Examination of Conscience for youth, teens and adults

Below are three Examinations of Conscience, geared to different ages and stages of life.  The Examination of Conscience is a helpful tool to prepare for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance.

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 and myself:

  • 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?
  • Have I been kind and generous with my friends?

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

Link to USCCB page on Penance for children

For teens

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?

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

Link to USCCB page on Penance for young adults and teens