The Ultimate Catholic Examination of Conscience for Adults

An examination of conscience should not be an exercise in scrupulosity (obsessive guilt) or simply a list of failures. It should be a conversation with the Holy Spirit, rooted in the desire to grow in holiness and virtue and be set free from sinful patterns in our lives.

1. Find Silence: Turn off your phone and find a quiet space, ideally before the Blessed Sacrament or a crucifix.
2. Invoke the Spirit: Pray: “Come, Holy Spirit, give me the light to see my sins as You see them, the courage to confess them, and the grace to amend my life.” Read more prayers of preparation.
3. The Standard of Truth: We examine our lives against the Ten Commandments, which serve as the “guardrails” of the Christian life.

First Commandment: I am the Lord your God: You shall not have strange gods before me.

Prayerfully reflect on these questions...

• Have I neglected my relationship with God, treating prayer as a “last resort” rather than a daily necessity?
• Have I practiced a “pick-and-choose” Catholicism, willfully rejecting or ignoring Church teachings that I find difficult or inconvenient?
• Have I sought security in money, insurance, or investments more than in God’s Providence?
• Have I given in to despair, doubting God’s mercy or His ability to help me in my trials?
• Have I engaged in superstitious practices (horoscopes, tarot, New Age “energies”) or engaged in the occult?
• Have I sought "hidden knowledge" through astrology, tarot, or mediums, suggesting that God’s guidance is not enough for me?
• Going Deeper: Have I made an “idol” of my own opinion, refusing to be humble or teachable when it comes to spiritual truth?
• Going Deeper: Have I engaged in “spiritual pride,” looking down on others who are less devout or who struggle with different sins than I do?
• Going Deeper: Have I attempted to "force God's hand" by treating prayers or religious objects as magical charms rather than trusting in His will?
• Going Deeper: Have I made an idol of digital validation, sacrificing my time and peace of mind to "likes" and social media scrolls?

Struggling with this area? Learn how to practice the specific remedies and virtues for this commandment in our detailed guide on the First Commandment.

Second Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Prayerfully reflect on these questions...

• Have I used the Holy Name of Jesus as a curse word or in anger?
• Have I treated the Holy Name as a "casual linguistic accessory," using it as a filler word or an exclamation of annoyance?
• Have I sworn in God’s name to “verify” a lie?
• Have I made promises or oaths I did not intend to keep?
• Have I made light of holy things, the Sacraments, or the Saints in my jokes or conversations?
• Have I complained bitterly against God, essentially “cursing” the life He has given me?
• Have I been embarrassed to be known as a Catholic in my professional or social circles?
• Going Deeper: Have I failed to keep a vow or a resolution I made to God in a time of crisis?
• Going Deeper: Have I remained silent when God’s name was being mocked or blasphemed in my presence out of fear of social awkwardness?
• Going Deeper: Have I failed to make reparation (such as a quick internal prayer) when I heard God's name being blasphemed in public or media?
• Going Deeper: Have I neglected the private vows or resolutions I made to God in prayer?

Struggling with this area? Learn how to practice the specific remedies and virtues for this commandment in our detailed guide on the Second Commandment.

Third Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

Prayerfully reflect on these questions...

• Have I missed Mass on a Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation without a serious reason (like illness or caring for the sick)?
• Have I performed unnecessary "servile work" that, while not my main job, inhibited the relaxation of my mind and body?
• Have I arrived late to Mass or left early without a good reason?
• Have I participated in Mass with a distracted heart, failing to truly worship?
• Going Deeper: Have I allowed Sunday to become “just another day” for chores, shopping, or catching up on work instead of a day for family, rest, and works of mercy?
• Going Deeper: Have I made it difficult for my spouse, children, or employees to observe the Sunday rest?
• Going Deeper: Have I practiced "Catholic Rest" by intentionally setting aside time for spiritual reading or family connection?

Struggling with this area? Learn how to practice the specific remedies and virtues for this commandment in our detailed guide on the Third Commandment.

Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother.

Prayerfully reflect on these questions...

• Have I been resentful or dismissive of my parents’ advice or needs?
• Have I failed to pray for my parents, living or deceased?
• If my parents are elderly, have I neglected their material or spiritual needs?
• Have I caused division or unnecessary drama within my extended family?
• Have I respected the liberty and vocation of my children, or have I pressured them into a specific career or path for my own vanity?
• Going Deeper: As a parent, have I neglected the spiritual education of my children, leaving it entirely to the school or the parish?
• Going Deeper: Have I failed to show respect for my employer, or have I spoken ill of those in civil authority without seeking to improve the situation through prayer or just action?
• Going Deeper: Have I failed to provide not just material support, but "emotional presence" to my elderly parents, leaving them to loneliness?

Struggling with this area? Learn how to practice the specific remedies and virtues for this commandment in our detailed guide on the Fourth Commandment.

Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill.

Prayerfully reflect on these questions...

• Have I harbored “mental murder” (wishing someone were dead or out of my life)?
• Have I harbored a desire for revenge or nursed a grudge against someone?
• Have I been impatient, irritable, or prone to “road rage”?
• Have I cooperated in the sin of another by encouraging them to do wrong or by remaining silent when I should have spoken up?
• Have I hurt another’s reputation by gossip or slander?
• Have I participated in or supported abortion, euthanasia, or assisted suicide?
• Have I failed to practice temperance, overindulging in food, alcohol, or tobacco to the point of damaging the "Temple of the Holy Spirit"?
• Going Deeper: Have I practiced “self-hatred,” refusing to forgive myself for sins that God has already forgiven?
• Going Deeper: Have I neglected my body through lack of sleep, poor nutrition, or excessive use of alcohol or medication?
• Going Deeper: Have I been indifferent to the suffering of the vulnerable, such as the unborn or the poor?

Struggling with this area? Learn how to practice the specific remedies and virtues for this commandment in our detailed guide on the Fifth Commandment.

Sixth & Ninth Commandments: You shall not commit adultery / You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

Prayerfully reflect on these questions...

• Have I willfully entertained impure thoughts or “daydreamed” about someone other than my spouse?
• Have I been “curious” about things I shouldn’t be, seeking out suggestive media or “soft” pornography?
• Have I dressed or acted immodestly to attract the disordered attention of others?
• Have I engaged in “locker room talk,” crude jokes, or immodest conversations?
• Have I viewed pornography or engaged in intimacy outside of the Sacrament of Matrimony?
• Going Deeper: Have I engaged in “emotional infidelity”—forming an intimate emotional bond with someone else that belongs only to my spouse?
• Going Deeper: Have I used “contraceptive” thinking in my marriage, closing our love off from the gift of life?
• Going Deeper: Have I practiced "Custody of the Senses," intentionally looking away from images or entertainment that I know trigger lust?
• Going Deeper: Have I failed to turn to God immediately in prayer when I felt the "gravitational pull" of concupiscence (the inclination to sin)?

Struggling with this area? Learn how to practice the specific remedies and virtues for this commandment in our detailed guides on the Sixth Commandment and the Ninth Commandment.

Seventh & Tenth Commandments: You shall not steal / You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

Prayerfully reflect on these questions...

• Have I been “stingy” with my resources, failing to give a just portion of my income to the Church or the poor?
• Have I intentionally stolen or taken something that doesn’t belong to me?
• Have I wasted time at work, essentially stealing wages from my employer?
• Have I neglected to return “borrowed” items or “found” property?
• Have I participated in "Digital Piracy" by illegally downloading movies, music, or software?
• Have I allowed Envy (sadness at another’s good fortune) to take root in my heart?
• Have I wished for the failure of others so that I could profit from it?
• Going Deeper: Have I allowed the “desire for more” to rob me of my peace and my ability to be present to my family?
• Going Deeper: Have I been envious of the spiritual gifts or talents of others, resenting God for not giving me what they have?
• Going Deeper: Have I failed to use my surplus goods to serve those in need?

Struggling with this area? Learn how to practice the specific remedies and virtues for this commandment in our detailed guides on the Seventh Commandment and the Tenth Commandment.

Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Prayerfully reflect on these questions...

• Have I told “half-truths” to manipulate someone’s perception of a situation?
• Have I lied to protect my ego or to get ahead?
• Have I been “double-tongued,” saying one thing to someone’s face and another behind their back?
• Have I shared someone else’s true faults with others who had no right to know?
• Have I spread lies or unverified rumors about another person?
• Have I participated in “internet outrage,” sharing stories about people without verifying if they are true?
• Going Deeper: Have I failed to defend someone whose reputation was being attacked in my presence?
• Going Deeper: Have I engaged in Adulation (insincere flattery) to manipulate someone or to confirm them in their vices?
• Going Deeper: Have I fulfilled the Duty of Reparation by publicly correcting a lie I told or by speaking well of someone I maligned?

Struggling with this area? Learn how to practice the specific remedies and virtues for this commandment in our detailed guide on the Eighth Commandment.

The “Sins of Omission” (The “Failed to Do”)

Often, we focus only on the “bad things” we did. But an adult examination of conscience must also look at the good we failed to do:

• Thoughts: Have I failed to trust in God’s plan during a time of suffering?
• Thoughts: Have I failed to spend time in prayer, study, or other practices that strengthen faith?
• Words: Have I failed to speak words of encouragement to someone who was clearly struggling?
• Words: Have I failed to defend the Faith when it was mocked?
• Deeds: Have I failed to perform the Corporal Works of Mercy (feeding the hungry, visiting the sick) when the opportunity arose?
• Deeds: Have I failed to be a “Good Samaritan” because I was too busy or “too important” to stop and help?

Resources for Confession

• The Guide: How to Go to Confession
• Preparation: 5 Prayers to Pray before Confession
• The Prayer: The Act of Contrition Resource