A Catholic Examination of Conscience based on St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises. May be used in preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation; includes meditations from Archbishop Fulton Sheen. Covers the Ten Commandments, the Seven Deadly Sins, the Nine Sins of Cooperation, the Seven Precepts of the Church, the Spirtual Works of Mercy and the Corporal Works of mercy.

1. An Examination of Conscience Introduction Introduction: An Examen? Part One I. Condensed Primer on Sin Part Two II.Sin in Relation to God III. Sin in Relation to Our Neighbors IV. Sin in Relation to Ourselves V. The Ten Commandments Part Three VI.The Seven Deadly Sins VII. The Nine Co-operations VIII. The Seven Precepts of the Church IX. The Works of Mercy X. Miscellaneous

5. in taking stock of spiritual failings, and therefore, growth

6. when searching for healing from habitual sins that are a detriment to our salvation

8. Part One Condensed Primer on the Types of Sin Original Sin Actual Sin 1. Mortal Sin 2. Venial Sin Internal Sin External Sin Unforgivable Sin

9. I. Types of Sin A. Original Sin 1. Sin is divided into the sin we inherit called original sin, and the sin we commit ourselves, called actual sin. Original Sin is found in both Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition. “Original sin may be taken to mean…a consequence of [Adam’s] first sin, the hereditary stain with which we are born on account of our origin or descent from Adam.” http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11312a.htm Baptism washes away the stain Original Sin on one’s soul, but not its effects. See the Baltimore Catechism #3: Lesson 5: On Our First Parents and the Fall (http://www.baltimore-catechism.com/lesson5.htm)

10. I. Types of Sin B. Actual Sins Sin Sin is divided into the sin we inherit called original sin, and the sin we commit ourselves, called actual sin. Original Actual 2. Actual sin is sub-divided into greater sins, called mortal, and lesser sins, called venial. Mortal Venial

12. Mortal sin is committed with full knowledge of the sinner.

13. Mortal sin is committed with deliberate consent of the sinner. Venial sins will not destroy grace in the soul, and will not directly cause a person who dies in the state of venial sin to lose the promise of heaven. However, venial sin weakens a person’s will to avoid evil and thus may indirectly lead to mortal sin. Venial sin is a sin of lesser matter than grave sin. It can also be a sin of grave matter in which the sinner did not fully consent to the sin or did not have knowledge that his actions where sinful. Sin: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htm

14. I. Types of Sin C. Internal delectatiomorosa, i.e. the pleasure taken in a sinful thought or imagination even without desiring it gaudium, i.e. dwellingwith complacency on sins already committed desiderium, i.e. the desire for what is sinful SIN

15. I. Types of Sin C. External External sins are thoughts which have been acted upon, at least in part, and a sincere attempt has been made to fulfill or consummate sinful ideas. Vocalized thoughts encouraging sinful actions as well as the actions themselves give rise to scandal, which is the appearance of condoning sin. This scandal, in turn, may lead others to sin.

16. I. Types of Sin D. Unforgivable Catechism of the Catholic Church § 982 There is no offense, however serious, that the Church cannot forgive. "There is no one, however wicked and guilty, who may not confidently hope for forgiveness, provided his repentance is honest. Christ who died for all men desires that in his Church the gates of forgiveness should always be open to anyone who turns away from sin. § 1864 "Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberatelyrefuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.

17. JMJ On the effects of sin: Say I take a pitcher of orange juice from my mother's refrigerator and drop it on the floor. I immediately apologize and my mother forgives me: but there is still a mess on the floor. Certainly, it is not my mother's responsibility to clean up the mess. It is my responsibility to clean it up or to repair the situation--or to make reparation for the situation. It remains your responsibility to purge yourself of the remaining effects of your blunder, i.e., to clean up the mess. Father Vincent Serpa, OP Catholic Answers Live

18. Part Two General Questions: Sin in Relation to God General Questions: Sin in Relation to Our Neighbors General Questions: Sin in Relation to Ourselves The Ten Commandments with Subsets of Particular Questions

19. II. Sin In Relation To God Have you omitted morning or evening prayer, or neglected to make your daily examination of conscience? Have you prayed negligently, and with willful distraction? Have you spent your time, especially on Sundays and holidays, not in sluggishly lying abed, or in any sort of idle entertainment, but in reading, praying, or other pious exercises; and taken care that those under your charge have done the like, and not wanted the instructions necessary for their condition, nor time for prayer, or to prepare for the sacraments? Have you spoken irreverently of God and holy things? Have you taken his name in vain, or told untruths?

20. II. Sin In Relation To God (Con’t) 4. Have you omitted your duty through human respect, interest, compliance, etc. ? 5. Have you been zealous for God's honor, for justice, virtue and truth, and reproved such as act otherwise? 6. Have you resigned your will to God in troubles necessities, sickness, etc. ? 7. Have you faithfully resisted thoughts of infidelity, distrust, presumption, impurity, etc. ?

21. III. In Relation To Our Neighbors Have you disobeyed your superiors, murmured against their commands, or spoken of them contemptuously? Have you been troubled, peevish, or impatient, when told of your faults, and not corrected them? Have you scorned the good advice of others, or censured their proceedings? Have you offended any one by injurious threatening words or actions? Or lessened their reputation by any sort of detractions; or in any matter of importance? Or spread any report, true or false, that exposed your neighbor to contempt, or made him undervalued? Have you been carrying stories backward and forward, created discord and misunderstanding between neighbors?

22. IV. In Relation To Oneself Have you been obstinate in following your own will, or in defending your own opinion, in things either indifferent, dangerous or scandalous? Have you taken pleasure in hearing yourself praised, or yielded to thoughts of vanity? Have you indulged yourself in overmuch ease, or any ways yielded to sensuality? Has your conversation been edifying and moderate; or have you been forward, proud, or troublesome to others? Have you spent overmuch time in play, or useless employments, and thereby omitted, or put off your devotions to unseasonable times?

23. V. The Ten Commandments 1. The First Commandment: I Am the Lord Thy God. Thou Shalt Have No False Gods Before Me A. By Sins Against Faith To be ignorant of the principal mysteries of Christianity; of the Creed, of the Commandments of God and his Church, or of the Sacraments. To give God's honor to any created being or thing whatsoever; to pay divine worship, or to ascribe God's exclusive powers or attributes, to any being except God himself. Willfully to doubt, or obstinately to err, in any point of faith, our of human respect, interest, fear etc. To favor heretics or wicked men, in supporting or approving their opinions or actions. To endanger our faith by reading their books with pleasure. The Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity

24. V. The Ten Commandments 1. The First Commandment: I Am the Lord Thy God. Thou Shalt Have No False Gods Before Me A. By Sins Against Faith (Con’t) To examine divine mysteries with curiosity, and secrets of Providence by pure human reason. To contemn or deride holy things. To abuse the words of the holy scripture, by perverting them to a wicked or profane sense, making them subservient to jests, or other ill purposes. To desire to know things to come, which belong to God alone, or things past or present, which are hid from us, and for this end to employ unlawful means, as fortune tellers, or other superstitious inventions. To make superstitious observations; to employ prayers or sacred names to ill uses; to use charms etc. The Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity

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

27. Do I pray daily for an increase of faith?

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

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

30. What have I done today to externally profess my faith? Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?

31. Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith? Do I make a serious effort to resolve difficulties that may arise about my faith? Do I ever defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed? From the Particular Examen on the Theological Virtues by Fr. John Hardon, S.J.

32. V. The Ten Commandments 1. The First Commandment: I Am the Lord Thy God. Thou Shalt Have No False Gods Before Me B. By Sins Against Hope By distrusting the mercies of God, and despairing of the pardon of our sins. By presuming on God's goodness, without the least concern of amendment. By deferring our conversion or repentance till the end of life. By exposing ourselves to the danger of offending God either by company, reading, or otherwise, which is called tempting God. By exposing ourselves, without necessity, to some corporal danger; as sickness, wounds or death. By neglecting the remedies which God has appointed in these dangers, as physic for the body, or prayer and the sacraments for the soul. The Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity

34. Do I daily say a short act of hope?

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

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

37. Do I try to see God's providence in everything that "happens" in my life?

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

39. Am I confident that, with God's grace, I will be saved?

40. Do I allow myself to worry about my past life and thus weaken my hope in God's mercy?

41. Do I try to combine every fully deliberate action with at least a momentary prayer for divine help? From the Particular Examen on the Theological Virtues by Fr. John Hardon, S.J.

42. V. The Ten Commandments 1. The First Commandment: I Am the Lord Thy God. Thou Shalt Have No False Gods Before Me C. By Sins Against Charity By not loving God above all things, but rather choosing willfully to offend him, than suffer any loss of honor, riches, etc. By preferring the love of man before the love of God; or offending him through fear of being jeered or slighted. By omitting our duty through shame, or human respect. By thinking seldom of God, or being ashamed to speak of him; or by not hearkening to his inspirations, by forgetting his benefits, or neglecting to give him thanks. The Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity

44. Have I seen God's grace to prove my love for Him in every person whom I met today?

45. Have I failed in charity by speaking unkindly about others?

46. Have I dwelt on what I considered someone's unkindness toward me today?

47. Have I been stubborn in asserting my own will?

48. Have I allowed my mood to prevent me from being thoughtful of others?

49. Am I given to dwelling on other people's weaknesses or faults?

50. Do I control uncharitable thoughts as soon as they arise in my mind?

51. Did I pray for others today?

52. Have I controlled my emotions when someone irritated me?

53. Have I performed any sacrifice today for someone? From the Particular Examen on the Theological Virtues by Fr. John Hardon, S.J.

54. V. The Ten Commandments 1. The First Commandment: I Am the Lord Thy God. Thou Shalt Have No False Gods Before Me D. By Sins Against Religion By not adoring God, or praying to him but seldom. By praying without attention, and with willful distractions. By a want of respect to God in time of prayer; or by talking or being present in holy places without a becoming modesty and gravity in our looks, words and actions.

56. Have I deliberately doubted or denied any of the teachings of the Church?

57. Have I taken part in any non-Catholic worship?

58. Am I a member of any non-Catholic religious organization, secret society or anti-Catholic group?

59. Have I knowingly read any heretical, blasphemous or anti-Catholic literature?

60. Have I practiced any superstitions (such as horoscopes, fortune telling, Ouija board, etc.)?

61. Have I omitted religious duties or practices through motives of human respect?

64. Have I abused the Sacraments in any way? Received them irreverently?

65. Have I made fun of God, Our Lady, the Saints, the Church, the Sacraments, other holy things?

66. Have I been guilty of great irreverence in church, e.g., conversation, behavior, or dress?

67. Have I been indifferent with regard to my Catholic Faith — believing one can be saved in any religion, that all religions are equal?

68. Have I presumed on God´s mercy at any time?

69. Have I despaired of God´s mercy?

70. Have I hated God?

73. Have I murmured or complained against God (blasphemy)?

74. Have I cursed myself or others, or any creature?

75. Have I angered others so as to make them swear or blaspheme God?

78. Have I been late for Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of obligation or left early through my own fault?

79. Have I made others miss Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of obligation, leave early or be late for Mass?

80. Have I been willfully distracted during Mass?

81. Have I done or commanded unnecessary servile work on Sunday or Holy Days of Obligation?

84. Have I shown irreverence to others in positions of authority?

85. Have I maligned or insulted priests or others consecrated to God?

86. Have I failed in due reverence to aged persons?

89. Have I failed to care for their early baptism, or have I failed to care for their proper religious education?

90. Have I allowed them to neglect their religious duties?

91. Have I allowed them to date/go steady without the prospect of marriage within the near future?

92. Have I failed to supervise the company they keep? Have I failed to discipline them when they need it? Have I given them a bad example?

93. Have I scandalized them by arguing with my spouse in front of my children, or have I scandalized them by cursing or swearing in front of them?

94. Have I guarded modesty in the home? Have I permitted them to wear immodest clothing?

97. Have I borne hatred, oppressed anyone, or desired revenge?

98. Have I caused enmity between others, or have I quarreled or fought with anyone, or wished evil on anyone?

99. Have I intended or attempted to injure or mistreat others, or is there anyone with whom I refuse to speak, or against whom I bear a grudge?

100. Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortunes or have I been jealous or envious of anyone?

101. Have I mutilated my body unnecessarily in any way, or have I entertained thoughts of suicide, desired to commit suicide or attempted suicide?

102. Have I become drunk, used illicit drugs? Have I overeaten or do I neglect to eat properly, i.e., nutritious foods?

103. Have I failed to correct in Charity?

105. V. The Ten Commandments 6. Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery By the hearing. 1. In willingly giving ear to immodest words, discourses, songs, etc. B. By the sight. 1. In looking on immodest objects. 2. In reading or keeping immodest books; lending them to others; or neglecting to suppress them when we may. C. By the tongue. 1. In speaking immodest words. 2. In relating improper stories or wicked actions of ourselves or others. D. By the touch. 1. In using indecent actions. E. By thoughts. 1. By entertaining impure thoughts willfully and with delight. F. By immodest actions. 1. In committing the sin of impurity; and whether effected by soliciting, seducing with promises, or forcing; whether it be fornication, or adultery.2. In sins against nature.

107. Have I practiced birth control (by pills, devices, withdrawal)?

108. Have I committed adultery or fornication (premarital sex)?

109. Have I sinned impurely by myself (masturbation)?

110. Have I entertained or taken pleasure in impure thoughts?

111. Have I been an occasion of sin for others by wearing revealing and immodest clothing? Have I done anything to provoke or occasion impure thoughts or desires in others deliberately or through carelessness?

112. Have I watched suggestive movies/TV, pornography, or pornographic literature or permitted my children to do so?

113. Have I used indecent language or told indecent stories, and have I willingly listened to such stories?

114. Have I neglected to control my imagination, or have I prayed to banish such thoughts and temptations?

117. Have I willfully or negligently damaged anyone’s property?

118. Have I been negligent in the stewardship of other people’s money or goods?

119. Have I cheated or defrauded others? Have I refused or neglected to pay any debts?

120. Have I gambled excessively or have I acquired anything known to be stolen?

121. Have I cheated my employer of an honest day’s work or have I cheated my employees of their wages?

122. Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent need or have I been stingy?

125. Am I, without necessity, critical, negative or ever uncharitable in my talk?

126. Have I rashly judged anyone (i.e. believed firmly, without sufficient evidence, that they are guilty of some moral defect or crime)?

127. Have I injured the good name of another by revealing true but hidden faults (detraction)?

128. Have I disclosed another´s sins? Or have I been guilty of tale-bearing, (i.e. reporting something unfavorable said of someone by another so as to create enmity between them)?

129. Have I lent an ear to or encouraged the spreading of scandal about my neighbor?

130. Have I taken false oaths or signed false documents?

132. Part Three VI. The Seven Deadly Sins VII. The Nine Co-operations VIII. The Seven Precepts of the Church IX. The Works of Mercy X. Miscellaneous

133. JMJ In the examination of conscience a person concentrates less on his own sin than on the mercy of God – as the wounded concentrate less on their wounds than on the power of the physician who binds and heals the wounds. As the empty pantry drives the housewife to the bakery, so the empty soul is driven to the Bread of Life. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Peace of Soul

134. VI. The Seven Deadly Sins The Seven Deadly Sins and the Opposite Virtues 1. Pride..........................................................Humility 2. Covetousness..............................................Liberality 3. Lust...........................................................Chastity 4. Anger.........................................................Meekness 5. Gluttony.....................................................Temperance 6. Envy...........................................................Brotherly love 7. Sloth..........................................................Diligence

135. VI. The Seven Deadly Sins 1-3. The Sins of Covetousness, Luxury, and Sloth 1. The Sin of Covetousness 2. The Sin of Luxury 3. The Sin of Sloth These sins have been examined in the first, sixth, and seventh commandments.

136. VI. The Seven Deadly Sins 4. The Sin of Pride In entertaining too great and opinion of ourselves, or in valuing ourselves above our deserts. In publishing what we think good in ourselves, that we may be esteemed by others. In arrogance, by attributing to ourselves the good we have not. In presumption and ambition, by confiding too much in our own strength, conceiving ourselves capable of accomplishing things above our abilities, and in rashly attempting them. In contempt of others, on account of the good opinions we have of ourselves, and when this contempt is manifested by words or actions or by being severe and exacting on inferiors. F. In want of submission to our superiors, by disobeying them, blaming their conduct, or murmuring against them.

137. 4. The Sin of Pride (Con’t) VI. The Seven Deadly Sins G. In not acknowledging our faults; or when, in confessing the facts, we maintain we have done well, or at least allege false excuses. H. In contempt of admonitions and corrections. I. In discord. J. In hypocrisy. K. In curiosity, which inclines us to know things prejudicial to our salvation. L. By ingratitude for God's benefits. Five Effects of Pride 1. Vainglory (Boasting, Dissimulation / Duplicity)2. Ambition 3. Contempt for others 4. Anger / Revenge / Resentment 5. Stubbornness / Obstinacy

138. VI. The Seven Deadly Sins 5. The Sin of Gluttony In eating or drinking to excess, as far as they are prejudicial, either to our health or our reason, or any ways scandalous, or of ill example to others. "Prae-propere, laute, nimis, ardenter, studiose" or, according to the apt rendering of Fr. Rickably: “too soon, too expensively, too much, too eagerly, too daintily.” Clearly one who uses food or drink in such a way as to injure his health or impair the mental equipment needed for the discharge of his duties, is guilty of the sin of gluttony. Philippians 3:19: Whose end is destruction: whose God is their belly: and whose glory is in their shame: who mind earthly things.

139. VI. The Seven Deadly Sins 6. The Sin of Envy Trouble at the good success of our neighbor, or when we endeavor to do him an unkindness, or speak often against him, or create an ill opinion of him in the mind of another. When we rejoice at our neighbor's harm. A fable attributed to Aesop: A Wild Ass, who was wandering idly about, one day came upon a Pack-Ass lying at full length in a sunny spot and thoroughly enjoying himself. Going up to him, he said, "What a lucky beast you are! Your sleek coat shows how well you live: how I envy you!" Not long after the Wild Ass saw his acquaintance again, but this time he was carrying a heavy load, and his driver was following behind and beating him with a thick stick. "Ah, my friend," said the Wild Ass, "I don't envy you any more: for I see you pay dear for your comforts."

140. VI. The Seven Deadly Sins 7. The Sin of Anger Not to endure anything contrary to our inclinations. To suffer ourselves to be hurried away by the emotionsof wrath against those that give us any trouble. To proceed to quarrels, injurious language, oaths, curses, threats; to take revenge, or to desire and wish to be in a capacity of exercising it. To refuse to pardon injuries, or to be reconciled to our enemies, or to such of our neighbors with whom we have had some misunderstanding, or falling out. The man is upset at work, so he goes home and yells at his wife. She gets mad and takes it out on the children, so they kick the dog, who bites the cat, who scratches the furniture, which makes the man angry...

141. JMJ It is not enough to tell God that we are sorry and then forget about it. If we broke a neighbor’s window, we would not only apologize but also would go to the trouble of putting in a new pane. Since all sin disturbs the equilibrium and balance of justice and love, there must be restoration involving toil and effort. …suppose that every time a person did wrong he was told to drive a nail into a wall, and every time he was forgiven to pull one out. The holes would still remain after the forgiveness. Thus every sin…leaves “holes” or “wounds” in our human nature, and the filling up of these holes is done by penance; a thief who steals a watch can be forgiven the theft, but only if he returns the watch. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Peace of Soul

142. VII. The Nine Sins of Co-operation A. Have I knowingly caused others to sin? B. Have I co-operated in the sins of others? C. Has my example led others to sin, or to believe that I condone sin (scandal)? Are you the “devil” on someone’s shoulder? Nine ways to cooperate in the sin of another: By counsel. By command. By consent. By provocation. By praise or flattery. By concealment. By partaking. By silence. By defense of the ill done. Encouragement through active participation or tacit support

143. VIII. The Seven Precepts of the Church To attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and resting from servile works. To observe the days of abstinence and fasting. To confess our sins to a priest, at least once a year. To receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist at least once a year during Easter Season. 5. To contribute to the support of the Church. 6. To obey the laws of the Church concerning Matrimony. 7. To participate in the Church's mission of Evangelization of Souls.

144. IX. The Works of Mercy 1. The Corporal Works of Mercy The corporal works of mercy are oriented toward the body. These are the seven practices of charity toward our neighbor, based on Christ’s prophecy of the Last Judgment, that will determine each person’s final destiny: A. Feed the hungry B. Give drink to the thirsty C. Clothe the naked D. Shelter the homeless E. Visit the sick F. Visit those in prison G. Bury the dead

145. IX. The Works of Mercy 2. The Spiritual Works of Mercy The spiritual works of mercy are oriented toward the soul. These are based on the teachings of Christ and on Church practice since apostolic times. A. Admonish Sinners B. Instruct the Ignorant C. Counsel the Doubtful D. Comfort the Sorrowful E. Bear Wrongs Patiently F. Forgive Injuries G. Pray for the Living and the Dead

146. XI. Miscellaneous Sin is not only limited to our dwelling on thoughts and commission, but includes omission. “We can fail in the practice of…virtues either by commission, omission, or by tepidity, in not acting as generously as we might in responding to the grace we have received from God.” - by Fr. John Hardon, S.J. Scandal: Sin is compounded by leading others (directly or indirectly) to sin. "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6, NAB

147. JMJ There is no evidence whatever to sustain the position…that sin tends to make a person morbid. To call someone an escapist because he asks for forgiveness is like calling a householder whose home is on fire an escapist because he sends for the fire department. If there is anything morbid in the sinner’s responsible admission of a violated relationship with divine love, this is a jovial sanity compared with the real and terribly morbidity that comes to those who are sick and those who refuse to admit their illness. Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Peace of Soul