An honest examination of conscience for teens aged 13 to 18. Tick the questions that apply to you and open your private list when you are ready for confession. Nothing you tick leaves your phone.
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 Teens 42 questions
Relationship with GodFirst, Second, and Third Commandments
Relationships with Authority and FamilyFourth Commandment
Respect for Life and OthersFifth and Eighth Commandments
Purity and IntegritySixth and Ninth Commandments
Responsibility and StewardshipSeventh 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 42 questions cover
- Relationship with God (10 questions, first to third commandments): prayer, Sunday Mass, what comes before God in your life.
- Authority and family (7 questions, fourth commandment): parents, teachers, brothers and sisters.
- Respect for life and others (9 questions, fifth and eighth commandments): fighting and bullying, gossip, alcohol and drugs, lies, cheating at school.
- Purity and integrity (8 questions, sixth and ninth commandments): chastity, pornography, modesty, crude talk, putting others down.
- Responsibility and stewardship (8 questions, seventh and tenth commandments): stealing, damage to property, laziness, envy, greed, gratitude.
If confession makes you nervous
- The priest has heard everything before. He is bound by the seal of confession and can never repeat what you say.
- You may confess face to face or behind the screen. You may also bring your list and read from it.
- Name the sin plainly and, for serious sins, about how many times. You do not need to tell the whole story.
- If you are not sure whether something is a sin, say so and ask. That is part of what the priest is there for.
Other age groups
- Examination of conscience for kids (ages 7 to 12)
- Examination of conscience for young adults (ages 19 to 29)
- Examination of conscience for adults (ages 30 to 64)
- Examination of conscience for seniors (65 and over)
- All five age groups on one page