Saturday, February 28, 2015

Another Good Examination of Conscience


This one comes from Father John A. Kane. I will share the ones not often found in other Examination of Conscience books or booklets.  It is taken from his How to Make a Good Confession and published by Sophia Institute Press.  I highly recommend this little book.

1.  Have I been ungrateful to God for His benefits?

2.  Do I try to hide from God because I love my sin or because I do not have strength of will to make sacrifices for His sake?

3.  Have I failed to give God the respect, the love, and the simplicity of a child toward his Father?

4.  Am I unwilling to cast out and destroy everything that makes my soul unworthy to be the dwelling place of the three divine Persons?

5.  Have I grumbled against God's will?

6.  Do I refuse to accept troubles that come to me as a means of salvation?

7.  Do I trouble others with my grievances?

8.  Have I ignored Christ's voice within my soul when He has asked me for some sacrifice?

9.  Do I lack peace of soul because I don't trust God?

10.  Have I been too proud to accept well-merited correction, even from my confessor?

11.  Do I rely solely on myself and not on God?

12.  Do I rely solely on myself and not on God?

13.  Do I neglect my duties as a creature to my Creator?

14.  Do I have an exaggerated fear of death?  Do I trustfully abandon my past to God's mercy and my future to His love?

15.  Have I abandoned the Catholic Faith?

16.  Have I joined a non-Catholic church?

17.  Have I refused to believe any truths of the Faith or any teachings of the Church?

18.  Did I fail to profess or defend the Faith when required to do so?

19.  Did I read materials or associate with people who  might endanger my faith?

20.  Have I attended or taken part in the marriage of a Catholic in a wedding not approved by the Church.

21.  Have I been unfaithful to daily prayer?

22.  Have I received Holy Communion without reverence?  Have I neglected to make a proper thanksgiving after receiving?

23.  Do I neglect to read Scripture?

24.  Do I let my religious practices annoy others?

25.  Do I neglect to try to correct myself, remembering that I should always strive for perfection?

26. Have I evaded an opportunity to enlighten someone on religious truth?

27.  Do I use God's name carelessly, in anger, or in surprise?

28.  Am I disrespectful, impolite, or discourteous toward my family?

29.  Do I mistreat belittle, or abuse my children?

30.  Am I disrespectful toward the elderly?

31.  Do I endanger my health by eating too little or sleeping too little?

32.  Am I too concerned about my health or my appearance?

33.  Have I attributed bad motives to others, when I could not be certain of their motives?

34. Have I used harsh or abusive language toward another?

35.  Am I rude, impolite, or inconsiderate?

36.  As a husband or wife, have I failed prudently to make an effort to prevent the sins of my spouse?

37.  Have I neglected my duty of preventing those in my charge from committing sin, or correcting them after they have failed?

39.  Am I dating someone who is civilly divorced but is still bound by a valid marriage?

40.  Do I waste money or spend it extravagantly?

41.  Do I waste goods or food?

42.  Have I been stingy with my time, money and talents?

43.  Have I criticized anyone uncharitably?

44.  Am I greedy?

45.  Am I selfish?

46.  Do I indulge in self-pity?

48.  Am I proud?

49.  Am I vain?

50. Do I desire to be praised?

51.  Do I show off?

52.  Have I exaggerated my success?

53.  Have I minimized or explained away my failures?

54.  In my spirituality, do I seek mere personal excellence?

55.  Am I touchy and hypersensitive?

56.  Do I magnify the least oversight or thoughtlessness into an insult or deliberate slight?

57. Am I envious of someone's possessions, talents, or blessings?