18
CONFESSION:
EXAMINE CONSCIENCE
In My DUTIES to GOD
Neglecting Morning or Evening Prayers /
Superstitious practices / Consulting fortunetellers
/ Receiving Sacraments sacrilegiously /
Against FAITH by willful doubts concerning
any article of the Creed / or by reading or
circulating irreligious books. / Against HOPE
by despair, murmuring or presuming on
God’s Mercy / Against CHARITY by
willful rebellious thoughts against God
or HIS Law, or by omitting good works
through fear of others.
Irreverence towards God, His Name, His
Church / Cursing or swearing / False,
unlawful and unnecessary oaths / Breaking
lawful vows / Neglecting Mass on Sundays
and holydays, or performing unrequired
servile work.
In My DUTIES to My NEIGHBOR
Insulting or neglecting parents / Failing to
send children to religious schools when
possible / Bad example / Neglecting home,
trade, professional civil service duties /
Ignoring the Spiritual and Corporal Works
of Mercy / Any violent act / Causing hard
feeling / Revenge / Refusing reconciliation /
Inducing others to sin / Stealing (what value
or damage?) / Possession of ill-gotten goods /
Cheating / Culpable delay in paying lawful
debts / Lying / Perjury / Fraud / Slander,
detraction or rash judgments / Failure to
support my Church / Also examine your
conscience according to Works of Mercy.
In RELATION to MYSELF
Obstinacy / Sloth / Desiring or yielding to
sensuality, impurity, gluttony, drunkenness
/ Rage, envy, impatience, jealousy /
Failure to fast or abstain / Failure to make
my Easter Duty / Waste of time, money or
talents.
ACT of CONTRITION
O MY GOD, I am heartily sorry for having
offended Thee, and I detest all my
sins, because I dread the loss of Heaven
and the pains of Hell, but most of all
because I have offended Thee, my God,
Who art all-good and deserving of all
my love. I firmly resolve, with the help
of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do
penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
Act of PERFECT CONTRITION
O MY GOD, I am heartily sorry and beg
pardon for all my sins NOT SO MUCH
because these sins bring suffering and
Hell to me, but because they have
crucified my loving Savior Jesus Christ
and offended Thy Infinite Goodness.
I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy
grace, to confess my sins, to do penance
and to amend my life. Amen.
(Or as ejaculation say frequently)
O MY GOD, I am sorry for having
offended Thee, because I love Thee.
† Perfect Contrition becomes easy by
meditating on a Crucifix: “Who” is
suffering? “What” is He suffering?
“Why?” To be sorry in one’s feelings
is not necessary; it is sufficient if
the will turns from sin to the love
of God.