Catholic Examination of Conscience

Catholic Examination of Conscience for Adults

An examination of conscience is a prayerful review of one's life in the light of God's word and the teaching of the Catholic Church, undertaken to identify the sins to be confessed in the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. The Catechism teaches that 'reception of this sacrament ought to be prepared for by an examination of conscience made in the light of the Word of God' (CCC 1454).

This examination is structured around the Ten Commandments, which Jesus himself called the foundation of eternal life (Matthew 19:17). Before beginning, ask the Holy Spirit for the grace of true sorrow for sin and the courage to confess everything honestly. The reflection questions below are not exhaustive; they are pastoral aids for self-examination, drawing on the Church's traditional confessional manuals.

First Commandment: I am the Lord your God. You shall not have other gods before me.

This commandment governs faith, hope, charity, and the priority of God in our lives. Sins against it include atheism, idolatry, superstition, presumption, despair, and indifference to God.

Have I given God time in daily prayer?
Have I doubted, denied, or rejected matters of Catholic faith?
Have I placed worldly things — wealth, career, image, pleasure — above God?
Have I consulted horoscopes, fortune-tellers, mediums, or engaged in occult practices?
Have I presumed on God's mercy by sinning with the intention of being forgiven later?
Have I despaired of God's mercy or salvation?
Have I been indifferent toward the practice of my Catholic faith?
Have I deliberately failed to learn the teachings of the Church?
Have I knowingly received Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin?
Have I made sincere efforts to grow in holiness?

Second Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

This commandment forbids the misuse of God's name, blasphemy, perjury, and breaking solemn promises and vows.

Have I used the name of God, Jesus, Mary, or the saints disrespectfully, as an exclamation, or in anger?
Have I blasphemed God or sacred things?
Have I sworn falsely, taken oaths lightly, or broken vows?
Have I been silent when others used God's name irreverently?
Have I broken religious vows or promises (baptismal, confirmation, marriage, religious life)?
Have I treated sacred objects, persons, places irreverently?

Third Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.

Catholics are obliged to attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and to rest from servile work (CCC 2174-2188).

Have I missed Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation through my own fault?
Have I arrived deliberately late or left early without serious reason?
Have I been inattentive, distracted, or irreverent during Mass?
Have I performed unnecessary servile work on Sunday?
Have I made Sunday a true day of rest, worship, family, and works of mercy?
Have I dressed appropriately for Mass?

Fourth Commandment: Honour your father and your mother.

This commandment governs the duties of children to parents, of parents to children, of citizens to lawful authority, and of all toward those in authority in Church and society.

Have I disobeyed, disrespected, or spoken harshly to my parents?
Have I neglected aged or sick parents, or failed to provide for them when able?
Have I, as a parent, neglected the religious formation of my children?
Have I, as a parent, failed to discipline my children or spoiled them?
Have I been a good example to my children in faith and morals?
Have I been disobedient or disrespectful to legitimate civil authorities (when their laws do not conflict with God's law)?
Have I been disobedient or disrespectful to the Pope, bishops, priests, or religious?
Have I, as an employer, treated employees with justice and respect?
Have I, as an employee, given honest work for honest wages?

Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill.

This commandment safeguards human life from conception to natural death and forbids hatred, harm, and reckless endangerment of self or others.

Have I procured, advised, or assisted in an abortion?
Have I taken part in or supported euthanasia or assisted suicide?
Have I attempted suicide, or done serious harm to my own body or health?
Have I harmed others physically?
Have I held hatred, grudges, or resentment against anyone?
Have I refused to forgive someone who has wronged me?
Have I been verbally abusive to others?
Have I been excessively angry?
Have I damaged my health through drug abuse, alcohol abuse, smoking to excess, overeating, or refusing necessary medical care?
Have I driven recklessly, endangering myself or others?
Have I supported, encouraged, or remained silent in the face of injustice toward the poor, the unborn, the elderly, the disabled, or the marginalised?

Sixth and Ninth Commandments: You shall not commit adultery. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife.

These two commandments together govern chastity in body and in heart. The Catechism treats them as integrally linked (CCC 2331-2400, 2514-2533).

Have I been unfaithful to my spouse in act, in thought, or in desire?
Have I engaged in sexual activity outside of marriage?
Have I deliberately consented to impure thoughts or fantasies?
Have I viewed pornography or impure images?
Have I committed acts of masturbation?
Have I dressed or behaved immodestly?
Have I, as a married person, used contraception or been sterilised for contraceptive purposes?
Have I, as a married person, deliberately excluded openness to children?
Have I engaged in homosexual acts?
Have I read, watched, or listened to materials that incite to lust?
Have I been an occasion of sin to others by my dress, speech, or conduct?
Have I respected the dignity of every person, including those of the opposite sex, as made in the image of God?

Seventh and Tenth Commandments: You shall not steal. You shall not covet your neighbour's goods.

These commandments govern justice in possessions, work, and economic life, and the interior disposition of contentment versus greed and envy (CCC 2401-2463, 2534-2557).

Have I stolen money, property, or goods?
Have I cheated on taxes, in business, or in school?
Have I failed to return borrowed items, or to repay debts?
Have I damaged the property of others without making restitution?
Have I cheated employers by giving less work than is owed?
Have I cheated employees by paying unjust wages or by withholding what is owed?
Have I been envious of others' wealth, success, or possessions?
Have I been greedy, materialistic, or excessively attached to money?
Have I refused to share with those in need when I had means?
Have I gambled to excess, harming my family's livelihood?
Have I respected the universal destination of goods — that the goods of the earth are meant for all?
Have I cared for the environment as a steward of God's creation?

Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

This commandment governs truthfulness in speech, the protection of others' reputations, and the rejection of lies, gossip, calumny, and detraction (CCC 2464-2513).

Have I told lies?
Have I deliberately deceived or misled others?
Have I gossiped or spread rumours?
Have I committed calumny (damaged someone's reputation by lies)?
Have I committed detraction (revealed someone's hidden faults without sufficient reason)?
Have I judged others rashly?
Have I betrayed confidences entrusted to me?
Have I committed perjury under oath?
Have I refused to defend an innocent person whose reputation was being attacked?
Have I made amends for damage I have done to anyone's reputation by my words?

The Precepts of the Church

Beyond the Ten Commandments, the Church teaches five precepts that bind the faithful (CCC 2041-2043):

Have I attended Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation?
Have I confessed my serious sins at least once a year?
Have I received Holy Communion at least once during the Easter season?
Have I observed the Church's days of fasting (Ash Wednesday and Good Friday) and abstinence (Fridays of Lent, and elsewhere as bound)?
Have I contributed to the material support of the Church?

Ready to confess?

After your examination, pray an Act of Contrition, then make your confession. Our guide to how to go to confession walks through the rite step by step. Need to find a parish? Find confession times near you.

Primary sources