank mind?
- Have I prayed every day (15-20 minutes)?
- Have I read the Bible? Have I studied the truths of our faith and allowed them to become more part of the way I think and act? Have I read any spiritual books or religious literature?
- Have I told God that I want to love him with my whole heart, mind and strength? Do I hold any resentments toward God?
- Have I recognized my need for Jesus and his salvation? Have I asked the Holy Spirit to empower me to live the Christian life, to be a proper husband/wife and parent?
- Have I been financially generous to the Church? Have I participated in parish or religious activities?
- Have I held resentments toward the Church or Church authorities? Have I forgiven them?
Responsibilities to my spouse:
- Have I cared for my spouse? Have I been generous with my time? Have I been affectionate and loving? Have I told my spouse that I love him or her?
- Have I been concerned about the spiritual well-being of my spouse?
- Have I listened to my spouse? Have I paid attention to his other concerns, worries, and problems? Have I sought these out?
- Have I allowed resentments and bitterness toward my spouse to take root in my mind? Have I nurtured these?
- Have I forgiven my spouse for the wrongs he or she has committed against me?
- Have I allowed misunderstanding, miscommunication or accidents to cause anger and mistrust? Have I nurtured critical and negative thoughts about my spouse?
- Have I manipulated my spouse in order to get my own way?
- Have I tried to bully or overpower my spouse?
- Have I spoken sharply or sarcastically to my spouse? Have I spoken in a demeaning or negative way? Have I injured my spouse through taunting and negative teasing? Have I called my spouse harsh names or used language that is not respectful?
- Have I physically abused my spouse?
- Have I gossiped about my spouse?
- Have I undermined the authority and dignity of my spouse through disrespect and rebelliousness?
- Have I been moody and sullen?
- Have I bickered with my spouse out of stubbornness and selfishness?
- Have I lied or been deceitful to my spouse?
- Have I misused sexuality? Have I used sexual relations solely for my own selfish pleasure? Have I been too demanding in my desire for sexual fulfilment? Have I been loving and physically affectionate in my sexual relations or have I used sexual relations in a way that would be demeaning or disrespectful to my spouse? Have I refused sexual relations out of laziness, revenge or manipulation?
- Have I refused to conceive children out of selfishness or material greed? Have I used artificial means of contraception?
- Have I had an abortion or encouraged others to have one?
- Have I masturbated?
- Have I flirted or fostered improper relationships with someone else, either in my mind or through words and actions?
- Have I used pornography: books, magazines or movies?
- Have I committed adultery?
- Have I misused alcohol or drugs?
- Have I been financially responsible?
Responsibilities to children:
- Have I cared for the spiritual needs of my children? Have I been a shepherd and guardian as God has appointed me? Have I tried to foster a Christian family where Jesus is Lord? Have I taught my children the Gospel and the commandments of God?
- Have I prayed with them?
- Have I been persistent and courageous in my training and teaching? Have I disciplined them when necessary?
- Have I been lazy and apathetic?
- Have I talked with them to find out their problems, concerns and fears? Have I been affectionate toward them?
- Have I hugged them and told them that I love them? Have I played or recreated with them?
- Have I been impatient and frustrated with them? Have I corrected them out of love in order to teach them what is right and good? Have I treated them with respect? Have I spoken to them in a sarcastic or demeaning way?
- Have I held resentments against them? Have I forgiven them?
- Have I been of one heart and mind with my spouse in the upbringing of the children? Or have I allowed disagreements and dissension to disrupt the training, educating and disciplining of our children?
- Have I undermined the role of authority in the eyes of my children by speaking negatively against God, the Church, my spouse or others who hold legitimate authority over them?
- Have I been a good Christian witness to my children in what I say and do? Or do I demand one standard for them and another for myself?
- Have I been properly generous with my children regarding money and physical and material well-being? Have I been miserly? Have I been extravagant, thus spoiling them?
Responsibilities to society:
- Have I been a Christian witness to those with whom I work or associate? Have I spoken to anyone about the Gospel and how important it is to believe in Jesus?
- Have I held resentments and anger against those with whom I work, relatives or friends? Have I forgiven them?
- Have I been unethical in my business dealings? Have I stolen or lied?
- Have I allowed the Gospel to influence my political and social opinions?
- Have I had a proper Christian concern for the poor and needy?
- Have I paid my taxes?
- Have I fostered or nurtured hatred toward my “political” enemies, either local, national or international?
- Have I been prejudiced toward others because of race, colour, religion or social status?
Examination of Conscience in Light of Catholic Social Teaching
Examination of Conscience in the Light of Catholic Social Teaching .
Life and Dignity of the Human Person:
- Do I respect the life and dignity of every human person from conception through natural death?
- Do I recognize the face of Christ reflected in all others around me whatever their race, class, age, or abilities?
- Do I work to protect the dignity of others when it is being threatened?
- Am I committed to both protecting human life and to ensuring that every human being is able to live in dignity?
Call to Family, Community, and Participation:
- Do I try to make positive contributions in my family and in my community?
- Are my beliefs, attitudes, and choices such that they strengthen or undermine the institution of the family?
- Am I aware of problems facing my local community and involved in efforts to find solutions? Do I stay informed and make my voice heard when needed?
- Do I support the efforts of poor persons to work for change in their neighborhoods and communities? Do my attitudes and interactions empower or disempower others?
Rights and Responsibilities:
- Do I recognize and respect the economic, social, political, and cultural rights of others?
- Do I live in material comfort and excess while remaining insensitive to the needs of others whose rights are unfulfilled?
- Do I take seriously my responsibility to ensure that the rights of persons in need are realized?
- Do I urge those in power to implement programs and policies that give priority to the human dignity and rights of all, especially the vulnerable?
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable:
- Do I give special attention to the needs of the poor and vulnerable in my community and in the world?
- Am I disproportionately concerned for my own good at the expense of others?
- Do I engage in service and advocacy work that protects the dignity of poor and vulnerable persons?
The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers:
- As a worker, do I give my employer a fair day’s work for my wages? As an owner, do I treat workers fairly?
- Do I treat all workers with whom I interact with respect, no matter their position or class?
- Do I support the rights of all workers to adequate wages, health insurance, vacation and sick leave? Do I affirm their right to form or join unions or worker associations?
- Do my purchasing choices take into account the hands involved in the production of what I buy? When possible, do I buy products produced by workers whose rights and dignity were respected?
Solidarity:
- Does the way I spend my time reflect a genuine concern for others?
- Is solidarity incorporated into my prayer and spirituality? Do I lift up vulnerable people throughout the world in my prayer, or is it reserved for only my personal concerns?
- Am I attentive only to my local neighbors or also those across the globe?
- Do I see all members of the human family as my brothers and sisters?
Care for God’s Creation:
- Do I live out my responsibility to care for God’s creation?
- Do I see my care for creation as connected to my concern for poor persons, who are most at risk from environmental problems?
- Do I litter? Live wastefully? Use energy too freely? Are there ways I could reduce consumption in my life?
- Are there ways I could change my daily practices and those of my family, school, workplace, or community to better conserve the earth’s resources for future generations?
