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CONFESSION A Table of Sins
1. DUTIES TO GOD
Confession—Did I prepare well for my last
Confession ?—Did I leave out anything I thought
I should tell ?—Did I take enough time and care to
make a good act of contrition?—Did I say my
penance ?—Did I follow the Confessor's directions
or advice?
Communion—How often the last week ?—Did I
make a good preparation each time?—A good
thanksgiving each time?
Prayers—Did I omit Meditation, Mass, Examen, or any spiritual exercise, through sloth or
without leave?—When I went to my prayers, did
I recall the fact that I was to speak to God, and
so make a good start?—Did I say my prayers in
a hurry?—Did I throw myself into them earnestly ?—When I saw something was distracting me,
did I keep on thinking of it?—Have I been reverent during Mass, Benediction, and always in
Church?—Have I wilfully done anything that
would distract others at prayer?
How did I listen to exhortations?—to spiritual
reading ?
Have I through my own fault been late
at Mass or at Community prayers, exhortations,
or readings?
Have I done or read anything that I thought
would injure my faith? Have I spoken with disrespect of God or of holy
things ?
Did I yield to diffidence in God's mercy?—To
dejection of mind?—To discouragement?
Vow and virtue of Poverty—Did I, without
leave, receive for myself or dispose of anything? —Did I lend or take without permission?—Did I
keep anything superfluous ?—Did I neglect proper
care of things committed to my charge ?
Vow of Chastity—Have I done anything wrong
by thought, desire, word, or deed against holy
purity?—Anything against religious modesty?—
Have I caused others to do wrong ?—Have I read
bad books or given them to others ?—Have I gone
with disedifying companions?—Have I indulged
too much my affection for any one ?— Have I kept
up a particular friendship ?—Have I gratified my
eyes out of dissipation or curiosity ?—Have I been
idle? A bad thought that is not wilful is not a sin, but to keep
on it when you are aware you should not, this is a sin. If
you doubt whether you consented or not, say so to the Confessor.
Vow and virtue of Obedience—Have I disobeyed any order of any Superior ?—Have I given way
to contempt of any one?—to criticising?—to censures?—to judgments?—
have I been wanting in
respect in speaking to them or of them?—Have I
murmured against them, inwardly or outwardly?
—Have I subjected my will to obedience?—Have
I submitted my judgment?—Have I done my duties independently of Superiors?—Acting too
much on my own ideas?— Have I been obstinate?
—sulky ?—Have I taken correction well ?—Have I
given unnecessary trouble to Superiors of any
kind?—Have I done anything to spite my Superiors?
2. DUTIES TO MY NEIGHBOR
Have I shown others proper respect in word or
manner, or wilfully caused them sorrow, or not
helped them when they were in need? Have I given way to passion?—Kept up bad
temper?—Have I struck any one or quarreled?
—Have I called others names or provoked them?
—Have I wished harm to any one?—Have I refused to forgive?—Have I
given way to aversions ?—Have I yielded to impatience or irritability?
Have I given bad example to any one by word
or conduct ?—Have I shared in any sin by proposing it, or by defending it or by not reporting it
when I should, or in any other way?—Have I done anything to spite my companions? Have I kept others from doing their duty?—Have I made fun of others for being or doing
good? Have I wilfully destroyed, or wasted, or damaged things ?—Have I in any way been unjust in
dealing with my neighbor? Have I been sweet-tempered toward those
under my charge?—Considerate?— Watchful?—
Patient?—Firm?—Given way to antipathy or attraction?—Been too familiar? Have I been selfish?
Have I indiscreetly repeated rumors?—Have I
told lies or got others to tell them?— Have I told
any lie that I knew would be the cause of harm
to another ?—Have I without necessity spoken of
another's fault which was not known?—Have I
injured my neighbor's character?—Have I listened through my fault to uncharitable talk?—
Have
I judged or suspected ill of any one without what
I thought sufficient cause?— Have I made mischief by tale-bearing?
A sin of theft, calumny or detraction must be repaired as
far as possible. You may ask your Confessor's advice how
to do it. Tale-telling to make mischief, or out of spite, is wrong.
But if you know of any serious misconduct or talk likely to
do harm, you must as soon as possible make it known to
those in authority. If you neglect to do this, you may hecome answerable for these sins.
3. DUTIES TO MYSELF
Have I been vain of my family or friends, or
of what I can do, or of my looks, or of my clothes?—Have I spoken in my own praise?—Have I
acted or spoken to attract the esteem of others?
—Have I despised others?—Have I been envious
or jealous of others, or vexed when others were
praised ?
Have I committed sin by eating or drinking too
much? Have I risen promptly in the morning?
Have I been idle or lazy at my work ?—Have I
indulged in useless thoughts?—Have I done my
daily duties carelessly?—Have I wasted time in
too much recreation, or reading?—In any other
way ?
Have I, through curiosity, read letters or anything I thought was a secret? How many times have I fallen into my chief
fault? Is there anything else I ought to confess ?
Is there anything I want advice about ?
It may happen that you can think of no sin since your last
Confession. Tell the Priest so and, to get Absolution, repeat
a sin or a class of sins from your past life.
Indeed, always recall some sin or class of sins of your
past life for which you are specially sorry and which you
intend to confess again. Make an act of contrition for it. Short Act of Contrition
0 sweet Jesus, I grieve for my sins. Vouchsafe to supply whatever is wanting to my true
sorrow, and to offer for me to God the Father
all the grief which Thou hast endured because of
my sins, and those of the whole world.
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