Examen

  • Thread starter Thread starter Miserissima
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Miserissima

Guest
So…I’ve still been going to Confession in my LR parish, because I’m having difficulty learning the EC form. I know, form doesn’t matter as much as intention. It is also a wonder to me because Confession is a more private and emotional experience than what I’ve seen / read.

I also asked my “mentor” about an EC examination of conscience. She intimated I was overthinking, being “legalistic.” 😊 Although I am not scrupulous, I know she is correct. “You’ll know when you sin because you know it in your head and feel it in your heart,” she said.

Learning to “let go” of ‘seeing sin around every corner’ versus ‘do your best – if you goof up, go to confession, and try again’ is incredibly difficult, to say the least.

There is no definitive list for sin (a few years ago I made a comprehensive Examen from different sources here).

The list I have been given, by contrast, is vague, and I worry that I’ll forget something. Perhaps I should trust God more to read my heart, and yet not presume upon His grace.

Do you have a go-to examination of conscience? I’d also like to hear your thoughts.
 
You might find this helpful during Lent: saintjamessaintjoseph.org/lenten-podcast

It is also generally a good idea to do a short Examination of Conscience daily and pray the Act of Contrition before bed (this might not be helpful for those who are scrupulous, however).

Over time, and when going to Confession regularly, it becomes easier not to forget mortal sins one needs to confess since one’s last Confession. I have also found that the sooner I go to Confession after I’ve committed a mortal sin, the easier it is to remember the number & kind of sin(s) I’ve committed (you would think this would be common sense, but it took quite a while for me to really “get it”). :o

I try to remember (usually while waiting in line) to pray to the Holy Spirit to help me make a good and complete Confession. When in the Confessional, I add at the end that I am sorry “for these and all my sins,” which would include any I might have forgotten. And then I just have to trust in His forgiveness.

If you recall later a mortal sin which you forgot to confess, then you can simply mention it in your next Confession ("…and in my last Confession, I forgot to mention that I ______").

But don’t worry; as long as you had the intention to confess all of your mortal sins, then even the forgotten ones are forgiven when the priest absolves you. 👍
 
Thanks, Raven. I was asking about Eastern Catholic (Ruthenian) v. Latin Rite but your words definitely helped. 🙂
 
CatholicRaven said:
If you recall later a mortal sin which you forgot to confess, then you can simply mention it in your next Confession ("…and in my last Confession, I forgot to mention that I ______").

But don’t worry; as long as you had the intention to confess all of your mortal sins, then even the forgotten ones are forgiven when the priest absolves you. 👍
Click to expand...
And…don’t hesitate to ask your confessor for help or guidance if you feel stuck!👍
 
While attending an Eastern Orthodox Pascha (Easter) the priest was busy trying to hurry along everyone to try and limit their confession to one word if possible, so everyone could confess and therefore partake of communion. A loving, pastoral gesture I thought. When I asked him later about how this was possible, he said that all sins stem from one of these:

wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, or gluttony

So that could be a short examination list to build on, and if you are ever pressed for time, a one word confession.
 
I don’t have a particular examination to send you to, and by reading your post I have a hunch that you’ve got some pretty good ones already set aside. 😉

What I wanted to share was the prayer I always say before my examination of conscience. It may be helpful to you.

**Lord, You love me and You know me better than I even know myself.
Be with me as I examine my conscience.
Look into my heart, Lord, and bring to light all that I have forgotten.
Bring to light all that I have justified, all that I have excused,
All that I have deliberately fooled myself from.
I trust You and Your guidance to aid me in this examination,
That I might be fully reconciled unto thee.
I love You. I praise You. I thank you for this sacrament.

Amen.**
 
Casilda said:
While attending an Eastern Orthodox Pascha (Easter) the priest was busy trying to hurry along everyone to try and limit their confession to one word if possible, so everyone could confess and therefore partake of communion. A loving, pastoral gesture I thought. When I asked him later about how this was possible, he said that all sins stem from one of these:

wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, or gluttony

So that could be a short examination list to build on, and if you are ever pressed for time, a one word confession.
Click to expand...
:confused::confused: I guess it’s possible, but I’ve never heard of a one word confession–it hardly seems thoughtful and well-considered…Why not just ask everyone to raise their hands if they’ve committed one of those one words and absolve them all en masse, as it were? There’s plenty of time during Great Lent, before the Paschal Liturgy to prepare for and make a good prayerful confession!!
 
Ophelia23 said:
I don’t have a particular examination to send you to, and by reading your post I have a hunch that you’ve got some pretty good ones already set aside. 😉

What I wanted to share was the prayer I always say before my examination of conscience. It may be helpful to you.

**Lord, You love me and You know me better than I even know myself.
Be with me as I examine my conscience.
Look into my heart, Lord, and bring to light all that I have forgotten.
Bring to light all that I have justified, all that I have excused,
All that I have deliberately fooled myself from.
I trust You and Your guidance to aid me in this examination,
That I might be fully reconciled unto thee.
I love You. I praise You. I thank you for this sacrament.

Amen.**
Click to expand...
Thank you for this prayer, neither I nor my wife has ever seen this one before. We generally ask our dear Blessed Mother and St. Pio’s intercession before making our examination and now will say this prayer first and then ask for their intercession.
 
MichaelinMD said:
:confused::confused: I guess it’s possible, but I’ve never heard of a one word confession–it hardly seems thoughtful and well-considered…Why not just ask everyone to raise their hands if they’ve committed one of those one words and absolve them all en masse, as it were? There’s plenty of time during Great Lent, before the Paschal Liturgy to prepare for and make a good prayerful confession!!
Click to expand...
Gasp Are you suggesting a general absolution? You heretic.
 
My one word confession would have to be seven:

My bad, my bad, my uber bad.

I’m just having a difficult time with “sin” as defined in both rites. In one, sin can be what you do, don’t do and , and how it affects others. In the other, it’s the same but not all spelled out… there is a broader definition and it leaves a lot to conscience. I’m hoping my conscience is well formed.

I’m also worried because confession as I’ve known it us a private affair, usually involving tears. I dint wasn’t to do that in my Byz parish, because ice never seen someone get emotional (during Divine Liturgy, yes, but not confession). Also, these must be really holy people because their confessions are so quick…
 
MorEphrem said:
Gasp Are you suggesting a general absolution? You heretic.
Click to expand...
😃 Well…if that particular Orthodox priest is in such a hurry…And if that particular Orthodox priest can’t/won’t get his flock into confession during the whole of the Lenten season…And if that particular Orthodox priest is into oikonomia (well, of time, anyway 😉 )…then…maybe that’s a good solution for him and his flock. 😃 Would I want to be a part of that?? NO, THANKS!!! Do I really think general absolution is the way to go?? A big, fat NO to that, too!

But…there are those who consider me a heretic, anyway. :eek:😃 (I think most of them are Orthodox…🙂 )

In Christ,
MinM
 
Miserissima said:
My one word confession would have to be seven:

My bad, my bad, my uber bad.

I’m just having a difficult time with “sin” as defined in both rites. In one, sin can be what you do, don’t do and , and how it affects others. In the other, it’s the same but not all spelled out… there is a broader definition and it leaves a lot to conscience. I’m hoping my conscience is well formed.

I’m also worried because confession as I’ve known it us a private affair, usually involving tears. I dint wasn’t to do that in my Byz parish, because ice never seen someone get emotional (during Divine Liturgy, yes, but not confession). Also, these must be really holy people because their confessions are so quick…
Click to expand...
Sin, both in the RC, the OC, and the ECC, is defined as “missing the mark” and always takes place in the context of a relationship with a person…Jesus. The various Churches/rites may talk about it a little differently but it boils down to the same thing. An interesting RC talk on sin/confession can be found here: catholicity.com/cds/confession.html.

Most Eastern churches, Catholic and Orthodox, set aside time for the Sacrament of Repentance/Confession either before or after (more often the case) Vespers on Saturdays. This is the time when you can go into greater detail than just one word allows for ;). This is the time when your confessor can/should/hopefully will counsel you, advise you spiritually, etc., although that’s been known to happen, too, during confessions just before the Divine Liturgy. If a one word confession somehow seems to suffice (:eek: ), I wonder why a one word absolution never occurs–or does it:eek::eek:?? 🙂

In Christ,
MinM
 
Thanks. I’m a cradle Roman Catholic converting to Eastern. I confess regularly.

I’m interested in finding out more about Tue Eastern attitude for sin as you mentioned.
 
Miserissima said:
Thanks. I’m a cradle Catholic converting to Eastern. I confess regularly.

I’m interested in finding out more about Tue Eastern attitude for sin as you mentioned.
Click to expand...
Fr. Larry’s recording “hits the mark”, even though he’s RC.

Here’s a great (Orthodox) book that I’ve found immensely helpful:
The Forgotten Medicine: The Mystery of Repentance
by Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev
amazon.com/Forgotten-Medicine-Mystery-Repentance/dp/B004M4XIUY/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394816895&sr=1-1&keywords=the+forgotten+medicine

Or…***Confession: Doorway to Forgiveness by Jim Forest ***
amazon.com/Confession-Doorway-Forgiveness-Jim-Forest/dp/1570753865/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1394817524&sr=1-7&keywords=jim+forest

Of course, there is a wealth of other information out there in the world, but I just can’t think of specifics at the moment.

You’re “converting to Eastern”?? If what you mean is your orientation is now to the Eastern Catholic Church, there is no “conversion”. If, on the other hand, you are becoming (as in “converting”) Orthodox…well…hmm…😦

I really don’t think there is fundamentally any major difference in the “attitude” to sin between East and West. As I said, I think it’s mainly how they talk about it.

In Christ,
MinM
 
Sorry…i missspoke/typed.

My ultimate goal is for a canonical transfer.
 
Miserissima said:
Sorry…i missspoke/typed.

My ultimate goal is for a canonical transfer.
Click to expand...
That’s wonderful!! 👍👍

Might I be so nosy as to ask why? After all, as a Roman Catholic you are totally free to worship and receive the Sacraments at any Catholic church in communion with Rome. There is also no bar to parish membership in an Eastern Catholic church if you are canonically Roman Catholic. 🙂

You might be interested in the “Light For Life” 3 volume series available from Byzantine Seminary Press. Other than the Catechism Of The (Entire) Catholic Church it’s a close as you’ll get, to date, to an Eastern Catholic Catechism in English, even though some of the Orthodox catechisms are very useful.
See this: byzantineseminarypress.com/products/Light-for-Life-Part-1%3A-The-Mystery-Believed-.html

In Christ,
MinM
 
MinM, I apologize to you and, any reader who asked. This only proves that I need a blog. 😃

I started my journey here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=470754

The fullness of faith and all of its practices are what I want to join. I want to be on the same liturgical cycle. I don’t want to be straddling a line; I have tried very hard to not be on the “outside,” and when this community accepted me and my little family the way it was, I began to ask the Lord to show me where I belong.

I didn’t get a big revelation, but the little things got to me. The encouragement, the openness, the invitations, the unsolicited advice offered in a tactful and warm way.

The biggest argument I’ve had with myself is retraining my thoughts to trust God.

First, I had to reconcile the RC dogma that feelings are to be discounted in the light of reason contrasted slightly with the EC, which counsels emotion in the light of reason. That was a lot to get over.

The second big ticket item for me was: I was taught in the RC that I must never presume on God’s grace. The EC agrees, but takes it a step further in that I need to trust in that grace, and God wants me to.

So…this is an enrichment, a fulfillment of the faith in action. I know how evangelical I sound. I know some of my reasons, objectively, sound like I’ve find a cult. But…

…because it goes against my nature to not have the words to express myself appropriately, that what I have learned I am applying is life changing, it is a gradual shift and not a dive, and yet it is a leap of faith, I feel like a postulant testing a vocation.

Others simply join Opus Dei, LOL!

There are many DL attendees who haven’t transferred for various reasons. Mine is slow because I want to study and have sure footing. This isn’t just “which parish do you attend,” it’s “you’ve changed you’re lifestyle, please explain why.” That’s why inadvertently called it a ‘conversion.’ It’s a deepening on every level: mental, psychological, spiritual, and physical (such as extra fasts). I’m also learning to read the Gospel with a different POV that I never thought possible.

It’s interesting you address the Orthodox influence. Lately I’ve been evangelized/proseltyzed (sp) by several Orthodox brethren. Their words for the EC are unkind at best. I recently learned that I would have to deny the Papacy, which I can’t do.

I am also feeling…unworthy, for lack of a better word, because I still view God through a Western lens. I feel that although I have an innate pull to this, I am also disenfranchised from it. It’s almost like comparing a convert to RC to a cradle Catholic. The former has a thirst for knowledge and a zeal to learn while the latter has received all of the elements of his faith growing up.

I was a smug RC who had all of the answers, to the point where the liturgist often called me. In the EC, I’m an anonymous sheep, who will never understand all of the Mysteries, because I
I don’t have to. I just need to believe in the Magisterium to be protected from error.

I’m.sorry for the typos. I’m posting from my phone which is not playing nice w/ CAF.
 
Miserissima said:
MinM, I apologize to you and, any reader who asked. This only proves that I need a blog. 😃
Click to expand...
No need to apologize!! Thanks for the “update”, as it were.

As a convert to the BCC, I can understand where you’re coming from. As I’ve bounced back and forth between the BCC, the RCC, and the OC (oy vey ist mir!!), I’ve come to see that God is present in all of them. I’m truly not aware of any RC “dogma”, though, that discounts feelings. But, even in the Eastern Churches, it ain’t about feelings. It’s about thanking God, worshiping Him, praising Him, etc. How I “feel” about it, how I “feel” in church (often uncomfortable, out of sorts, and as if I don’t fit in) has nothing to do with that, though it may color my experience of it. Hope that makes sense!

As far as I’m aware, both the RC and the EC teach us not to presume upon God, but to trust in Him. Trusting in Him implicitly means, unless I’m wrong here, trusting in His Grace. How could it be otherwise? Nothing I’ve heard or read by either RC writers/speakers or EC writers/speakers contradicts that. But…maybe I’ve been reading the wrong stuff :D.

I’m extremely happy for you that you seem to have found a “home” in the Eastern Church!! Why would I be anything but that?? Do know, however, that every “home”, every “family” has its own dysfunctions, quirks, and anomalies. Every single one. I’ve been 'round the block enough times to know at least that much ;).

While we are all unworthy in many, many ways, viewing God through a Western lens is no more or less unworthy than viewing Him through an Eastern one. Same God, you know :). If your heart is open to Him, the lens through which you “view” Him becomes less and less important, as long as it’s the Catholic lens. And Catholic is East as well as West. Now…if the DL of St. John Chrysostom speaks to you more clearly than the Western Mass, if the trappings of Eastern Christianity pull you into thanking and worshiping God more thoroughly, well…go for it, sister!

As for understanding the Mysteries…well…rest assured that RC’s don’t necessarily understand them any more than EC’s just by virtue of being RC’s. That’s why they’re called “mysteries”! You have no idea of the pettiness, the smugness, triumphalism, well…all the sins, really, that I’ve seen in the ECC and the OC! Pretty much the same as I’ve seen in the RCC, you know! And I’ve been guilty of them my own little self, to my shame.😊 😦 What all that means, I think, is that East or West, we’re all as human as each other.

You want to canonically transfer to the Eastern Church? Go for it, girl!!! May God grant you your wish, and may you thrive and prosper there spiritually in ways you may never have before!!

Oh, and btw, you probably won’t remain “anonymous” for very long, given the size of most EC parishes :D.

Thanks for sharing your journey!! And, forgive me if I’ve come across as preachy or officious :o.

In Christ,
MinM
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top