An Examination of Conscience
Written by the Priests of the Western Dominican Province

Traditional examinations of conscience concentrate on the commandments. This is very important, but I think I would like to use a contrary approach for you. I would like to first concentrate on the virtues. I will be addressing the commandments, but mostly as applications of the virtue of justice. I do this because it accentuates positive motivations and also brings all the powers in the Christian life into play. I would like to use the definition in the Catechism of each of the virtues and then place practical questions, which the penitent might ask himself or herself about his failure in living them.

Prudence

"Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; 'the prudent man looks where he is going.' 'Keep sane and sober for your prayers.' Prudence is 'right reason in action, , writes St. Thomas Aquinas following Aristotle. It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called the auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid." CCC 1806.

When making moral choices have I failed to consult the teaching of the Church? Have I acted against my conscience in matters, which I knew to be wrong? Have I failed to do my duty in matters where my con- science taught me I had an obligation to act? Have I been lazy in discovering the truth about major moral decisions? Have I sought to just survive by tactics in a situation no matter what person I had to manipulate in- stead of looking to the truth of the matter? Have I disobeyed the teachings of the Pope and the bishops in matters of conscience, especially concerning life decisions like abortion, euthanasia, artificial insemination, masturbation, homosexuality and premarital sex?

Justice

Most of the treatment of Justice comes from the Dominican Mission Manual. published by Western Dominican Preaching.

"Justice is the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor. Justice towards God is called the 'virtue of religion.' Justice toward men disposes one to respect the rights of each and to establish in human relationships the harmony that promotes equity with regard to persons and to the common good. The just man, often mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures, is distinguished by habitual right thinking and the uprightness of his conduct toward his neighbor. 'You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.' 'Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven. ' CCC 1807.

FIRST COMMANDMENT

I am the Lord thy God Thou shalt not have strange gods before me.

Have I neglected prayer? Have I failed to make an effort at prayer to keep my mind on what I was saying? Have I gone to places of false worship? Have I consulted fortunetellers, attached undue importance to dreams, omens and the like, or been guilty of other superstitious practices? Have I misused the sacraments, been guilty of bad confessions or bad communions? Have I profaned places or things consecrated to God? Have I sinned against Faith by denying it or culpably trying to conceal it? Have I ever willfully doubted the truths of Faith or made light of the teaching authority of the Church? Have I assented to books or writings, which attacked Catholic belief or practice? Do I trouble to keep as informed in matters pertaining to my religion as I should? Have I offended against Hope by despairing of God's mercy, or failing to have confidence in the power of Divine Grace to support me in trouble or temptation? Have I murmured against the dispositions of Divine Providence? Have I rashly presumed upon God's mercy? Have I sinned against charity by entertaining rebellious thoughts against God, not just feelings or emotions, but true intellectual questioning against God?

SECOND COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

Have I made irreverent use of God's Holy Name? Have I cursed or profaned holy things in my speech? Have I provoked others to cursing or profanity? Have I taken rash or unnecessary oaths, or made false statements when under oath?

THIRD COMMANDMENT

Remember keep holy the Sabbath.

Have I, through my fault, missed Mass on Sundays or Holydays of Obligation? Have I, through carelessness, been late for Mass? Have I always made a reasonable effort to assist at Mass attentively and prayerfully? Have I engaged unnecessarily in work on Sundays or Holydays of Obligation? Have I caused others to do so?

FOURTH COMMANDMENT

Honor the father and thy mother.

(For children.) Have I shown contempt or disobedience to my parents? Have I spoken to them disrespectfully? Have I provoked them to anger or caused them grief! Have I neglected to show them affection? Have I harbored resentment or ill will against them? Have I neglected them in their necessity , or failed to do my share in helping in the household duties? Have I been disrespectful or disobedient to other lawful superiors?

(For Parents) Have I borne ill will toward my children, or been inordinately angry or impatient with them? Have I been harsh or cruel in correcting them? Have I given them bad example? Have I been allowing them to grow up in ignorance, idleness or sin? Have I taken due care with regard to their religious instruction, sending them to Catholic schools when this was possible? Have I encouraged them by work and example to prayer and to the formation of solid habits of virtue? Have I been care- less in watching over their bodily health or attending to their needs? Have I shown undue partiality to one or another of them? Have I shown them due affection? Have I allowed myself to be too possessive with them, forgetting that it is my duty as a parent to train my chil- dren to self-sufficiency rather than to expect them to re- main always dependent on me? Have I taken care, pro- portioned to my means, to see that they are trained and fitted to make their own life?

(For husbands and wives.) Am I doing my share toward making of a happy and peaceful home? Have I grieved or abused my partner in marriage? Have I been guilty of bad temper, sulking, quarrelling or nagging? Have I shown a want of gentleness or consideration in regard to my partner's faults? Have I been unreasonably jealous? Have I given cause for jealousy? Have I put any obstacles in the way of my partner's practice of religion? Do I cheerfully show marks of affection that my partner has a right to expect of me in marriage? Do I show respect for my wife or husband before the children?

FIFTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt not kill.

Under this commandment it is forbidden to take one's own life or that of another human being, to destroy the life of the unborn, or to endanger human life by negligence or carelessness. Under the same prohibitions there also fall lesser aggressions against the bodily welfare or integrity of others or us. Just as we are forbidden to kill, so also are we forbidden to maim, injure, or mutilate? Neither may we take a secondary or accessory role in the commission of such crimes by counseling, encouraging, consenting to them, or helping in any way to bring them about. Happily, however, the more violent offenses against this commandment are rare, and de- tailed points for consideration concerning them need not be included in an examination of conscience for general use. Most common violations of the fifth commandment are indirect and include all kinds of thoughts, words and deeds, willful feelings and emotions, which can dispose and incline a man to acts of violence. Hence, in coming to this commandment, the penitent can generally content himself to ask such questions as these:

Have I cooperated in euthanasia? Have I been careless in exposing myself to others to the danger with- out reasonable cause? Especially, have I been careless or taken chances while driving an automobile? Have I nourished a desire for revenge, or been quarrelsome and given to bickering? Have I shown contempt or aversion for others, or refused to treat them with courtesy and consideration? Do I harbor class, racial, or religious hatred or prejudices? Have I ignored offers of reconciliation, or refused to forgive wrongs that were done to me? Do I refuse to speak to anyone when courteously ad- dressed? Have I ridiculed or insulted others, or irritated them by my words and actions? Have I envied another's property or rejoiced at his misfortune? Have I refused to help others in their need? Have I induced others to sin by my word or example? Have I been temperate always in the use of food? Have I taken too much to drink? Have I encouraged others to drink, knowing that they would abuse it? Have I injured my health by over- indulgence in tobacco, sedatives or foods which are harmful to me, or by neglecting to take necessary rest? Have I procured, aided in or recommended an abortion? Have I used artificial contraceptive devices?

SIXTH AND NINTH COMMANDMENTS

Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Thou shalt no covet thy neighbor's wife?

Have I willfully entertained indecent thoughts, taken de- liberate pleasure in them or been negligent in repelling them when they come unbidden to mind? Have I been divorced and remarried outside the Church without benefit of annulment from the Church? Have I practiced premarital sex? Have I ever practiced acts of bestiality, homosexuality, rape, incest or pedophilia? Have I had sexual relations with a married person and encouraged them to a love affair against their due relation with their spouse? Have I demanded sexuality of my partner in a violent or unreasonable manner? Have I practiced the marital act in bestial manner? Have I refused the marital act to my spouse from mere selfishness? Have I committed masturbation? Have I purposely read newspapers and magazines or seen movies or television shows, which I had reason to know led to temptations against sexual purity? Have I desired to offend in any way against purity? Have I been unclean in my speech, or conversed with others upon immodest topics? In my association with others, have I offended in any way against decency? Have I allowed another to take any liberties or to be dangerously affectionate with me? (Note: In confessing any deed contrary to purity, one should declare briefly and without unnecessary detail what kind of action it was. Furthermore, the fact that one is married, or has allowed oneself to become involved with a married person, is significant and should be confessed.)

SEVENTH AND TENTH COMMANDMENTS

Thou shalt not steal.
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods.

Have I stolen anything or done culpable damage to the property of another? Have I in my possession any ill- gotten goods? Have I charged exorbitant prices for things which I have sold? Have I misrepresented or adulterated things, which I have sold? Have I taken un- fair advantage of the ignorance or simplicity of another in any transaction? Have I failed to return things, which I have borrowed, from others? Have I appropriated things, which I have found without taking reasonable pains to find the owner? Have I been guilty of culpable delay in paying my just debts? If I have done an injustice to anyone, have I made restitution for it -or, failing that, do I sincerely intend to make restitution as soon as I am able to do so? Have I lived up to the obligations that I have assumed by entering into contracts and agreements with others? Do I always make a reasonable and conscientious effort to do a good job at whatever I am employed to do, so that my employer always gets value received for the wages which he pays me? Have I been guilty of wasting time or otherwise neglecting my work? Have I been careful with my employer's property? In case I employ others, am I considerate in my dealings with them? Have I dismissed employees arbitrarily or without serious reason? Have I paid them an adequate and just wage and provided decent working conditions? Have I encouraged the growth of avarice in me by letting money and external goods mean too much to me? Have I allowed myself to become too preoccupied in the pursuit of wealth that I neglect my family, religious or social obligations? Am I overly elated by financial success, or unreasonably dejected when I suffer a loss?

EIGHTH COMMANDMENT

Thou shalt no bear false witness against they neighbor

Have I told lies? If so, have any of these lies been injurious to my neighbor's character, or caused him to suffer loss? Have I been guilty of detraction -that is, have I published discreditable secrets about others, even though what I told was true? Have I caused trouble by carrying stories? Have I engaged in gossipy conversations or encouraged it or listened to it with pleasure? Have I failed to defend my neighbor's character when my silence could be understood as approval of discreditable or false statements that were made against him? Have I, in my own mind, been guilty of rash judgments or groundless suspicions to the discredit of my neighbor? Have I revealed other matters about which I am bound to secrecy?
THE COMMANDMENTS OF THE CHURCH
Have I neglected, without good reason, to hear Mass on Sundays or Holydays of Obligation? Have I faithfully abstained from the use of meat on days appointed by the Church (Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent)? Have I observed the law of fasting when obliged to it? Have I confessed my mortal sins within a year? Have I gone to Holy Communion between Ash Wednesdayand Trinity Sunday? Have I contributed to the support of my pastor and to the needs of the Church according to my means? Have I violated the laws of the Church with re- gard to marriage by entering into it without due prepara- tion and instruction from my pastor, or did I attempt it before a state official or a non-Catholic minister, or without dispensation from some impediment?

Fortitude

"Fortitude is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good. It strengthens the resolve to resist temptations and to over- come obstacles in the moral life. The virtue of fortitude enables one to conquer fear, even fear of death, and to face trials and persecutions. It disposes one even to renounce and sacrifice his life in defense of a just cause.
"The Lord is my strength and my song.' 'In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have over- come the world. ", CCC 1808.

Have I failed to act according to my positive obligations to love others, to tell the truth, to implement justice in society and with others from fear of the consequences to myself? Have I been guiJty of moral cowardice by sur- rendering the truth because of fear of social reaction or of losing money, power or a position? Have I failed to be patient in trial? Have I been so guilty of perfectionism that I refused to bear patiently with the limitations of others.

Temperance

"Temperance is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the will's mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable. The temperate person directs the sensitive appetites toward what is good and maintains a healthy discretion: 'Do not follow your inclination and strength, walking according to the desires of your heart.'  Temperance is often praised in the Old Testament: 'Do not follow your base desires, but restrain your appetites.'  In the New Testament it is called 'moderation' or 'sobriety'. We ought 'to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world.' (Titus 2:12)" CCC 1809.

Have I committed the sin of gluttony by overindulging in pleasure in food and drink? Have I committed the sin of gluttony by putting undo strain on others by being too picky and demanding about my food regardless of the amount involved? Have I overindulged in drugs, alcohol or tobacco against my health? Have I been a bore to others and cast a pall over my family or living situation by failing to have a moderated sense of humor? Have I wasted time in recreational pursuits, which could and should be given to higher things? Have I failed to rest my spirit by making use of legitimate recreation? Have I been unable to let go of those things and pursuits, which rival God but give me pleasure? Have I failed to realize a realistic humility in the pursuit of my own excellence becoming too concerned about being the most successful? Have I tried to destroy others in any way because of envy at their success or strengths instead of rejoicing in their good? Have I been so concerned for sensual pleasure that I have deliberately refused to rejoice in the good and the beautiful? Have I found religious obligations an occasion of sadness of spirit? Have I been immodest in clothing? Have I sought immoderate pleasure from works of art or the media which encouraged manipulation of others pure]y for the sake of pleasure?