Examination of Conscience

Before You Begin

This examination is not merely a checklist to run through before Confession. Its purpose is to help you recognize which actions and attitudes are sinful, and how grave they are, so that this knowledge may keep you from sin and prepare you to confess honestly and well. Read through it slowly and prayerfully, asking the Holy Spirit to show you your heart.

What makes a sin mortal

For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must be present at the same time:

1. Grave matter — the act itself is seriously wrong (the kinds of things listed below under "Grave matter").
2. Full knowledge — you knew, or firmly believed, that the act was seriously wrong before doing it.
3. Full consent — you freely chose it; you were not forced, asleep, or deprived of the use of reason.

If any one of these is missing, the sin is venial rather than mortal. If you did not know an act was seriously wrong, or did not freely will it (for example, if you were forced, or it occurred in a dream), you are not guilty of mortal sin.

Confessing mortal and venial sins

All mortal sins committed since your last Confession must be confessed by kind and number — what they were and about how many times. A mortal sin honestly forgotten is forgiven with the rest, but should be mentioned at your next Confession once you recall it. Deliberately concealing a mortal sin is itself a grave sin and invalidates the absolution.

It is not strictly required to confess venial sins, but doing so is a holy and fruitful practice: it makes the soul more sensitive to God and more faithful in loving Him. Below, each commandment lists grave matter first, then lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections.

Do not be afraid

The priest is bound by an absolute and inviolable seal; no matter how grave the sin, he can never reveal what is said in Confession. This sacrament is an act of honesty and courage that restores you to the mercy of a loving Father. Be courageous — and go to Confession.

A Prayer Before the Examination

Set aside a few quiet minutes. Begin by asking the Holy Spirit for light:

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Harbored hatred for God, or fallen into despair of His mercy.
• Presumed on God's mercy — sinning with the idea that forgiveness is automatic, or seeking forgiveness without true conversion.
• Denied or seriously doubted the existence of God, or refused to believe what God has revealed and the Church teaches (heresy).
• Formally left the Faith (apostasy), adhered to a schismatic group, or joined or taken part in the worship of a false or pagan religion.
• Joined the Freemasons or another society forbidden to Catholics.
• Engaged in the occult — witchcraft, Satanism, séances, Ouija boards, tarot, palm reading, divination, sorcery, black magic.
• Put serious trust in superstition — horoscopes, fortune-tellers, "luck" charms — as a guide for living.
• Loved or prioritized any person or thing more than God: money, power, sex, ambition, comfort (idolatry of the heart).
• Received Holy Communion, Confirmation, or Matrimony while in the state of mortal sin (sacrilege).
• Concealed a mortal sin or lied in Confession — a sacrilege that invalidates the absolution.
• Desecrated the Holy Eucharist, or committed simony (buying or selling sacred things).
• Failed to receive Holy Communion at least once a year (the Easter duty) when able.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Failed to pray daily; prayed in a rushed or careless way; omitted thanksgiving after Holy Communion.
• Did not strive to love God with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength; tried to control things rather than seek His will.
• Entertained doubts against the Faith; neglected to learn the Church's teaching; was indifferent, ungrateful, or lukewarm toward God.
• Gave in to spiritual sloth (acedia); was content with mediocrity; put things before God (TV, sports, hobbies, the internet).
• Cared more about human respect — what others think — than what God thinks; was embarrassed to be Catholic or failed to defend the Faith when ridiculed.
• Failed to support the Church with time, talent, or money; did nothing to share the Faith with others.
• Was willfully distracted at Mass or in prayer; needlessly put off Confession; failed to examine my conscience daily.
• Refused to accept or offer up suffering; murmured against God's providence; was angry at God or blamed Him for my failings.
• Gave in to depression, self-pity, or self-deprecating thoughts; relied only on myself and failed to ask the Holy Spirit's help.

Capital sins: Pride, Sloth (acedia) · Cultivate: Faith, Hope, Humility, Diligence

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Used God's name as a curse, or with hatred, reproach, or defiance (blasphemy).
• Seriously wished evil upon another, or gravely mocked, insulted, or slandered a sacred person or object.
• Committed perjury — lied or broke an oath under oath; swore a false oath; made an oath in a secret society.
• Broke a solemn vow or promise made to God (mention which in Confession; the priest can remit rash or unjust vows).
• Spoke of God, the Faith, the Church, the saints, or Scripture with grave irreverence, hatred, or defiance.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Used the Lord's name lightly, in surprise or anger, out of habit; cursed thoughtlessly.
• Used the names of Mary, a saint, or the Pope irreverently; told bad jokes about sacred persons or things.
• Used vulgar, suggestive, or obscene language; spoke badly of the Church; used Scripture irreverently.
• Failed to correct others (for example, my children) who misuse God's name in my household.

Capital sins: Wrath, Pride · Cultivate: Reverence, Truthfulness, Humility

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Missed Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation through my own fault, without a serious reason.
• Did unnecessary servile work or business for a long time on Sunday, or required employees to do so without need.
• Intentionally failed to fast or abstain on the days appointed by the Church.
• Received Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin, or without keeping the one-hour Eucharistic fast.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Habitually arrived late to Mass or left early without serious reason; did not pay attention or participate; was irreverent in church.
• Did unnecessary work or shopping on Sunday; let sports or other schedules dictate the Lord's Day.
• Failed to keep Sunday for rest, family, prayer, and study of the Faith.
• Failed to take my children to Mass or to instruct them in the Faith; ate or drank within one hour of Communion (apart from medical need).

Capital sins: Sloth, Avarice · Cultivate: Diligence, Reverence, Temperance

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Showed serious disrespect, contempt, or disobedience toward parents, lawful superiors, or authorities.
• Hated my parents, wished them death or evil, or brought serious shame upon them.
• Seriously neglected aged parents in their time of need.
• Abused or gravely neglected my children — their food, shelter, education, discipline, or care.
• Failed to baptize my children within a reasonable time, or gravely neglected their religious upbringing.
• Seriously neglected the duties of my state in life, or failed to carry out the just last will of deceased parents.
• Broke a just civil law in a grave matter, or supported a candidate because of positions gravely opposed to Christ and His Church.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Was disrespectful or disobedient to parents, teachers, or those in authority; spoke badly of them.
• Fought with siblings; nagged, used sarcasm, or was harsh toward my spouse or children; spoke ill of my spouse or children.
• Took my spouse for granted; failed to cultivate family peace; neglected duties toward spouse or children; failed to give good example.
• Failed to pray with and for my family, those in authority over me, and the deceased (the Holy Souls in Purgatory).
• Was too lax or too strict with rules and discipline; treated adult children as minors; meddled in the affairs of married children.
• Made fun of, or failed to help, the elderly or handicapped; was ashamed of my parents.

Capital sins: Wrath, Pride, Sloth · Cultivate: Patience, Humility, Charity, Obedience

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Committed murder, homicide, or manslaughter, or caused another's death through serious negligence.
• Procured, performed, promoted, counseled, paid for, or facilitated an abortion; knowingly voted for a candidate because of his support for abortion.
• Promoted, supported, or took part in euthanasia or assisted suicide.
• Seriously considered, attempted, or intended suicide.
• Willfully injured, gravely threatened, or sought to harm another; gravely abused another verbally or emotionally.
• Harbored serious hatred, sought revenge, or refused to forgive when pardon was requested.
• Drove dangerously, recklessly, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol; indulged in willful drunkenness or abuse of drugs.
• Took, sold, or gave illegal drugs for non-medical use.
• Underwent sterilization, mutilated myself or another, or gravely harmed my own body.
• Joined a hate group, or acted from grave prejudice or unjust discrimination (race, nationality, sex, religion).
• Willfully led another into serious sin, gave grave scandal, or cooperated in another's mortal sin.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Gave in to unjust anger or impatience; refused to control my temper; quarreled over slight matters.
• Indulged pride, arrogance, vanity, stubbornness, or rudeness; used obscene or vulgar gestures.
• Harbored a grudge; used the "silent treatment"; deliberately provoked others; delighted in another's misfortune.
• Failed to apologize; refused to forgive small offenses; treated others unjustly or as objects.
• Was intemperate — overate or drank too much; used tobacco immoderately; abused or neglected medication.
• Failed to care for my health; was reckless with my safety; gave in to sloth, procrastination, or lack of punctuality.
• Spent excessive time on TV, the internet, or video games; consumed media that promotes sex or violence.
• Failed to pray for sinners and the deceased; treated animals cruelly; gave lesser scandal.

Capital sins: Wrath, Pride, Gluttony, Envy · Cultivate: Patience, Charity, Temperance, Meekness

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Committed adultery (relations with someone married, or with anyone other than my spouse), or fornication (relations between the unmarried).
• Cohabited with someone before or outside of a valid marriage.
• Masturbated, or deliberately sought sexual climax outside of marital intercourse; committed onanism (withdrawal).
• Committed homosexual acts.
• Used artificial contraception, was sterilized for contraceptive purposes, or refused openness to life without just cause.
• Took part in in-vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, surrogacy, "selective reduction," or human cloning.
• Produced, distributed, purchased, or made use of pornography.
• Committed incest, bestiality, rape, or engaged in or paid for prostitution.
• Preyed on children or minors for sexual purposes in any way.
• Seduced another, destroyed another's innocence, or made unwelcome sexual advances.
• Engaged in passionate kissing or touching for arousal, or allowed it, with someone not my spouse.
• Dressed or acted with flagrant immodesty intended to provoke arousal; engaged in degrading or unnatural sexual practices.
• Sought a willful divorce or deserted my spouse; entered a union the Church cannot recognize.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Lacked custody of the eyes — looked inappropriately at others; allowed my heart to stray from my spouse.
• Dressed or carried myself somewhat immodestly; treated others as objects; failed to respect the dignity of the opposite sex.
• Sought wrongful attention from another; was selfish in marital intimacy; kept bad company.

Capital sins: Lust, Pride · Cultivate: Chastity, Modesty, Fidelity, Self-mastery

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Stole a significant sum or a valuable item, or took property against the reasonable will of its owner.
• Willfully destroyed or defaced another's property in a serious way; bought, sold, received, or concealed goods known to be stolen.
• Stole something consecrated to God or from a holy place (sacrilege).
• Committed fraud, embezzlement, forgery, blackmail, or bribery (giving or taking).
• Defrauded workers of their just wages; engaged in price-fixing; committed serious tax or insurance fraud.
• Willfully refused to make restitution or to pay a just debt in a grave matter.
• Gambled compulsively to the harm of my duties; knowingly passed counterfeit money; charged exorbitantly on another's need.
• Took grave advantage of the poor, simple, or vulnerable; denied urgent help to the destitute when I could easily give it.
• Took part in slavery, software piracy, serious copyright violation, or grave cruelty to animals.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Stole small or inexpensive items; cheated in lesser ways on tests, taxes, sports, games, or business.
• Willfully failed to return borrowed or found items; failed to pay debts promptly.
• Wasted time, money, or resources; squandered on needless things; misused natural resources.
• Failed to practice charity or to help the poor; did not keep a promise; was excessively attached to possessions.
• Adopted a consumer mentality (buy, waste, spend); failed to give an honest day's work for an honest day's pay; padded expense accounts.

Capital sins: Avarice (Greed) · Cultivate: Justice, Generosity, Honesty, Detachment

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Told serious lies, especially large or premeditated ones; knowingly and gravely deceived another.
• Committed perjury (lying under oath) or bore false witness.
• Committed calumny (lies that destroy a reputation) or serious detraction (revealing real faults without good reason).
• Committed libel (damaging lies in writing); spread gossip that did grave harm.
• Violated a serious confidence without good reason; was an accomplice to another's grave sin through speech.
• Failed to make reparation for grave harm done to another's good name.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Lied; exaggerated; bragged or boasted; flattered to gain favor.
• Gossiped, spread rumors, bore tales, or talked behind another's back.
• Made rash judgments; was unjustly suspicious; was negative, critical, or uncharitable in thought toward others.
• Cheated in lesser ways in games or schoolwork; spoke unkindly of others; complained, whined, or sought attention.
• Lived hypocritically (saying one thing, doing another); failed to defend the Faith or another person when I should have.

Capital sins: Pride, Envy, Wrath · Cultivate: Truthfulness, Charity, Humility, Prudence

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Viewed pornography in any medium, or read sexually explicit material, for the sake of arousal.
• Deliberately dwelt on impure thoughts or fantasies for the purpose of arousal.
• Willfully lusted after another — "lust in the heart" ("if I could, I would").
• Entertained and consented to thoughts of infidelity.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Told or listened to impure or vulgar jokes and stories.
• Briefly entertained impure thoughts without consenting; made no effort to control my imagination.
• Indulged curiosity that plays with temptation; sought out immodest persons or images.
• Compared my spouse unfavorably to others; failed to keep appropriate boundaries, in person or online.

Capital sins: Lust · Cultivate: Purity of heart, Custody of the eyes and mind

Grave matter — mortal sin when done with full knowledge and consent. Have I…

• Gave in to serious, willful greed or avarice.
• Formed the firm intention to steal, defraud, or destroy the goods of another.
• Indulged grave envy — sorrow at another's good that led me to wish him harm.

Lesser faults, venial sins, and imperfections. Have I…

• Felt envy (sadness or anger at another's good fortune) or jealousy (inordinate desire for what others have).
• Gave in to greed, materialism, or attachment to riches and possessions.
• Failed to trust that God will provide for my needs; failed in gratitude for what I have.
• Took part in a culture of consumerism and excess.

Capital sins: Envy, Avarice · Cultivate: Goodwill, Generosity, Gratitude, Trust in Providence

1. Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days, and rest from servile labor.

• Have I missed Mass through my own fault, or habitually come late or left early?
• Have I done unnecessary work or business on these days without need?

2. Confess your sins at least once a year.

• Have I made a good Confession of my mortal sins at least once a year?
• Have I deliberately concealed a mortal sin, neglected my penance, or failed to make reparation for harm done?

3. Receive Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.

• Have I fulfilled my Easter duty to receive Holy Communion?
• Have I received in the state of mortal sin, broken the one-hour fast, or received more than twice in one day?

4. Observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.

• Have I neglected Friday penance, or abstinence on Ash Wednesday and the Fridays of Lent (if 14 or older)?
• Have I failed to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (if between 18 and 59)?

5. Contribute to the support of the Church.

• Have I given a just share of my time, talent, and money to my parish and the work of the Church?
• Have I neglected to strive each day for holiness?

Concerning marriage (a fundamental obligation)

• Have I lived in an invalid or illicit union, or abandoned my spouse or family without grave cause?
• Have I rejected the Church's teaching that marriage is between one man and one woman, or given scandal by cohabiting?

As a spouse

• Have I failed in charity to my spouse — through anger, resentment, sarcasm, coldness, or neglect of their spiritual good?
• Have I been unfaithful in thought, word, or deed, or refused openness to life without just cause?
• Have I prayed for and with my spouse, and treated marriage as a vocation rather than a burden?

As a parent

• Have I provided for my children's needs — food, shelter, education, discipline, and their formation in the Faith?
• Have I fostered resentment by anger, bullying, sarcasm, or bad example, rather than patience and good example?
• Have I prayed for and with my children, and given them sound, age-appropriate teaching, including on chastity?

As a son or daughter

• Have I honored my parents, obeyed them in what is right while under their care, and cared for them in age or need?
• Have I grieved or insulted them, or stirred others up against them?

As a worker or employer

• Have I given an honest day's work, dealt honestly in business, and paid a just wage?
• Have I cheated, padded accounts, or taken advantage of another's ignorance or need?

As a citizen

• Have I obeyed just laws, voted with a conscience formed by the Faith, and worked for the common good?
• Have I fostered hatred or contempt toward those I disagree with politically?

In the spiritual life

• Have I relied on myself in pride, rather than asking the Holy Spirit's help against sin?
• Have I given in to self-pity, jealousy, or envy instead of thanking God for His gifts?
• Have I thanked Jesus for His Incarnation, death, and Resurrection, and offered up my trials rather than resenting them?
• Have I been a witness to Christ among those around me, or hidden my faith out of fear or human respect?

How to Make a Good Confession

1. Examine your conscience using a guide such as this one. Pray for true sorrow and a firm purpose of amendment — the resolve to avoid sin and its near occasions.
2. Enter the confessional. At a screen, kneel. The priest begins, often with the Sign of the Cross.
3. Begin: "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been ____ (state the time) since my last confession. These are my sins."
4. Confess all mortal sins by kind and number — what they were and roughly how many times. You may also confess venial sins, which is a holy and recommended practice.
5. Conclude: "For these and all the sins of my life, I am sorry," or "For these and all my sins, I ask forgiveness of God and absolution from you, Father."
6. The priest may offer counsel and will give you a penance.
7. Pray an Act of Contrition (one is usually posted in the confessional).
8. The priest gives absolution; make the Sign of the Cross. He may conclude, "Your sins are forgiven. Go in peace," and you respond, "Thanks be to God."
9. Leave and fulfill your penance as soon as possible.

If you have been away from the sacrament for a long time, simply tell the priest so at the start; he will gently help you. The point is not perfect technique but a humble and honest heart.

The Act of Contrition

Either traditional form may be prayed:

First form

Second form

A Closing Word of Encouragement

Our Lord gave His Church the power to forgive sins in His name: whatever is loosed on earth is loosed in heaven (cf. Matthew 16:19; John 20:23). The Catechism calls this sacrament the "second plank of salvation after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace."

Do not let shame keep you silent. As St. Augustine wrote, the confession of evil works is the beginning of good works; and in failing to confess we hide God from ourselves, not ourselves from God. Whatever you carry, bring it into the light.

Leave the confessional in peace — forgiven, clean, and free — and resolve, with God's grace, to begin again today.

This examination is compiled from the Ten Commandments and the Precepts of the Church, the Roman Catechism, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and traditional Catholic examinations of conscience. It is offered as a catechetical aid for the faithful.

Sources

Catechism of the Catholic Church — The Examination of Conscience and the Sacrament of Penance.
Catechism of the Catholic Church — Life in Christ: the Ten Commandments.
Catechism of the Catholic Church — The Precepts of the Church.
Roman Catechism (Catechism of the Council of Trent), Part III — The Decalogue.
Douay-Rheims Bible (1899 Challoner revision).

Related Reading

Act of Contrition — the prayer of sorrow prayed before or during confession.
The Confiteor — the penitential prayer of the Mass.
The Sacraments — including the Sacrament of Penance.
The Precepts of the Church — the minimum obligations examined in this guide.
Purgatory — the purification that awaits unconfessed venial sin and temporal punishment.