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Examination of Conscience for Adults

A comprehensive examination of conscience based on twelve virtues for the twelve months of the year

By
REV. DONALD F. MILLER, C.SS.R.

Imprimatur: Joseph E. Ritter St. Louis, April 7, 1959

Introduction

Self-examination has always been considered a necessary means of progress in virtue. All
Religious Orders and congregations have provision in their rules for at least one daily examination
of conscience. While the practice is also necessary for lay people, there have been few booklets
offered to them whereby a systematic examination of conscience might be made at definite times.
Lists of sins may be found in prayer books and pamphlets, but frequently they lack completeness,
or they make no clear-cut distinctions between mortal and venial sin, or they make no reference
to the helps and counsels that might build up virtue and prevent sin.

The object of this booklet is to initiate lay people into the practice of concentrating their
efforts at self-perfection on one virtue a month. It provides a fairly complete list of mortal
sins to be avoided, of venial sins to be corrected, and of helps and counsels that may be
practiced. For each month a short explanation of the virtue to be practiced is given, an
aspiration is suggested for frequent use, and a prayer is added containing sorrow for the past
and resolve for the future.
The division of the obligations of the Chris­
tian life into twelve virtues is not one that can be made without some degree of arbitrary ar­
rangement of material. There will be overlapping, some repetition, and not always a
strictly logical inclusion of questions under a given head. The practical purpose has been kept in
mind, rather than the theoretical; an effort has been made to bring into each month reminders of
some of the fundamental obligations every Christian has, as these can be related to given
virtues.

A warning should be given to souls who are inclined to scrupulosity. Such souls are frequently
disturbed by reading lists of sins, because they erroneously think themselves guilty where they are
not guilty at all. They should have permission of their confessor before they undertake to make a
minute examination of conscience, and in every doubt must obey their confessor blindly. Aside
from the scrupulous, some persons may find doubts arising from certain questions because
circumstances not mentioned may confuse particular issues. It is to be remembered at all times that
a mortal sin is not comitted unless three conditions are present, viz., sufficient reflection,
full consent of

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