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 THE 10 COMMANDMENTS - A DETAILED CATHOLIC EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE

From online sources 

A good Catholic examination of conscience can be a great help in making a new start in the life of faith. We use an examination of conscience to help call to mind our sins and failings during a period of quiet reflection before approaching the priest in Confession.

It's important for a good Catholic examination of conscience to be thorough. This will help you learn about things that you may not be aware of. It's also a chance to develop your conscience. This is a critical aid for the beginning Catholic.

To make an examination:

1 - Set aside some quiet time for reflection.

2 - Start by praying to the Holy Spirit, asking for help in making a good examination to prepare for Confession.

3 Read through the items on this list and honestly reflect on your behavior for each item.

4 - If necessary, take this list or some brief notes (keep them private!) to Confession to help you remember things.

A Catholic examination of conscience traditionally follows the outline of the Ten Commandments

(I) - “I AM THE LORD, YOUR GOD. YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GOD BESIDES ME.”

1 - Have I doubted or denied God’s existence?

2 - Have I been ungrateful to God for His benefits?

3 - Am I open to God’s will?

4 - Do I rely solely on myself and not on God?

5 - Have I abandoned the Catholic Faith? Formally left the Catholic Church?

6 - Have I joined a non-Catholic church or anti-Catholic group or practiced another religion or joined a group forbidden to Catholics (Masons, communists, etc.)?

7 - Have I refused to believe any truths of the Faith or any teachings of the Church?

8 - Did I fail to profess or defend the Faith?

9 - Have I failed to go to confession at least once a year?

10 - Have I been faithful to my daily prayers?

11 - Have I practiced any superstitions? Engaged in superstitious practices?(Including horoscopes,fortune tellers, etc.). Been involved in the occult? (Seances, ouija board, worship of  Satan, etc.)

12 - Am I unwilling to turn away from everything that is opposed to God’s work in my soul. 

13 - Disobeyed the commandments of God or the Church?

14 - Refused to accept what God has revealed as true ?

15 - Nourished and protected my faith?

16 - Rejected everything opposed to a sound faith?

17 - Deliberately misled others about doctrine or the faith?

18 - Despaired about my salvation or the forgiveness of my sins?

19 - Presumed on God's mercy? (Committing a sin in expectation of forgiveness, or asking for forgiveness without conversion and practicing virtue.)

20 - Loved someone or something more than God (money, power, sex, ambition,etc.)?

21 - Let someone or something influence my choices more than God?

22 - Hidden a serious sin or told a lie in confession?

(II) - “YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD, YOUR GOD, IN VAIN.”

1 - Have I taken the Lord’s name in vain, for example, carelessly, in anger, or surprise?

2 - Do I speak irreverently of holy persons, places or things?

3 - Have I cursed myself or others?

4 - Did I use profanity, vulgar, suggestive or obscene speech ?

5 - Have I called down evil upon anyone or anything?

6 - Did I get angry with God and blamed God for my failings?

7 - Have I angered others so as to make them curse?

8 - Have I broken or failed to keep a vow made to God?

9 - Have I murmured or complained about God?

10 - Used the name of God in cursing or blasphemy?

11 - Spoken about the Faith, the Church, the saints, or sacred things  with irreverence,hatred or defiance?

12 - Watched television or movies, or listened to music that treated God, the Church,the saints, or sacred things irreverently?

13 - Belittled others in my speech?

14 - Behaved disrespectfully in Church?

15 - Misused places or things set apart for the worship of God?

16 - Committed perjury? (Breaking an oath or lying under oath.)

(III) - “REMEMBER THE SABBATH DAY, TO KEEP IT HOLY.”

1 - Set time aside each day for personal prayer to God?

2 - Missed Mass on Sunday or Holy Days of Obligation (through own fault without sufficient reason)?

3 - Committed a sacrilege against the Blessed Sacrament?

4 - Received a sacrament while in the state of mortal sin? 

5 - Habitually come late to and/or leave early from Mass without a good reason?

6 - Shop, labor, or do business unnecessarily on Sunday or other Holy Days of Obligation?

7 - Not attend to taking my children to Mass?

8 - Knowingly eat meat on a forbidden day (or not fasting on a fast day)?

9 - Eat or drink within one hour of receiving Communion (other than medical need)?

10 - Have I been irreverent while receiving the Most Blessed Sacrament?

11 - Have I been willfully distracted during Mass?

12 - Do I distract others during Mass?

(IV) - “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER.”

1 - (If still under my parents' care) Obeyed all that my parents reasonably asked of me?

2 - Neglected the needs of my parents in their old age or in their  time of need?

3 - (If still in school) Obeyed the reasonable demands of my teachers?

4 - Neglected to give my children proper food, clothing, shelter, education, discipline and care (even after Confirmation)?

5 - Provided for the religious education and formation of my children for as long as they are under my care?

6 - Ensured that my children still under my care regularly frequent  the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion?

7 - Educated my children in a way that corresponds to my religious convictions?

8 - Provided my children with a positive, prudent and personalized education in the Catholic teaching on human sexuality?

9 - Been to my children a good example of how to live the Catholic Faith?

10 - Prayed with and for my children?

11 - Lived in humble obedience to those who legitimately exercise authority over me?

12 - Have I broken the law in regards towards the elderly ?

13 - Have I supported or voted for a politician whose positions are opposed to the teachings of Christ and the Catholic Church?

14 - Have I disobeyed, insulted, or shown disrespect to my parents or legitimate superiors?

15 -  Did I neglect my duties to my husband, wife, children or parents?

16 - Did I neglect to give a good religious example to my family?

17 - Am I disrespectful, impolite, or discourteous toward my family?

18 - Have I failed to meet my children’s physical, spiritual, emotional, and educational needs?

19 - Have I disobeyed the lawful demands of my superiors, teachers, or employer?

20 - Did I fail to actively take an interest in the religious education and formation of my children?

21 - Did I cause tension and fights in my family?

22 - Did I care for my aged and infirm relatives?

(V) - “YOU SHALL NOT MURDER"

1 - Unjustly and intentionally killed a human being?

2 - Been involved in an abortion, directly or indirectly ( through advice, etc.)?

3 - Have I entertained thoughts of suicide, desired to commit suicide, or attempted suicide?

4 - Supported, promoted or encouraged the practice of assisted suicide or mercy killing?

5 - Deliberately desired to kill an innocent human being?

6 - Unjustly inflicted bodily harm an another person?

7 - Unjustly threatened another person with bodily harm?

8 - Verbally or emotionally abused another person?

9 - Hated another person, or wished him evil?

10 - Been prejudiced, or unjustly discriminated against others because of their race, color, nationality, sex or religion?

11 - Joined a hate group?

12 - Purposely provoked another by teasing or nagging? Have I spread gloom through my words and actions?

13 - Recklessly endangered my life or health, or that of another, by my actions?

14 - Driven recklessly or under the influence of alcohol or other drugs?

15 - Abused alcohol tobacco or other drugs?

16 - Sold or given drugs to others to use for non-therapeutic  purposes?

17 - Over-eaten?

18 - Encouraged others to sin by giving scandal? Have I led others into sin

19 - Helped another to commit a mortal sin (through advice, them somewhere, etc.?) 

20 - Caused serious injury or death by criminal neglect?

21 - Indulged in serious anger?

22 - Refused to control my temper?

23 - Been mean to, quarreled with, or willfully hurt someone? Have I used harsh or abusive language toward others?

24 - Been unforgiving to others, when mercy or pardon was requested? Is there anyone with whom I refuse to speak, or against whom I bear a grudge?

25 - Sought revenge or hoped something bad would happen to someone? Do I deliberately harbor unkind and revengeful thoughts about others? Have I taken revenge?

26 - Delighted to see someone else get hurt or suffer? Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortunes?

27 - Treated animals cruelly, causing them to suffer or die  needlessly?

28 - Used artificial contraception or birth control?

29 - Have I failed to help someone in danger or in need?

30 - Have I wished evil on anyone?

(VI) - “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY” 

1 - Practiced the virtue of chastity?

2 - Given in to lust? (The desire for sexual pleasure unrelated to spousal love in marriage.)

3 - Used an artificial means of birth control?

4 - Refused to be open to conception, without just cause? (Catechism,  2368)

5 - Participated in immoral techniques for in vitro fertilization or  artificial insemination?

6 - Sterilized my sex organs for contraceptive purposes?

7 - Deprived my spouse of the marital right, without just cause?

8 - Claimed my own marital right without concern for my spouse?

9 - Deliberately caused male climax outside of normal sexual  intercourse? (Catechism, 2366)

10 - Willfully entertained impure thoughts?

11 - Purchased, viewed, or made use of pornography?

12 - Watched movies and television that involve sex and nudity?

13 - Listened to music or jokes that are harmful to purity?

14 - Committed adultery? (Sexual relations with someone who is married, or with someone other than my spouse.)

15 - Committed incest? (Sexual relations with a relative or in-law.)

16 - Committed fornication? (Sexual relations with someone of the opposite sex when neither of us is married.)

17 - Engaged in homosexual activity? (Sexual activity with someone of the same sex.)

18 - Committed rape?

19 - Masturbated? (Deliberate stimulation of one's own sexual organs for sexual pleasure.)

19 - Engaged in sexual foreplay (petting) reserved for marriage?

20 - Preyed upon children or youth for my sexual pleasure?

21 - Engaged in unnatural sexual activities?

22 - Engaged in prostitution, or paid for the services of a Prostitute?

23 - Seduced someone, or allowed myself to be seduced?

24 - Made uninvited and unwelcome sexual advances toward another?

25 - Purposely dressed immodestly?

(VII) - “YOU SHALL NOT STEAL.”

1-  Stolen? (Take something that doesn't belong to me against the reasonable will of the owner.) Have I accepted or bought stolen property?

2 - Envied others on account of their possessions?

3 - Tried to live in a spirit of Gospel poverty and simplicity?

4 - Given generously to others in need?

5 - Considered that God has provided me with money so that I might use it to benefit others, as well as for my own legitimate needs?

6 - Freed myself from a consumer mentality?

7 - Practiced the works of mercy? Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent need?

8 - Deliberately defaced, destroyed or lost another's property?

9 - Cheated on a test, taxes, sports, games, or in business? Am I dishonest in my business dealings?

10 - Squandered money in compulsive gambling?

11 - Make a false claim to an insurance company?

12 - Paid my employees a living wage, or failed to give a full day's  work for a full day's pay? Have I cheated my employees of their wages?

13 - Failed to honor my part of a contract? Have I cheated my employer of an honest day’s work?

14 - Failed to make good on a debt?

15 - Overcharge someone, especially to take advantage of another's  hardship or ignorance?

16 - Misused natural resources.

17 - Have I failed to make restitution for what I stole.

18 - Have I helped someone steal?

19 - Have I borrowed without permission? Have I failed to return things borrowed?

(VIII) “YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGBOR.”

1 - Have I lied deliberately?

2 - Have I deliberately misled or deceived anyone?

3 - Perjured myself under oath?

4 - Did I gossip or reveal others’ faults or sins?

5 - Committed detraction? (Destroying a person's reputation by telling others about his faults for no good reason.)

6 - Committed slander or calumny? (Telling lies about another person in order to destroy his reputation.)

7 - Committed libel? (Writing lies about another person in order to  destroy his reputation.)

8 - Been guilty of rash judgment? (Assuming the worst of another person based on circumstantial evidence.)

9 - Failed to make reparation for a lie I told, or for harm done to a  person's reputation?

10 - Failed to speak out in defense of the Catholic Faith, the Church, or of another person? Have I failed to prevent the defamation of another’s character?

11 - Betrayed another's confidence through speech?

12 - Have I failed to keep promises or oaths?

13 - Have I signed false documents?

14 - Have I failed to keep promises or oaths?

15 - Have I revealed secrets and betrayed trust?

16 - Have a failed to forgive someone or held a grudge?

17 - Did I fail to keep secret what should be confidential?

18 - Have I disclosed another’s sins without serious reason?

(IX) “YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR'S WIFE”

1 - Did I commit impure acts with another – fornication (premarital sex) or adultery (sex with a married person)?

2 - Did I commit impure acts by myself (masturbation)?

3 - Do I engage in homosexual acts?

4 - Have I refused my spouse the marriage right without good reason?

5 - Am I dating someone who is civilly divorced but still bound by a valid marriage?

6 - Did I marry or advise anyone to marry outside the Catholic Church?

7 - Have I willfully entertained impure thoughts or desires?

8 - Did I respect all members of the opposite sex, or have I objectified them?

9 - Have I read, listened to, viewed, or spoken of impure things?

10 - Have I worn revealing or immodest clothing?

11 - Have I succumbed occasions of impurity?

(X) “YOU SHALL NOT COVET YOUR NEIGHBOR'S GOODS”

1 - Am I greedy or selfish?

2 - Am I envious of someone’s possessions, talents, or blessings?

3 - Do I indulge in self-pity?

4 - Am I proud, vain, or desire to be praised?

5 - Have I exaggerated my success?

6 - Have I minimized or made excuses for my failures?

7 - Have I measured my charity by what others have given, rather than my ability to give?