Examination of Conscience

What it is

An examination of conscience helps adults evaluate their commitment to Christ and his Church, helps teens form a conscience by timeless moral principles (Romans 2:14-16) rather than the spirit of the age, and teaches children right and wrong in simple form.

Mortal and venial sin

Not all sins are equal. Venial sins wound our relationship with God; mortal sins destroy it, cutting us off from sanctifying grace, and must be confessed before receiving Communion. A sin is mortal only if three conditions are met (CCC 1857):

• Grave matter: the act is seriously wrong, such as murder, adultery, theft or deliberate rejection of God.
• Full knowledge that it is gravely sinful.
• Deliberate consent, freely choosing it despite knowing its gravity.

If any is missing, the sin is venial. Venial sins still weaken us and dispose us to worse sin, so even those not in mortal sin should confess regularly, which helps form a right conscience.

St. Teresa of Calcutta said that faithful self-examination may show that what we thought a stumbling block is a rock we can step on: knowing our sin helps us rise.

How to make a good confession

Examine your conscience carefully by the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes and other Scripture, and acknowledge your sins with genuine contrition and a firm resolve to amend.

1. Choose an examination suited to your age and state of life (adult, teen, child; married, single, clergy or religious).
2. Find a quiet place at home or in church, free of distractions.
3. Pray to the Holy Spirit for light, humility and honesty. For example:

Come Holy Spirit into my soul, enlighten my mind that I may know the sins I ought to confess, and grant me your grace to confess them fully, humbly, and with a contrite heart. Help me to firmly resolve not to commit them again. O Blessed Virgin, Mother of my Redeemer, mirror of innocence and sanctity, and refuge of penitent sinners, intercede for me through the Passion of your Son, that I may obtain the grace to make a good confession. All you blessed angels and saints of God, pray for me, a most miserable sinner, that I may repent of my evil ways, that my heart may henceforth be forever united with yours in eternal love. Amen.

1. Go through the examination. As St. John Chrysostom said, "Be ashamed when you sin, not when you repent."