
Examination of Conscience for Adults & teens
FIRST COMMANDMENT – I am the LORD your God. You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.
Have I…
- Disavowed God?
- Disobeyed the commandments of the Lord or His Church?
- Refused to accept what has been divinely revealed as Truth through Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition?
- Deliberately confused or misled others through evasiveness, specious arguments, or lies regarding authentic doctrine or the faith?
- Have I refused to accept the authority of those (priests, bishops, the Pope) whom God has placed over me?
- Rejected the Catholic Faith to join to practice another religion?
- Given priority to anyone or anything over God?
- Hidden a serious sin or told a lie in confession?
SECOND COMMANDMENT – You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
Have I…
- Blasphemed the Name of God?
- Referred to the Catholic Faith, the Church, the Saints, or sacred things and practices irreverently?
- Watched TV shows and movies, listened to music, or participated in activities that did not give proper reverence to the Catholic Church and the Catholic Faith?
- Used vulgar and obscene speech?
- Disparaged and/or belittled other people in conversation?
- Blamed God for my shortcomings, my sins, and my failures?
THIRD COMMANDMENT – Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.
Have I…
- Missed Mass on Sunday or Holy Days through my own negligence? Received a sacrament while in the state of mortal sin?
- Made a habit of arriving to Mass late and/or leaving early?
- Engaged in unnecessary business (personal or professional) on Sunday or other Holy Days of Obligation?
- Not given adequate time to God in personal prayer every day?
- Not taken my children to Mass or provided them with adequate religious instruction?
- Ignored fasting and abstinence requirements
FOURTH COMMANDMENT – Honor your father and your mother.
Have I…
- Neglected the needs of my elderly parents?
- Been obedient and respectful to those who are in positions of authority over me? Broken any laws?
- Supported any politicians who are in opposition to teaching of the Catholic Church? Neglected the needs of my children regarding proper food, clothing, shelter, education,
- discipline?
- Made sure that my children regularly received the sacraments of Penance and Eucharist? Provided for the religious instruction of my children?
- Provided my children with a prudent instruction in Catholic teaching?
- Provided my children a fitting example of Catholic Living through the example of my own Life Witness?
- Taught my children how to pray? Prayed with and for my children?
FIFTH COMMANDMENT – You shall not kill.
Have I…
- Committed murder? Attempted suicide?
- Had an abortion, seriously considered securing an abortion, or assisted another in securing abortion?
- Supported or secured assisted suicide or mercy killing?
- Inflicted or threatened to inflict bodily harm on another person? Engaged in verbal or emotional abuse against another person? Succumbed to hatred or wished evil on another?
- Engaged in prejudice or unjust discrimination against another because of race, color, nationality, gender or religion?
- Driven under the influence of alcohol or engaged in aggressive and reckless driving? Abused drugs or alcohol?
- Enticed others to sin by giving scandal through my own actions or words (spoken, written, blogs, etc.)?
- Caused serious injury or death to another through criminal neglect?
- Indulged in serious anger, sought to exact revenge, and/or delighted in another person’s misfortune or pain?
- Been cruel to or willfully hurt another through my speech or actions?
- Been malicious in speech, defaming another’s character and reputation?
- Harbored resentment against another person?
- Sought to do injury to another’s professional reputation?
- Been presumptuous, rendered unjust judgment, presuming to know all of the facts of another’s situation?
- Offered opinions on matters about which I did not have the facts or about which were not my business?
- Fomented an atmosphere of unrest, suspicion, rebellion, or anger through my words, spoken or written, and/or my actions?
SIXTH COMMANDMENT – You shall not commit adultery.
Have I…
- Been faithful to my spouse in both thought and actions? Dressed modestly?
- Looked lustfully at anyone, used impure speech or led others to impure thoughts or behaviors by my own conduct?
- Made serious efforts to avoid any occasions of impurity? Been chaste in my affections?
SEVENTH & TENTH COMMANDMENTS – You shall not steal. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
Have I…
- Stolen anything?
- Envied others for their talents, possessions, etc.?
- Been detached from the attraction of material goods and seek to live in the spirit of simplicity?
- Been generous to others – especially those in need?
- Gratefully recognized God as the Source of all that I have and am. Been a good and faithful steward of God’s gifts to me?
- Deliberately defaced or destroyed another person’s property?
- Cheated on any tests, taxes, or in any business transactions or other financial obligations?
- Squandered my possessions or taken them for granted?
- Plagiarized or taken any type of reward, praise, or credit for anything was not mine?
- Ensured that my employees are paid a just living wage? / Given my employers a full day’s work for a full day’s pay?
- Paid my debts and honored my contracts?
- Overcharged anyone for services or products or taken advantage of another’s person ignorance in business matters?
EIGHTH COMMANDMENT – You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
Have I…
- Lied or knowingly and willfully deceived another? Participated in gossip?
- Done injury to another person’s reputation by exposing his/her faults for malicious purposes?
- Spread lies about another person for the purpose of harming his/her reputation?
- Written spurious remarks (letters, emails, blogs, websites, etc.) about another person in order to damage his/her reputation?
- Been guilty of making rash judgments against another person by assuming the worst based on circumstantial evidence.
- Taken the necessary steps to make just reparations for any lies I told, or for harm I have done to another person’s reputation?
NINTH COMMANDMENT – You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
Have I…
- Practiced chastity? Succumbed to lust?
- Seduced someone, or allowed myself to be seduced? Made unwelcome sexual advances toward another? Entertained impure thoughts?
- Used pornography?
- Watched movies/television, listen to music or jokes that are immodest? Committed adultery or fornication?
- Engaged in homosexual activity? Committed rape?
- Masturbated?
- Used children for sexual pleasure or engaged in any other unnatural sexual behavior? Engaged in any form of prostitution?
- Failed to accept and practice Church Teaching regarding artificial birth control, immoral techniques for in vitro fertilization or artificial insemination, etc.?
Act of Contrition
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,
Who are all good and deserving of all my love.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Your grace,
to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.