The Sacrament of Reconciliation at St. Joseph Parish

Jesus wants you to receive His mercy! Sin has a way of keeping us chained to patterns of darkness which require the healing mercy of God's love. The Sacrament of Confession brings us that mercy so we can live in the light. Here's what the Church teaches as a general guide for how often we should go to confession.

1. After having reached the age of reason (7 years old), each member of the faithful is obliged to confess faithfully his or her grave sins at least once a year. (Canon 989)
2. The Lord addresses an invitation to us, urging us to receive him in the sacrament of the Eucharist. To respond to this invitation we must prepare ourselves for so great and so holy a moment. Anyone conscious of a grave sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion. (CCC 1384-1385)

1. Make the Sign the Cross
2. "Bless me Father for I have sinned. It has been...since my last confession
3. Confess your sins
4. Priest will give you a penance
5. Make an Act of Contrition
6. Priest will give you absolution

My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things.

I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin.

Pride– Pride is the mother of all sin.

• Have I refused to admit my own weaknesses?
• Have I dwelt on the failings of others?
• Have I judged others, in my thoughts or words?
• Have I ranked myself better than others?
• Have I borne hatred or disdain for another?
• Have I refused to learn from others?
• Have I been irritable with others?
• Have I been critical of others?
• Have I been slow to listen to others and quick to speak over them?
• Have I been stubborn? Refused to admit I was wrong?
• Have I refused to accept that another person had a better idea?
• Have I been arrogant?
• Have I held others in contempt?
• Have I reacted negatively when questioned?

False Humility:

• Have I neglected to use the talents that God has given me?
• Have I shied away from my duties or doing or saying what is right because of fear of how others will respond?
• Have I failed to give witness to my faith in Christ in public?

Vanity

Vanity (an expression of pride) (ST II-II q132) – Vanity is excessive concern about what others think of me –not just what they think of my appearance.

• Have I been overly concerned about what others think of me? Have I allowed this to motivate my actions?
• Have I failed to follow God’s will because of a fear of what others might think of me?
• Have I lied or exaggerated to make myself look good?
• Have I wasted undue time and money on clothes and appearance?
• Have I been content with my lowly position, or have I resented the role that Christ asks of me?
• Do I constantly take selfies or spend time primping and correcting my hair, clothing or other aspects of my appearance?

Anger is undue desire for vengeance – undue in cause or in amount.

• Have I harbored resentment, grudges, and hatred in my thoughts?
• Have I nurtured imaginary angry conversations?
• Have I been slow to forgive?
• Have I lost my temper?

Impatience:

• How have I carried my cross without complaint or self-pity?
• Have I been impatient with people, family, events, sufferings, sicknesses?

Lust is disordered desire for sexual pleasure, isolated from its procreative and unitive purpose (CCC 2351).

• Have I maintained custody of my eyes or have I allowed them to wander?: “Whoever looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Mt 5:28)
• Have I viewed other people as mere sexual objects rather than as persons to be loved and served?
• Have I viewed pornography or related sexual or sexualized material on internet? or TV? or Social Media?
• Have I engaged in romantic fiction leading to sexual fantasy?
• Have I entertained impure thoughts?
• Have I engaged in masturbation, alone, or with another?

Avarice is the excessive love of possessing things.

• Have I been overly concerned about my own comfort and well-being?
• Have I been resentful of my lack of money or resources?
• Have I been generous in giving? Have I given with a cheerful heart?
• Have I avoided sacrificial giving? Do I only give what is easy to give?
• Have I cheated, stolen, or failed to pay my bills on time?
• Have I used people for my own ends and advantage?
• Have I wasted money on things I don’t absolutely need?

Envy/Jealousy is sadness at the happiness of another.

Have I envied or been jealous of the abilities, talents, ideas, good-looks, intelligence, clothes, possessions, money, friends, family, of others?

Gossip:

• Have I judged others in my thoughts?
• Have I damaged the reputation of another person by my words, attitude, or looks/reactions/responses?
• Have I repeated accusations that might not be true? Have I exaggerated?
• Have I failed to defend the reputation of others?
• Have I failed to keep secrets?
• Do I despise others of different race, class or culture?

Lies: Have I lied, exaggerated, or distorted the truth?

Sloth, Apathy or Laziness, especially in the things of God. Sloth is a sorrow in the face of spiritual good -it makes you lethargic and want to do nothing and/or it drives you to neglect spiritual goods.

• Have I sought God above all else, or have I put other priorities ahead of him? (e.g. friendships, ambition, comfort and ease)
• Have I got so caught up in the things of this world that I’ve forgotten God?
• Have I risked losing my faith/piety by bad company, bad reading, cowardice, or pride?
• Have I trusted God, especially in times of difficulty?
• Have I attended Mass each and every Sunday?
• Have I neglected to say my daily prayers?
• Have I entertained distractions in prayer, or failed to give God due concentration in prayer or in the Mass? (Note: Not giving God the effort He deserves in prayer is a sin, but it is not the same thing as involuntary weakness in mental distractions.)
• Have I made a prayerful preparation before Mass and a good thanksgiving after Mass?
• Have I received Holy Communion while in a state of serious sin?
• Have I neglected to seek Confession before Holy Communion?
• Have I taken the Lord’s name in vain? Or used other foul language?

Towards My Neighbor:

• Have I been lazy in helping others?
• Have I been attentive to the needs of my neighbor, the needs of my extended or immediate family?
• Has my conversation been focussed on my own pleasure, or on others?
• Has my humor been insensitive to others?

Towards My Family:

• Have I been more focused on myself than on the needs of others?
• Have I spent time with my family? How have I manifested my concern for them? Have I been forgiving and tolerant of them? Have I scandalized them by a bad or lazy example?

Use of Time:

• Have I wasted other people’s time or dishonoured them by being late or have I failed to keep my commitments regarding being on time?
• Have I been late for Mass?
• Have I gone to sleep on time?
• Have I made good use of my time, or have I wasted time needlessly? e.g. cell phone, TV, gaming, or internet?
• Have I planned good use of relaxation and recreation, knowing that I need to rest well in order to serve well?

Gluttony is the inordinate or excessive desire for, focus on, attachment to, or use of food or other material goods.

• Have I consumed more than I need to – more than my body needs to maintain a healthy weight?
• Have I consumed food or drink that is damaging to my body to satisfy my tastes or appetites?
• Have I spent time engaging with food (or other material things) or fantasizing about food (or other material things) that should be spent elsewhere?
• Have I spent excessive money on food?
• Have I consumed alcohol excessively? Have I driven after drinking?
• Have I eaten greedily with little consideration for those at table with me?
• Have I failed to give money to help the hungry?
• Have I failed to practice fasting and self-denial, especially on Fridays?
• Have I failed to abstain from meat on Fridays?
• Have I always fasted an hour before receiving Holy Communion at Mass?
• Do I spend excessive energy and expense seeking to ensure my food or environment is perfectly to my desires (temperature, texture, atmosphere)?
• Do I spent excessive energy and expense seeking comfort?

(1) I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.

(2) You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.

(3) Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.

(4) Honor your father and your mother.

(5) You shall not kill.

(6) You shall not commit adultery.

(7) You shall not steal.

(8) You shall not bear false witness.

(9) You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

(10) You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

An Examination of Conscience for Children Responsibilities to God:
Have I prayed every day?
Have I prayed my morning prayers and night prayers?
Have I prayed with my parents and family?
Have I been moody and rebellious about praying and going to church on Sunday?
Have I asked the Holy Spirit to help me whenever I have been tempted to sin?
Have I asked the Holy Spirit to help me do what is right?

Responsibilities to Others:
Have I been obedient and respectful to my parents?
Have I lied or been deceitful to them or to others?
Have I been arrogant, stubborn or rebellious?
Have I talked back to parents, teachers or other adults?
Have I pouted and been moody?
Have I been selfish toward my parents, brothers, and sisters, teachers, or my friends and schoolmates?
Have I gotten angry at them?
Have I hit anyone?
Have I held grudges or not forgiven others?
Have I treated other children with respect or have I made fun of them and called them names?
Have I used bad language?
Have I stolen anything? Have I returned it?
Have I performed my responsibilities, such as homework and household chores?
Have I been helpful and affectionate toward my family?
HaveI been kind and generous with my friends?

Copyright, Fr. Thomas Weinandy. This resource may be reproduced and distributed free of charge by permission of the author.

Source: USCCB Website

Responsibilities to God:

Have I gone to Mass on Sunday or have I rebelled and been stubborn about going to Mass?
Did I participate in the Mass or did I daydream?
Have I prayed every day?
Have I read the Bible?
Have I been rebellious toward God and his commands?
Have I misused the name of God by swearing and cursing?
Have I told the Father that I love him for creating me and making me his son/daughter?
Have I thanked Jesus for becoming man, dying for my sin and rising to give me eternal life?
Have I asked the Holy Spirit to help me conquer sin and temptation and to be obedient to God’s commands?

Responsibilities to others and myself:

Have I been rebellious, disobedient or disrespectful to my parents, teachers and those in authority over me?
Have I lied to or deceived my parents or others?
Have I been arrogant and stubborn?
Have I talked back to my parents or those in authority?
Have I gotten angry or nurtured and held grudges and resentments? Have I refused to forgive others? Have I cultivated hatred?
Have I engaged in sexual fantasies? Have I looked at others lustfully?
Have I read pornographic literature or looked at pornographic pictures, shows or movies?
Have I masturbated?
Have I lustfully kissed or sexually touched someone? Have I had sexual intercourse?
Have I had an abortion or encouraged another to have one?
Have I gossiped about others? Have I slandered anyone? Have I told lies about others? Have I mocked or made fun of others?
Have I lied or cheated? Have I stolen anything? Have I paid it back?
Have I been selfish or spiteful toward others? Have I been jealous?
Have I gotten drunk, or taken drugs?
Have I participated in anything that is of the occult: ouija boards, fortune tellers, séances, channeling, astrology?
Have I been patient, kind gentle and self-controlled?
When my conscience told me to do something good, did I do it or did I ignore it?

Copyright, Fr. Thomas Weinandy. This resource may be reproduced and distributed free of charge by permission of the author

Source: USCCB Website

The opposite of pride is humility. It is through humility that we have an accurate view of ourselves and our relationship to God.


Source: Your Guide To The 7 Deadly Sins - Good Catholic

The opposite of wrath is the virtue of meekness, a virtue which has nothing at all to do with the negative image it conjures up in the popular imagination of someone who is a wimp or a pushover. 

On the contrary, meekness is strength, for it is the virtue that helps us to control ourselves in the face of a barrage of angry or irritated feelings and restrain our impulse to react. 

Source: Your Guide To The 7 Deadly Sins - Good Catholic

The opposite virtue to lust is chastity, through which we exercise control over our sexual desires and use them only in the way that God intended. The interior freedom that comes with this virtue might be surprising but is very real. It is a virtue that gives us joy and purity of mind, while also saving us from shame and regret. 

“Blessed are the pure in heart,” said the Lord Jesus, “for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

Fasting, abstinence, and other physical penances are powerful methods for achieving the virtue of chastity.

Source: Your Guide To The 7 Deadly Sins - Good Catholic

The opposite of avarice is generosity, whereby we give freely of what we have been given without attachment or resentment. If you want to really go big with this virtue, give not only when you have much, but when you have little, as the widow does in the Gospel (Mk. 12:41), and give those things to which you are most attached, as the rich young man refused to do (Mk. 10:17).

Source: Your Guide To The 7 Deadly Sins - Good Catholic

The opposite virtue to envy is fraternal charity. The charitable rejoice in the success of others without regard to themselves, and are ever grateful to God for what they have. It certainly goes a long way to improving our general happiness when we focus on the gifts we have been given, rather than pining after things we neither have nor need.

Source: Your Guide To The 7 Deadly Sins - Good Catholic

The virtue of diligence is the antidote to acedia, and it helps us to form good spiritual habits and stick with them, even when we really don’t want to.

Source: Your Guide To The 7 Deadly Sins - Good Catholic

We combat gluttony through the cardinal virtue of temperance, which helps us to treat food and drink with moderation. 

Fasting and abstinence are fantastic, tried-and-true ways of cultivating this virtue in ourselves.

Source: Your Guide To The 7 Deadly Sins - Good Catholic