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Luke. 7:47 “I tell you, then, the great love she has shown proves that her many sins have been forgiven. But, whoever has been forgiven little shows only a little love” . This is the basic underlying secret of the forgiveness of sins, Isaiah 1: 18 “The Lord says” now, let us settle the matter, you once stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your sins are deep red, you will be as white as wool. Jeremiah 31: 34 “None of them will have to teach his fellow countrymen to know the Lord, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and I no longer remember their wrongs. I the Lord has spoken.” Through the pure and perfect sacrifice of God’s only Son, God forgives us our sins that we may love Him more. All your stains of sin will be wiped away, depending upon the depth of your love for your God.

 

Through the participation of the sacrament of Reconciliation, you were trying to understand the Holy will of God. Your love for God should lead you for true reconciliation. Confession once a month . How should this love be? (Mathew 13: 44). To love God is to find and embrace Him as your greatest possession. Then, only then God will have the first place in your life. Hence when you focus your eyes on Jesus your obstacles will be removed, you can gain victory in your life. 

 

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE AND CATHOLIC DOCTRINE 

 

The Ten Commandments 

1. I am the Lord Thy God. Thou shall not have strange gods before me. 
2. Thou shall not take the Name of the Lord thy God in Vain. 
3. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. 
4. Honor thy father and thy mother. 
5. Thou shall not kill. 
6. Thou shall not commit adultery. 
7. Thou shall not steal. 
8. Thou shall not bear false witness. 
9. Thou shall not covert thy neighbor’s wife. 
10.Thou shall not covert thy neighbor’s goods.   

 

The Two Greatest Commandments 

1.You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your heart. 
2.You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 

 

The Precepts of the church 

1.You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on 
2.Holy Days of Obligation and rest from servile labor. 
3.You shall confess your sins at least once a year. 
4.You shall receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter Season. 
5.You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church 
6.You shall help to provide for the needs of the church. 

 

Prayer before Confession 

Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten my mind that I may clearly know my sins. Move my heart that I may be sincerely sorry for them, honestly confess them and firmly resolve to amend my life. Spirit of Wisdom, grant me to see the malice of sin and my ingratitude towards You, the all-loving God. Spirit of Fortitude, help me to make whatever sacrifice is needed to avoid sin in the future. Amen 

 

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE 

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  • Did I deny or doubt God’s existence? 

  • Did I refuse to believe God’s revelation? 

  • Did I believe in horoscopes, fortune telling, dreams, good luck charms or reincarnation? 

  • Did I deny I was a Catholic? 

  • Did I abandon the Catholic Faith? 

  • Did I despair of or presume of God’s mercy? 

  • Did I neglect prayer for a long time? 

  • Did I fail to pray daily? 

  • Did I blaspheme God or take God’s Name in vain, curse or break an oath or vow? 

  • Did I miss mass on a Sunday or on a Holy Day of Obligation through my own fault? 

  • Am I always reverent in the presence of the Most Blessed Sacrament? 

  • Was I inattentive at Mass? 

  • Did I arrive at Mass late? 

  • Did I leave Mass early? 

  • Did I do unnecessary servile work on Sunday? 

  • Did I disobey or disrespect my parents or legitimate superiors? 

  • Did I neglect my duties to my Husband, Wife, children or parents? 

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

  • Have I failed to educate myself concerning the teachings of the church? 

  • Did I give a full day’s work in return for a full day’s pay? 

  • Did I give scandal by what I said or did, especially to the young? 

  • Was I the cause of anyone abandoning the Catholic Faith? 

  • Did I give a fair wage to my employee(s)? 

  • Was I impatient, angry, envious, unkind, proud, jealous, revengeful, hateful toward others or lazy? 

  • Did I give bad example, abuse drugs, drink alcohol to excess, fight or quarrel? 

  • Did I physically injure or kill anyone? 

  • Have I had or advised anyone to have an abortion? 

  • Did I participate in or approve of the grave evil known as “mercy killing” or euthanasia? 

  • Did I attempt suicide? 

  • Did I willfully entertain impure thoughts and desires? 

  • Did I dress immodestly? 

  • Did I use impure stories or listen to them? 

  • Did I deliberately read impure material? 

  • Did I perform impure acts by myself (masturbation) or with another (adultery, fornication or sodomy)? 

  • Did I marry or advice another to marry outside of the church? 

  • Did I abuse my marriage rights? 

  • Was I unfaithful to my marriage vows? 

  • Have I kept company with someone else’s spouse? 

  • Did I practice artificial birth control or was I or my spouse permanently sterilized (tubal ligation or vasectomy)? 

  • Did I steal, cheat, help of encourage others to steal or keep stolen goods? 

  • Have I made restitution for stolen goods? 

  • Did I fulfill my contracts, give or accept bribes, pay my bills, rashly gamble or speculate or deprive my family of the necessities of life? 

  • Did I tell lies, deliberately in order to deceive or injure others? 

  • Did I commit perjury? 

  • Did I vote in accordance with a properly informed conscience, in a way consistence with the teachings of the church, in regard to the sanctity of human life and human life issues? 

  • Was I uncharitable in word or deed? 

  • Did I gossip or reveal the faults and sins of others? 

  • Did I fail to keep secrets that I should have kept? 

  • Did I meat on the Fridays during lent or on Ash Wednesday? 

  • Did I fast as required on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday? 

  • Did I fail to receive Holy Communion during the Easter season? 

  • Did I fail to confess my sins at least once a year? 

  • Did I go to Holy Communion in the state of mortal sin? 

  • Did I go to Holy Communion without fasting for one hour or more from food and drink (water and medicine are permitted)? 

  • Did I make a bad confession? 

  • Did I deliberately not tell all the sins I committed during one of my confessions? 

  • Did I fail to contribute to the support of the church? 

 

HOW TO GO TO CONFESSION?

 

The Priest will greet you
The penitent says: “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.” You then say how long it has been since your last Confession.
The Penitent tells the priest his/her sins and answers any questions.
The priest will give you some advice and will assign you a penance.
The penitent will next pray the Act of Contrition (see prayer below)
The priest then gives the penitent absolution.
The priest will then say “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.”
The penitent responds: “His mercy endures forever.” The priest will then dismiss you 

 

ACT OF CONTRITION 

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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 they offend 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. 

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PRAYER AFTER CONFESSION 

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Almighty and Merciful God, Whose mercy is boundless and everlasting and of Whose goodness the riches are infinite, I thank You because You have so graciously pardoned all my sins and restored Your Heavenly favor. I am awed by Your divine compassion and the incomprehensible love of Your Son, which has led Him to institute so gentle and powerful a remedy for sins. In union with all the gratitude that has ever ascended to You from truly penitent hearts, I proclaim Your merciful praises on behalf of all Heaven, on earth and in purgatory, forever and ever. Amen.

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Click the link to download a Detailed Examination of Conscience

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