“The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. - St. Augustine”

The Traditional Examen - Introduction, from the 1962 Roman Missal:

Begin by examining yourself from your last confession and Communion: Whether a grievous sin was forgotten through want of proper examination; concealed or disguised through shame. Whether you confessed without a true sorrow, a firm purpose of amendment and of repairing the evil done to your neighbor.

See whether you received Holy Communion without devotion, or neglected to offer a proper thanksgiving. Whether the penance was performed without voluntary distractions. Whether you have neglected your confessor's counsel, and fallen at once into habitual sins. Whether you have renounced all affection to mortal sin, or remained long in sin without eliciting acts of contrition and returning to confession. Then examine yourself on the ten Commandments; the Precepts and Commandments of the Church; the Seven Capital Sins; the duties of your state in life; and your one ruling passion.

Calmly recollect the different occasions of sin which have fallen in your way, or to which your state and condition in life expose you; the places you have frequented; the persons you have associated with, etc. Do not neglect to consider the circumstances which alter the grievousness of the sin, nor the various ways in which we become accessory to the sins of others. The following short table will help you in your examination. Many chose to use a pen and paper to keep track so that their confession is as thorough as possible.

Reflect on your life since your last confession.

How have you—in your thoughts, words, and actions—

  • neglected to live Christ’s commands to “love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind,” and to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt 22:37, 39)?

  • broken or disregarded the Ten Commandments,

    First Commandment: Have You doubted in matters of faith? Murmured against God at your adversity or at the prosperity of others? Despaired of His mercy? Believed in fortune-tellers, superstition, astrology, or the occult, or consulted them? Gone to places of worship belonging to other denominations? Not recommended yourself daily to God?

    Second Commandment: Taken the name of God in vain? Spoken irreverently of holy things, or profaned anything relating to religion? Sworn falsely, rashly, or in slight and trivial matters? Cursed yourself, or others, or any creature? Angered others so far as to make them swear, or blaspheme God?

    Third Commandment: Have you kept holy the Lord's Day, and all other days commanded to be kept holy?- Bought or sold things, not of necessity, on that day? Done of commanded some servile work not of necessity? Missed Mass or been willfully distracted during Mass? Talked, gazed, or laughed in church?- Profaned the day by dancing, drinking, gambling, etc?

    Fourth Commandment: Have you honored your parents, superiors, masters, according to your just duty? Deceived them, disobeyed them? Failed in due reverence to aged persons?

    Fifth Commandment: Procured, desired, or hastened the death of anyone? Borne hatred; oppressed anyone; desired revenge; not forgiven; refused to speak to others; used provoking language; threatened of struck others not under your charge; made others fall out?

    Sixth & Ninth Commandments: Have you been guilty of lascivious dressing or make-up; lewd company; have you read immodest books or viewed pornographic materials; been guilty of unchaste songs, discourses, words, looks, or actions with yourself or others? Willfully entertained impure thoughts or desires?
    Seventh Commandment: Stealing; deceit in gaming, reckoning, buying or selling, in wares, prices, weights or measures; bought of such as could not sell; willfully damaged another man's goods, or negligently spoiled them; run into debt care-lessly, beyond your power of payment?

    Eigth Commandment: Borne false witness, called injurious names; revealed another's sins; flattered yourself or others; opened the letters of others; judged rashly; falsely suspected?

    Ninth Commandment: Coveted unjustly anything that belongs to another?
    [ see: Ex 20:2-17; Dt 5:6-21; Mt 5:3-10;
    or Lk 6:20-26 ].

  • failed to perform with true charity Corporal Works of Mercy, and/or Spiritual Works of Mercy,

    Corporal Work:s
    Feed the Hungry
    Give Drink to the Thirsty
    Shelter the Homeless
    Visit the Sick
    Visit the Prisoners
    Bury the Dead
    Give Alms to the Poor

    Spiritual Works:
    Counsel the Doubtful
    Instruct the Ignorant
    Admonish the Sinner
    Comfort the Sorrowful
    Forgive Injuries
    Bear Wrongs Patiently
    Pray for the Living and the Dead

  • Committed any Mortal sins, such as

  • Irreligion: Offense against God

  • Superstition and divination: Unlawful occult practices

  • Atheism and agnosticism: Denial or doubt of God

  • False oath and perjury: Lying under God’s name

  • Missing Mass on Sundays: Neglect of worship

  • Disobedience to parents: Rebellion against authority

  • Negligence in education: Failure to form children

  • Adultery and divorce: Betrayal of marriage

  • Masturbation and fornication: Misuse of sexuality

  • Theft and fraud: Taking of others’ goods

  • Corruption and speculation: Manipulation of justice

  • Slavery and greed: Oppression of others’ dignity

  • Lying and calumny: Falsehood against neighbor

  • Detraction and rash judgment: Unjust disclosure of faults

  • Coveting neighbor’s wife: Disordered desire of spouse

  • Coveting neighbor’s goods: Disordered desire of wealth

  • Abortion: Termination of pregnancy

  • Euthanasia: Assisted suicide

  • Blasphemy: Speaking sacrilegiously about God

  • Sacrilege: Violation of sacred things

  • Murder: Taking of innocent life

  • Hatred: Deliberate desire to harm another

  • Prostitution: Engaging in or supporting prostitution

  • Sexual relations outside marriage: Fornication

  • Drug use and trafficking: Illegal drug activities

  • Excessive gambling: Unfair wagers and cheating at games

  • Envy: Sadness at another’s good fortune

  • Pride: Excessive belief in one’s abilities

  • Gluttony: Overindulgence in food or drink

  • Sloth: Laziness or failure to act

  • Wrath: Extreme anger

  • Lust: Intense or uncontrolled desire

  • Greed: Excessive desire for material wealth.

  • or have you ignored or fallen short of any of the ideals taught in the Catechism of the Catholic Church?

The Seven Deadly Sins and their Daughters

(Which of these apply to your recent thoughts and behavior?

P – PRIDE

  • Disobedience

  • Boastfulness

  • Hypocrisy

  • Contention

  • Obstinacy

  • Discord

  • Love of Novelties

A – ANGER

  • Indignation

  • Swelling of the Mind

  • Clamor (raising of the voice)

  • Blasphemy

  • Name Calling

  • Quarrels

L – LUST

  • Blindness of Mind

  • Thoughtlessness

  • Inconstancy

  • Impulsiveness

  • Self-Love

  • Hatred of God

  • Love of this World

  • Contempt for the Future World

E – ENVY

  • Hatred

  • Tale-Bearing

  • Detraction

  • Joy at our Neighbors Misfortune (Schadenfreude)

  • Grief of Others Prosperity (Intellectual, Cultural, Social, Spiritual, Financial, Biological, Experiential, Material)

G – GLUTTONY

  • Unseemly Joy

  • Vulgarity

  • Uncleanness

  • Loquaciousness (talking too much)

  • Dullness of mind as it regards understanding

A – AVARICE (coveting)

  • Treachery

  • Fraud

  • Falsehood

  • Perjury

  • Restlessness

  • Violence

  • Insensibility for Mercy

S – SLOTH / ACEDIA (aversion of hard work, spiritual discipline)

  • Malice

  • Spite

  • Faint-heartedness

  • Despair

  • Sluggishness in Regard to the 10 Commandments

  • Wandering of the mind after unlawful things

After the Examination

Having discovered and noted the different sorts of sins of which you have been guilty, together with their number, enormity, or such circumstances as may considerably increase their malice, or change their nature, before you enter the confessional, you should endeavor to excite in your breast a heartfelt sorrow for having committed them, and a sincere detestation of them.

This should not be hard to do because it is our very sins that are the lashes of the whip upon the back of Christ. Think ‘It is MY sin that thrusts the crown of thorns upon your head, drives the nails into your feet and hands, and pierces your side like a lance. Lord, it is I who have scourged you, raised you upon the cross and crucified you. Forgive me.’

This being the most essential of all the dispositions requisite for a good confession, with what humility, fervor, and perseverance should you not importune Him who holds the hearts of men in His hands to grant it to you?

Now, when the confessional is available, you are ready to enter. Until then, sit in silent contemplation of your sins and the Mercy of Jesus Christ through his sacrifice on the cross and/or pray Psalm 51 (Click here). [ you will be directed to the confessional rubrics page at the end of the Psalm ]



Reflection:

For the most meaningful confession, the penitent is reminded that the priest, while performing this sacrament, is acting in persona cristi. In other words, the penitent is confessing his sins not merely to a man, but directly to the Lord Jesus Christ acting in and through the physicality of the priest.