A. Examination of conscience: remember all sins since the last confession.
B. Repentance: or sincere sorrow for having offended God; detesting the sin.
C. Purpose of amendment: or to firmly resolve not to sin again and to avoid sin,
D. Confession: to tell the Priest all the sins that we have discovered in the examination of conscience, without wanting to deceive the Priest, without keeping silent about any mortal sin because it would invalidate the Confession.
E. Fulfilling Penance
Examination of Conscience according to the Commandments
1-Have I practiced superstition or occultism? Do I believe without doubting the teachings of the Church without criticizing her pastors? Have I received Communion in mortal sin? Have I received Confirmation or Marriage in mortal sin? Have I sworn unnecessarily or falsely? Have I lied or omitted a mortal sin to the priest in Confession? Have I profaned the Temple, objects or persons consecrated to God? Have I gone too long without praying?
2-Have I used the name of the Lord in vain? Have I been angry with God? I have insulted a consecrated person or abused a sacred object/place? I have said irreverent words? I have failed to fulfill a serious vow or promise when I could? I have cursed or cursed? I have been ashamed to show that I am a Catholic?
3- Have I deliberately missed Mass on Sundays or holy days? Do I observe Sunday as a family day and as a day of rest? Do I do unnecessary work on Sunday?
4- Do I fulfill my duties to my wife/children/parents? Have I set a good religious example for them? Do I disobey or treat my parents harshly? Do I help them financially or in their sickness? Do I take care that the spiritual life of my children is not endangered by trips, companies, movies, fashions?
5- Have I had an abortion voluntarily or have I advised/paid someone to have one? Have I taken the morning-after abortion pill? Have I physically hurt someone? I have abused alcohol or drugs? I have scandalized someone, thereby leading them into sin? Have I been angry or resentful? Have I hated? Have I sterilized myself? Have I favored sterilization?
6- Have I been faithful to my marriage vows in thought and action? Have I sinned adultery, fornication, masturbation, homosexuality? Have I used any method of contraception or artificial control of fertilization inside or outside of my marriage? Has every conjugal act of my marriage been open to procreation without voluntarily interrupting it? Do I seek to be chaste in my thoughts, words and actions? Do I dress modestly or am I an occasion of sin to the opposite sex? Have I looked at pornography or read impure things?
7- Have I stolen or have I cheated to benefit myself? Have I made restitution for what I have stolen? Do I waste time at work etc... or am I unpunctual? Do I gamble by denying my family their needs? Do I pay my debts promptly? Do I seek to share what I have with the poor?
8- Have I lied, whispered, slandered, libeled, defamed, or testified falsely? Have I made rash judgments or mockery? Have I been sincere in my dealings with others? Have I been uncharitable in my thoughts of others? Have I kept secret what should be confidential?
9- Have I indulged in impure thoughts? Have I caused them by reading, movies, internet, conversations? Do I seek to control my imagination? Do I pray to Our Lady against temptations?
10- Am I envious, ambitious or selfish? Are material possessions the purpose of my life? Do I trust God to take care of all my material and spiritual needs?