St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

Preparing for Penance (Confession)

How do I prepare for the Sacrament of Penance?

A FORM OF EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

In an examination of conscience, before the sacrament of penance, each individual should ask himself these questions in particular:

1. What is my attitude to the sacrament of penance? Do I sincerely want to be set free from sin, to turn again to God, to begin a new life, and to enter into a deeper friendship with God? Or do I look on it as a burden, to be undertaken as seldom as possible?
2. Did I forget to mention, or deliberately conceal, any grave sin in past confessions?
3. Did I perform the penance I was given? Did I make reparation for any injury to others? Have I tried to put into practice my resolution to lead a better life in keeping with the Gospel?

Each individual should examine his or her life in the light of God’s word.

I. The Lord says: “You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart.”

1. Is my heart set on God, so that I really love him above all things and am faithful to his commandments, as one loves one’s father? Or am I more concerned about the things of this world? Have I a right intention in what I do?
2. God spoke to us in his Son. Is my faith in God firm and secure? Am I wholehearted in accepting the Church’s teachings? Have I been careful to grow in my understanding of the faith, to hear God’s word, to listen to instructions on the faith, to avoid dangers to faith? Have I been always strong and fearless in professing my faith in God and the Church? Have I been willing to be known as a Christian in private and public life?

3. Have I prayed morning and evening? When I pray, do I really raise my mind and heart to God or is it a matter of words only? Do I offer God my difficulties, my joys, and my sorrows? Do I turn to God in time of temptation?
4. Have I love and reverence for God’s name? Have I offended him in blasphemy, swearing falsely, or taking his name in vain? Have I shown disrespect for the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints?
5. Do I keep Sundays and feast days holy by taking a full part, with attention and devotion, in the liturgy, and especially in the Mass? Have I fulfilled the precept of annual confession and of communion during the Easter season?
6. Are there false Gods that I worship by giving them greater attention and deeper trust than I give to God: money, superstition, spiritism, or other occult practices?

II. The Lord says: "Love one another as I have loved you."

1. Have I a genuine love of my neighbor? Or do I use them for my own ends, or do to them what I would not want done to myself? Have I given grave scandal by my words or actions?
2. In my family life, have I contributed to the well-being and happiness of the rest of the family by patience and genuine love? Have I been obedient to parents, showing them proper respect and giving them help in their spiritual and material needs? Have I been careful to give a Christian upbringing to my children, and to help them by good example and by exercising authority as a parent? Do I protect my children by providing quality at-home company thus giving them a safe alternative to looking for attention outside our home? Have I been faithful to my spouse in my heart and in my relations with others?
3. Do I share my possessions with the less fortunate? Do I do my best to help the victims of oppression, misfortune, and poverty? Or do I look down on my neighbor, especially the poor, the sick, the elderly, strangers, and people of other races?
4. Does my life reflect the mission I received in confirmation? Do I share in the apostolic and charitable works of the Church and in the life of my parish? Have I helped to meet the needs of the Church and of the world and prayed for them: for unity in the Church, for the spread of the Gospel among the nations, for peace and justice, etc.?
5. Do I support my parish church by tithing; do I support it while away? Do I support my church in its social and community efforts especially where it attempts to help the poor? Do I support clerical vocations in my family? Am I concerned with the educational needs of the poor in my community where a Catholic school(s) is located? Do I have the time to share with such activities as Catholic Education (CCD), parish hospitality and like services?
6. Am I concerned for the good and prosperity of the human community in which I live, or do I spend my life caring only for myself? Do I share to the best of my ability in the work of promoting justice, morality, harmony, and love in human relations? Do I carefully evaluate the content of public/private school teaching of sex education; do I use parental consent as a rule. Have I done my duty as a citizen? Do I support violence, immorality and substance abuse in entertainment or the media? Do I protect my children from immoral and violent entertainment at home? Have I paid my taxes? Do I support candidates for public office who are morally true and do I select and vote for political candidates who are pro-life for the unborn the aged and the infirmed?
7. In my work or profession am I just, hard-working, honest, serving society out of love for others? Have I paid a fair wage to my employees? Have I been faithful to my promises and contracts?
8. Have I obey legitimate authority and given it due respect?
9. If I am in a position of responsibility or authority, do I use this for my own advantage or for the good of others, in a spirit of service?
10. Have I been truthful and fair, or have I injured others by deceit, calumny, detraction, rash judgment, or violation of a secret?
11. Have I done violence to others by damage to life or limb, reputation, honor, or material possessions? Have I involved them in loss? Have I been responsible for advising an abortion or procuring one? Have I kept up hatred for others? Am I estranged from others through quarrels, enmity, insults, and anger? Have I been guilty of refusing to testify to the innocence of another because of selfishness?
12. Have I stolen the property of others? Have I desired it unjustly and inordinately? Have I damaged it? Have I made restitution of other people’s property and made good their loss?
13. If I have been injured, have I been ready to make peace for the love of Christ and to forgive, or do I harbor hatred and the desire for revenge?

III. Christ our Lord says: “Be perfect as your Father is perfect.”

1. Where is my life really leading me? Is the hope of eternal life my inspiration? Have I tried to grow in the life of the Spirit through prayer, reading the word of God and meditating on it, receiving the sacraments, self-denial? Have I been anxious to control my vices, my bad inclinations and passions, e.g., envy, love of food and drink? Have I been proud and boastful, thinking myself better in the sight of God and despising others as less important than myself? Have I imposed my own will on others, without respecting their freedom and rights?
2. What use have I made of time, of health and strength, of the gifts God has given me to used like the talents in the Gospe1? Do I use them to become more perfect each day? Or have I been lazy and too much given to leisure?
3. Have I been patient in accepting the sorrows and disappointments of life? How have I performed mortification so as to “fill up what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ”? Have I kept the precept of fasting and abstinence?
4. Have I kept my senses and my whole body pure and chaste as a temple of the Holy Spirit consecrated for resurrection and glory, and as a sign of God’s faithful love for men and women, a sign that is seen most perfectly in the sacrament of matrimony? Have I dishonored my body by fornication, impurity, unworthy conversation or thoughts, evil desires, or actions? Have I given in to sensuality? Have I indulged in reading, conversation, shows, and entertainments that offend against Christian and human decency? Have I encouraged others to sin by my own failure to maintain these standards? Have I been faithful to the moral law in my married life?
5. Have I gone against my conscience out of fear or hypocrisy?
6. Have I always tried to act in the true freedom of the children of God according to the law of the Spirit or am I the slave of forces within me?

For any questions or comments you may email Fr. Audette

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