A thorough examination of conscience for adults, with 41 questions on God, marriage, family, work and public life. Tick the questions that apply to you and open your private list when you are ready for confession.
Private: your ticks stay in this browser tab and are never sent to us. Close the tab and they are gone.
A prayer before you begin
Come, Holy Spirit. Help me to see my sins as you see them, to be sorry for them with my whole heart, and to trust in the mercy of the Father. Amen.
Read each question slowly. Tick the ones that apply to you; your list for confession builds itself.
Examination of Conscience for Adults 41 questions
Relationship with GodFirst, Second, and Third Commandments
Family LifeFourth, Sixth, and Ninth Commandments
Social and Civic ResponsibilityFifth, Seventh, Eighth, and Tenth Commandments
What to say in confession
- Begin with the Sign of the Cross and say: Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been (how long) since my last confession.
- Tell your sins simply. This is your list, in your own words:
You have not ticked anything yet. Go back to the questions, or tell the priest what is on your conscience.
- End with: For these and all the sins of my life, I am sorry.
- Listen to the priest and accept the penance he gives you.
- Pray an Act of Contrition: 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.
- The priest gives you absolution. Answer Amen, thank him, and do your penance as soon as you can.
How to use it
- Ask for light. Open “A prayer before you begin” in the tool, or pray in your own words.
- Read slowly and tick what applies. A few questions ask about a good habit; tick those only if the answer is no. They are marked.
- Open “My list for confession”. It turns your ticks into short sentences you can say to the priest, with the steps of confession and an Act of Contrition under them.
- Print it or keep the tab open on your phone in the confession line. Close the tab and everything is gone.
What the 41 questions cover
- Relationship with God (12 questions, first to third commandments): prayer, Sunday Mass and rest, superstition, reverence for God’s name, honesty in past confessions.
- Family life (12 questions, fourth, sixth and ninth commandments): marriage, fidelity and chastity, openness to life, raising children, care for ageing parents.
- Social and civic responsibility (17 questions, fifth, seventh, eighth and tenth commandments): anger and resentment, respect for life, honesty at work, just wages, taxes and debts, gossip, greed.
Making a good adult confession
- Mortal sins must be confessed by kind and, as far as you can remember, by number. See mortal and venial sin.
- Say what changes the sin: “I lied to my wife” is not the same as “I lied”.
- Leave out other people’s sins and long explanations. Short and plain is best.
- Venial sins need not all be listed. Choose the ones that weigh on you or that you most want to overcome.
- For a daily habit between confessions, try the daily examen.
Other age groups
- Examination of conscience for kids (ages 7 to 12)
- Examination of conscience for teens (ages 13 to 18)
- Examination of conscience for young adults (ages 19 to 29)
- Examination of conscience for seniors (65 and over)
- All five age groups on one page