What exactly is the examination of conscience?

[michael-kaw]

Also is the confession valid if you don’t do one?

Is it just counting up your sins?

 

[Tulitas]

How can you list your sins if you have not reflected on your past actions?
We can examine our consciences each night. And should.

 

[BridgetN]

What exactly is the examination of conscience?
“The examination of conscience is an ernest effort to recall to mind all the sins we have committed since our last worthy confession”
It’s the way to make a good confession.

 

[Canvas]

It is looking at your life and looking to see what sins you have committed and estimate how many times or how often you committed them since your last confession. Sometimes you might look further back, if there was something you had forgotten about, or just thought about and is bothering you. In order to confess, you have to think about what sins you are guilty of. It is part of the standard prep—sure you can go in there cold, but you would technically be examining your conscience while in the confessional. I myself usually do my examination beforehand, make a list (which I keep secret and try to discard discreetly asap afterwards), revise it—sometimes I add things I didn’t think of, sometimes I decide I am being scrupulous or being too detailed when it isn’t necessary for the Priest to understand the nature of the sin. You don’t need to be overly explicit in most cases as long as you get the basic idea of what kind of sin it was across.

But sometimes details do matter when evaluating the gravity of sins. For example: lying and dishonesty. Telling someone her new hairstyle looks good when in your opinion it looks silly is not a particularly serious sin. Lying under oath and saying someone committed a crime they did not is very serious. This kind of distinction would be important in confession.

 

[michael-kaw]

Thanks, I sometimes bring a list into the confessional, this is allowed right? My priest doesn’t seem to mind

 

[Fauken]

Of course it is!

 

[BridgetN]

I sometimes bring a list into the confessional, this is allowed right?

It’s allowed I think a lot of people do it.

 

[KJW5551]

Here is a good guide for you:

http://m.ncregister.com/info/confession_guide_for_adults#.WujBxUEpCEc

 

[Rob2]

Is it just counting up your sins?

I recommend this way of praying which is not strictly an examination of conscience , but more .

This Daily Examen is a prayer of reflection and commitment through which St. Ignatius Loyola endeavored to recognize God in his daily life. Christians in the Jesuit tradition continue this daily practice to develop a growing awareness of God’s grace and to access the Power of the Holy Spirit to change their lives.