Examination of Conscience for Pious Catholics

[TrueLight]

It’s not a good thing to too quickly label oneself “pious”, IMHO.

 

[Vico]

@Vico & Seatuck: Thanks for the help. Unfortunately, it’s not quite what I’m looking for. Let’s take the First Commandment:

1.I am the Lord your God, You shall not have strange gods before me.
‐Involvement in occult practices, e.g., witchcraft, Ouija boards, séances, palm reading, tarot cards, hypnotism, divination, astrology, black magic, sorcery, etc. – Um…no.
‐Involvement in or adherence to New Age or Eastern philosophies, atheism or agnosticism - This is silly.
‐Apostasy (leaving the Church) - Not this week.
‐Adherence to a schismatic group - See above about being a practicing Catholic.
‐Putting faith in superstition, e.g., horoscopes, good luck charms, etc. - Um…no.
‐Joining the masons or other secret society Know better.
‐Receiving Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin Again…know better.
‐Receiving the sacraments of confirmation or Matrimony while in the state of mortal sin - How often could this happen?!?
‐Willful Participation in illicit (non‐emergency) “General Absolution” services - Is there that much of a problem with this?
‐Being married by a Justice of the Peace or by a minister of another denomination (without dispensation) - Again, how often could this happen?
‐Involvement in false or pagan worship - lol…no.
‐Willfully denying the Faith of the Catholic Church - My failure is living it, not believing it.
‐Despair of God’s grace or mercy- Not so much. My problem more likely runs the other way.
‐Presumption (committing a mortal sin with the idea that you can just go to confession) - This is better, but would fit me more if it discussed venial sins.
‐Hatred of God Not on your life.
‐Simony (buying or selling spiritual things) - The blessings fall off so that’s just dumb.
‐Failure to receive Holy Communion at least once per year
(if possible, during the Easter**Season)- How long would it have to be between confessions for this to be helpful?
‐Desecration of the Holy Eucharist - Not a problem.

Now reading this list and my answers you might think I’m doing pretty good. But I’m not. Even the righteous man stumbles seven times a day. I’m sure I sin against the first commandment but this list isn’t really intended for folks like me who actively believe and practice the faith. Same thing with lists about murder, abortion, contraception, drug use, missing mass, etc.

Isn’t there something more for folks like me?

Try the Baltimore Catechism No. 3, which gives the explanations for each. Or No. 4 which is the teachers edition for No. 2. For the First Commandment:

ourladyswarriors.org/faith/bc3-30.htm
readcentral.com/chapters/Thomas-L-Kinkead/Baltimore-Catechism-No-4/042

 

[Sirach2]

Today’s gospel was a timely reflection for all of us. Jesus reminds us that all the sins we commit issued first and foremost in the heart – occuring in the thought or will of man wherefrom all sin flows and becomes an outward act. Mt. 7:21-23

“From within people, from their hearts,
come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,
adultery, greed, malice, deceit,
licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.
All these evils come from within and they defile.”

I have asked God to help me – BY HIS GRACE ALONE – to love others as He loves them. That’s a very tall order, but I have found that all of my sins first came from wrongful thinking.

If you examine your conscience for certain sins, ask God to show you the root cause of why you fell into it. Was it coveting others goods? Maybe the root is dissatisfaction and lack of gratitude for what God has been pleased to give us.
Was it sins of impurity, drunkeness, laziness? The root is inordinate love of bodily pleasure that is loathe to discipline one’s flesh. Is it gossip, hatred, prejudice? The root is impatience with others and wanting God to make everyone perfect so we don’t have to put up with their failures. Etc., etc.

 

[OraLabora]

It’s not a good thing to too quickly label oneself “pious”, IMHO.

Wiser words were never spoken.

The higher the pedestal we place ourselves on, the more painful the inevitable fall.

Been there, done that! We all fall short of the glory of God!

 

[Sirach2]

Piety is a wonderful virtue that all of us should strive to acquire. It is humility to recognize God’s grace in our souls by granting us a spirit of devotion. I did not sense that the OP was in any way expressing pride. On the contrary, I commend him for wanting to examine his conscience in a spirit of genuine piety to please God.

 

[Seeker1961]

The Harden examination is excellent! Thank you for posting!

 

[OraLabora]

Piety is a wonderful virtue that all of us should strive to acquire. It is humility to recognize God’s grace in our souls by granting us a spirit of devotion. I did not sense that the OP was in any way expressing pride. On the contrary, I commend him for wanting to examine his conscience in a spirit of genuine piety to please God.

This:

I am in need of an Examination of Conscience for Pious Catholics. By this I mean I’m looking for an Examination of Conscience for adults who go to mass every Sunday and Holy Day, who don’t contracept their love or abort their kids, who don’t do drugs or get drunk, who pray and read the Bible every day, who tithe, who are active in the parish, etc.

set off my alarm because of this:

The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican.
I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.

Do you see a resemblance?

I do. I sincerely hope I am wrong about the OP’s intentions, but his post reminds me of where I was a couple of years ago. We had an excellent homily today from our abbey’s prior: one can observe all the rules, yet still have a heart of stone.

The thing is I see myself in this. Yes I was, at least in my eyes, “pious”, yet I had a heart of stone. It nearly cost me my marriage until my spiritual director and some very intense self-examination alone in a small chapel of a monastery made me realize that indeed, I had a heart of stone and had been failing to look into my heart at what truly was ailing me, and that my superficial “piety” did not in fact prevent me from unwittingly spreading the poison I was trying to hide in my heart, to others.

Might I suggest that a good examination of conscience, instead of focusing on what sins one may have committed, instead focus on what is in our heart, both good and bad? To do this we need to turn prayer on it’s ear. Instead of a tool to overcome our sins, which is no more than trying to overcome sin by willpower, turn it into a tool to learn surrender to God and trust in God so that His grace can flow in:

And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O god, be merciful to me a sinner.
I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather that the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.

The Harden examination is excellent! Thank you for posting!

I especially liked this one from that list:

Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?

That’s sort of what I mean by the above, I would paraphrase it, “Do I ever tempt God by pretending I can overcome the darkness in my heart by my own will”?

 

[clem456]

Pride is the absolute hardest sin to find in one’s self, and the deadliest, IMHO and experience. I am nothing without God to complete me everyday of my life.

If my sins don’t pop to the top of my head immediately, I just try to remember how difficult it is to look at the sun without being blinded, and how much more difficult it will be to look God in the face.

 

[Sirach2]

I guess it’s a matter of reading the good in a person’s heart, rather than judging what appears to be bad.

I heard the OP saying this,

I’m okay with following what’s required of me, but I want to really please God by looking deeper than the obvious mortal sins. I need an examination that goes well beneath the surface and p(name removed by moderator)oints failings that I may overlook whenever I use a simple perusal of the ten commandments and six precepts, like missing mass, getting drunk, contracepting, etc. I want to find attitudes lurking in my heart that cause me to miss the mark and offend God.

I could elaborate, but I think this should be sufficient. I shudder to think that someone would call this person proud, when he seems very sincere to me.

 

[clem456]

I guess it’s a matter of reading the good in a person’s heart, rather than judging what appears to be bad.

I heard the OP saying this,

I could elaborate, but I think this should be sufficient. I shudder to think that someone would call this person proud, when he seems very sincere to me.

I’m can’t follow you there. Where is that post by the OP? Maybe a post was deleted?

 

[Sirach2]

Where is that post by the OP? Maybe a post was deleted?

Clem, there is no actual post by the OP. That was my rephrased interpretation of his post –
as I understood him.

 

[TimothyH]

MS Word document of the below list is here. This is partially based on the examination from Opus Dei.

Daily General Examination of Conscience Based on the Ten Commandments

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT: “I, the Lord, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me.”

• Have I performed my duties toward God reluctantly or grudgingly?
• Did I neglect my prayer life? Did I recite my usual prayers?
• Did I receive Holy Communion in a state of mortal sin or without the necessary preparation?
• Did I violate the one-hour Eucharistic fast?
• Did I fail to mention some grave sin in my previous confession?
• Did I seriously believe in something superstitious or engage in a superstitious practice such as palm reading or fortune-telling?
• Did I seriously doubt a matter of faith?
• Did I put my faith in danger - without a good reason – by reading a book, pamphlet, or magazine that contains material contrary to Catholic faith or morals?
• Did I endanger my faith by joining or attending meetings of organizations opposed to the Catholic faith such as non-Catholic services, Freemasonry, New Age cults or other religions? Did I take part in any of its activities?
• Have I committed the sin of sacrilege such as profanation of a sacred person, place or thing?

THE SECOND COMMANDMENT: “You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain.”

• Did I fail to try my best to fulfill the promises and resolutions that I made to God?
• Did I take the name of God in vain? Did I make use of God’s name mockingly, jokingly, angrily, or in any other irreverent manner?
• Did I Make use of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s name or another saint’s name mockingly, jokingly, angrily or in any other irreverent manner?
• Have I been a sponsor in baptism or participated actively in other ceremonies outside the Catholic Church?
• Did I tell a lie under oath?
• Did I break public or private vows?

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT: “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.”

• Did I miss Mass on a Sunday or a holy day of obligation?
• Did I fail to dress appropriately for Mass?
• Have I, without sufficient reason, arrived at Mass so late that I failed to fulfill the Sunday or holy day of obligation?
• Did I allow myself to be distracted during Mass, by not paying attention, by looking around out of curiosity, etc?
• Did I cause another to be distracted at Mass?
• Have I performed any work or business activity that would inhibit the worship due to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or the appropriate relaxation of mind and the body, on a Sunday or a holy day of obligation?
• Did I fail to generously help the church in her necessities to the extent that I am able?
• Did I fail to fast or abstain on a day prescribed by the Church?

THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT: “Honor your father and your mother.”

For parents:

• Have I neglected to teach my children their prayers, send then to church or give them a Christian education?
• Have I given them a bad example?
• Have I neglected to watch over my children, to monitor their companions, the books they read, the movies and TV shows they watch?
• Have I failed to see to it that my child made his first confession and first communion?
• Have I failed to see to it that my children have received the sacrament of confirmation?

For children:

• Was I disobedient toward my parents?
• Did I neglect to help my parents when my help was needed?
• Did I treat my parents with little affection or respect?
• Did I react proudly when I was corrected by my parents?
• Did I have a disordered desire for independence?
• Did I do my chores?

For adults with parents:

• Have I supported my parents in times of need to the extent that I am able?
• Have I ensured that my parents are adequately cared for in terms of food, clothing and shelter?
• Have I spoken to my parents respectfully and been tolerant of their shortcomings?
• Have I listened to their advice patiently and humbly, with an eye toward learning from their experience?
• Have I made an effort to visit my parents and to allow them time to visit with grandchildren?

THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT: “You shall not kill.”

• Did I easily get angry or lose my temper?
• Was I envious or jealous of others?
• Did I injure or take the life of anyone?
• Was I reckless in driving?
• Was I reckless in the operation of mechanical equipment, chemicals or other potentially dangerous items?
• Was I reckless in the use of firearms? Did I fail to keep firearms secured so that others, including children, could not access them?
• Was I an occasion of sin for others by way of conversation; the telling of jokes which are religiously, racially or sexually offensive; dressing; inviting somebody to attend certain shows; lending of harmful books or magazines; helping someone to steal, etc? Did I try to repair the scandal done?
• How many persons did I lead to sin? What sins were involved?
• Did I neglect my health?
• Did I attempt to take my life?
• Did I get drunk or use prohibited drugs?
• Did I eat or drink more than a sufficient amount, allowing myself to get carried away by gluttony?
• Did I participate in any form of physical violence?
• Did I consent to or actively take part in direct sterilization such as tubal ligation, vasectomy, etc? Do I realize that this will have a permanent effect on my married life and that I will have to answer to God for its consequences?
• Did I consent to, advise someone about, or actively take part in an aboration? Was I aware that the Church punishes with automatic excommunication those who procure and achieve abortion? Do I realize that this is a very grave crime?
• Did I cause harm to anyone with my words or actions?
• Did I desire revenge or harbor enmity, hatred, or ill feelings when someone offended me?
• Did I ask pardon whenever I offended anyone?
• Did I insult of offensively tease others?
• Did I quarrel with one of my brothers or sisters?

THE SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS: “You shall not commit adultery” and “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.”

• Did I willfully entertain impure thoughts?
• Did I consent to evil desires against the virtue of purity, even though I may not have carried them out? Were there any circumstances that aggravated the sin: affinity (relationship by marriage), consanguinity (blood relationship), either the married state or the consecration to God of a person involved?
• Did I engage in impure conversations? Did I start them?
• Did I look for fun in forms of entertainment that placed me in proximate occasion of sin, such as certain dances, movies, shows, or books with immoral content? Did I frequent houses of ill repute or keep bad company?
• Did I realize that I might already have been committing a sin by placing myself in a proximate occasion of sin, such as sharing a room with a person I find sexually attractive, or being alone with such a person in circumstances that could lead to sin?
• Did I fail to take care of those details of modesty and decency that are the safeguards of purity?
• Did I fail, before going to a show or reading a book, to find out its moral implications, so as not to put myself in immediate danger of sinning in order to avoid distorting my conscience?
• Did I willfully look at an indecent picture or can an immodest look upon myself or another? Did I willfully desire to commit such a sin?
• Did I lead others to sins of impurity or immodesty? What sin?
• Did I commit an impure act? By myself, through masturbation (which is objectively a mortal sin)? With someone else? How many times? With someone of the same or opposite sex? Were there any circumstances of relationship (such as affinity) that could have given the sin special gravity? Did this illicit relationship result in pregnancy? Did I do anything to prevent or end that pregnancy?
• Do I have friendships that are habitual occasions of sexual sin? Am I prepared to end them?
• In courtship, is true love my fundamental reason for wanting to be with the other person? Do I live the constant and cheerful sacrifice of not putting the person I love in danger of sinning? Do I degrade human love by confusing it with selfishness or mere pleasure?
• Did I engage in acts such as “petting”, “necking”, passionate kisses or prolonged embraces?

For married people:

• Did I, without serous reason, deprive my spouse of the marital right? Did I claim my own rights in a way that showed no concern for my spouse’s state of mind or health? Did I betray conjugal fidelity in desire or in deed?
• Did I take “the pill” or use any other artificial birth-control device before or after new life had already been conceived?
• Did I, without grave reason, with the intention of avoiding conception, make use of marriage on only those days when offspring would not likely be engendered?
• Did I suggest to another person the use of birth-control pills or another artificial method of preventing pregnancy (like condoms)?
• Did I have a hand in contributing to the contraceptive mentality by my advice, jokes, or attitudes?

Continued…

 

[TimothyH]

…continued.

THE SEVENTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS: “You shall not steal” and “You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.”

• Did I steal? How much money or how much was the object worth? Did I give it back or at least have the intention of doing so?
• Have I done or caused damage to another person’s property? To what extent?
• Did I harm anyone by deception, fraud, or coercion in business contracts or transactions?
• Did I unnecessarily spend beyond my means? Do I spend too much money because of vanity or caprice?
• Do I give alms according to my capacity?
• Was I envious of my neighbor’s goods?
• Did I neglect to pay my debts?
• Did I knowingly accept stolen goods?
• Did I desire to steal?
• Did I give in to laziness or love of comfort rather than diligent work or study?
• Was I greedy? Do I have an excessively materialistic view of life?

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

• Did I tell lies? Did I repair any damage that may have resulted as a consequence of this?
• Did I unjustly or rashly accuse others?
• Did I sin by detraction, that is, by telling the faults of another person without necessity?
• Did I sin by calumny, that is, by telling derogatory lies about another person?
• Did I engage in gossip, backbiting, or tale-telling?
• Did I reveal a secret without due cause?

If you remember other serous sins besides those indicated here, include them also in your confession.

-Tim-

 

[TimothyH]

**Here is one from Fr. John A. Hardon S.J. **

catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0884.htm

Faith
Do I make an honest effort to grow in the virtue of faith by daily mental prayer on the mysteries of the faith, as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ?

Do I make at least a short act of faith every day?

Do I pray daily for an increase in faith?

Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?

Do I unnecessarily read or listen to those who oppose or belittle what I know are truths of my Catholic Faith?

What have I done today to externally profess my faith?

Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith?

Do I ever defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed?

Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?

http://www.catholiceducation.org/images/CERC/aastoryend_dingbat.gif
Hope

Do I immediately say a short prayer when I find myself getting discouraged?

Do I daily say a short act of hope?

Do I dwell on my worries instead of dismissing them from my mind?

Do I fail in the virtue of hope by my attachment to the things of this world?

Do I try to see God’s providence in everything that “happens” in my life?

Do I try to see everything from the viewpoint of eternity?

Am I confident that, with God’s grace, I will be saved?

Do I allow myself to worry about my past life, and thus weaken my hope in God’s mercy?

Do I try to combine every fully deliberate action with at least a momentary prayer for divine help?

How often today have I complained, even internally?

Father Hardon calls that a particular examination. A particular examination is not the same as a general examination used before confession.

A general examination, the kind most people do before confession, is a defensive weapon. It is used reactively, after one sins. The particular examination however, is an offensive weapon, used when one desires an increase in some virtue

'Typically one picks a virtue in which they need (name removed by moderator)rovement, and pauses several times throughout the day - lunch, dinnertime, before bed - to examine the people and events which God has placed in their lives with an eye toward how they could have done better.

***“Could I have have spoken to that person kinder?”

“Was I completely honest?”

“What were my real motives for that conversation?”

“Could I have done a better job?”

“Why was I so distracted?”***

One typicially writes down a little note to themselves on what happened and how they could have done better at each pause throughout the day. Over the course of days and weeks, patterns and habits become apparent, and one clearly sees opportunities for improvement.

It is considered an offensive weapon, for the increase in virtue, rather than the defensive and reactive general examination before confession. I was doing particular examinations a while with regards to patience, and expecially charity (not judging others) but didn’t have the discipline to continue.

-Tim-