Part One I. Condensed Primer on Sin Part One I. Condensed Primer on Sin Part Two II. Sin in Relation...

An Examination of Conscience

Part OneI. Condensed Primer on Sin

Part Two

II. Sin in Relation to GodIII. Sin in Relation to Our

NeighborsIV. Sin in Relation to

OurselvesV. The Ten Commandments

Part Three

VI. The Seven Deadly SinsVII. The Nine Co-operationsVIII. The Seven Precepts of

the ChurchIX. The Works of MercyX. Miscellaneous

IntroductionIntroduction: An Examen?

Introduction

What is an Examination of Conscience?-a contemplative exercise based on the Ignatian charism-a reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern His direction for us

Why do an Examination of Conscience?Fr. John Hardon, S.J.: - to cultivate a sensitive judgment which is alert to the least offense against the Divine will -to protect ourselves against the wiles of the evil spirit

When to do an Examination of Conscience?- before approaching the Sacrament of Reconciliation - in taking stock of spiritual failings, and therefore, growth- when searching for healing from habitual sins that are a detriment to our salvation- when correctly forming one’s conscience, attitude, and behavior

An examination of conscience never induces despair, only hope. Some psychologists, by the proper use of their method, have brought mental peace to individuals, but only because they have found a safety valve from mental pressure. They have let off steam, but the have not repaired the boiler. That is the business of the Church.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen, Peace of Soul

JMJ

Part One

I. Condensed Primer on the Types of Sin

A. Original Sin

B. Actual Sin

1. Mortal Sin

2. Venial Sin

C. Internal Sin

D. External Sin

E. Unforgivable Sin

I. Types of Sin

Original Sin is found in both Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition.

“Original sin may be taken to mean…a consequence of [Adam’s] first sin, the hereditary stain with which we are born on account of our origin or descent from Adam.” http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11312a.htm

A. Original Sin

1. Sin is divided into the sin we inherit called original sin, and the sin we commit ourselves, called actual sin.

See the Baltimore Catechism #3: Lesson 5: On Our First Parents and the Fall

(http://www.baltimore-catechism.com/lesson5.htm)

Baptism washes away the stain Original Sin on one’s soul, but not its effects.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11312a.htm

2. Actual sin is sub-divided into greater sins, called mortal, and lesser sins, called venial.

1. Sin is divided into the sin we inherit called original sin, and the sin we commit ourselves, called actual sin.

B. Actual Sins

Sin

Original Actual

MortalVenial

I. Types of Sin

Mortal sins destroy the grace of God in the heart of the sinner. By its very nature, a mortal sin cuts our relationship off from God and turns man away from his Creator.

Three conditions are necessary:

Mortal sin is a sin of grave matter.

Mortal sin is committed with full knowledge of the sinner.

Mortal sin is committed with deliberate consent of the sinner.

4. Venial SinVenial sins will not destroy grace in the soul, and will not directly cause a person who dies in the state of venial sin to lose the promise of heaven. However, venial sin weakens a person’s will to avoid evil and thus may indirectly lead to mortal sin.

Venial sin is a sin of lesser matter than grave sin. It can also be a sin of grave matter in which the sinner did not fully consent to the sin or did not have knowledge that his actions where sinful.

3. Mortal Sin

Sin: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14004b.htm

I. Types of Sin

1. delectatio morosa, i.e. the pleasure taken in a sinful thought or imagination even without desiring it

2. gaudium, i.e. dwelling with complacency on sins already committed

3. desiderium, i.e. the desire for what is sinful

C. Internal

I. Types of Sin

SIN

C. External

External sins are thoughts which have been acted upon, at least in part, and a sincere attempt has been made to fulfill or consummate sinful ideas.

Vocalized thoughts encouraging sinful actions as well as the actions themselves give rise to scandal, which is the appearance of condoning sin. This scandal, in turn, may lead others to sin.

I. Types of Sin

D. Unforgivable

§ 982 There is no offense, however serious, that the Church cannot forgive. "There is no one, however wicked and guilty, who may not confidently hope for forgiveness, provided his repentance is honest. Christ who died for all men desires that in his Church the gates of forgiveness should always be open to anyone who turns away from sin.

§ 1864 "Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven." There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit. Such hardness of heart can lead to final impenitence and eternal loss.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

I. Types of Sin

On the effects of sin:

Say I take a pitcher of orange juice from my mother's refrigerator and drop it on the floor. I immediately apologize and my mother forgives me: but there is still a mess on the floor.

Certainly, it is not my mother's responsibility to clean up the mess. It is my responsibility to clean it up or to repair the situation--or to make reparation for the situation.

It remains your responsibility to purge yourself of the remaining effects of your blunder, i.e., to clean up the mess.

Father Vincent Serpa, OPCatholic Answers Live

JMJ

Part Two

II. General Questions: Sin in Relation to God

III. General Questions: Sin in Relation to Our Neighbors

IV. General Questions: Sin in Relation to Ourselves

V. The Ten Commandments with Subsets of Particular Questions

II. Sin In Relation To God

1. Have you omitted morning or evening prayer, or neglected to make your daily examination of conscience? Have you prayed negligently, and with willful distraction?

2. Have you spent your time, especially on Sundays and holidays, not in sluggishly lying abed, or in any sort of idle entertainment, but in reading, praying, or other pious exercises; and taken care that those under your charge have done the like, and not wanted the instructions necessary for their condition, nor time for prayer, or to prepare for the sacraments?

3. Have you spoken irreverently of God and holy things? Have you taken his name in vain, or told untruths?

4. Have you omitted your duty through human respect, interest, compliance, etc. ?

5. Have you been zealous for God's honor, for justice, virtue and truth, and reproved such as act otherwise?

6. Have you resigned your will to God in troubles necessities, sickness, etc. ?

7. Have you faithfully resisted thoughts of infidelity, distrust, presumption, impurity, etc. ?

II. Sin In Relation To God (Con’t)

III. In Relation To Our Neighbors

1. Have you disobeyed your superiors, murmured against their commands, or spoken of them contemptuously?

2. Have you been troubled, peevish, or impatient, when told of your faults, and not corrected them? Have you scorned the good advice of others, or censured their proceedings?

3. Have you offended any one by injurious threatening words or actions?

4. Or lessened their reputation by any sort of detractions; or in any matter of importance?

5. Or spread any report, true or false, that exposed your neighbor to contempt, or made him undervalued?

6. Have you been carrying stories backward and forward, created discord and misunderstanding between neighbors?

IV. In Relation To Oneself

1. Have you been obstinate in following your own will, or in defending your own opinion, in things either indifferent, dangerous or scandalous?

2. Have you taken pleasure in hearing yourself praised, or yielded to thoughts of vanity?

3. Have you indulged yourself in overmuch ease, or any ways yielded to sensuality?

4. Has your conversation been edifying and moderate; or have you been forward, proud, or troublesome to others?

5. Have you spent overmuch time in play, or useless employments, and thereby omitted, or put off your devotions to unseasonable times?

A. By Sins Against Faith

1. To be ignorant of the principal mysteries of Christianity; of the Creed, of the Commandments of God and his Church, or of the Sacraments.

2. To give God's honor to any created being or thing whatsoever; to pay divine worship, or to ascribe God's exclusive powers or attributes, to any being except God himself.

3. Willfully to doubt, or obstinately to err, in any point of faith, our of human respect, interest, fear etc.

4. To favor heretics or wicked men, in supporting or approving their opinions or actions.

5. To endanger our faith by reading their books with pleasure.

The Three Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity

1. The First Commandment: I Am the Lord Thy God. Thou Shalt Have No False Gods Before Me

V. The Ten Commandments

A. By Sins Against Faith (Con’t)

6. To examine divine mysteries with curiosity, and secrets of Providence by pure human reason.

7. To contemn or deride holy things.

8. To abuse the words of the holy scripture, by perverting them to a wicked or profane sense, making them subservient to jests, or other ill purposes.

9. To desire to know things to come, which belong to God alone, or things past or present, which are hid from us, and for this end to employ unlawful means, as fortune tellers, or other superstitious inventions.

10.To make superstitious observations; to employ prayers or sacred names to ill uses; to use charms etc.




• Do I make an honest effort to grow in the virtue of faith by daily mental prayer on the mysteries of the faith as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ?

• Do I make at least a short act of faith every day?

• Do I pray daily for an increase of faith?

• Do I ever tempt God by relying on my own strength to cope with the trials in my life?

• Do I unnecessarily read or listen to those who oppose or belittle what I know are truths of my Catholic faith?

• What have I done today to externally profess my faith? Have I helped someone overcome a difficulty against the faith?

• Have I allowed human respect to keep me from giving expression to my faith? Do I make a serious effort to resolve difficulties that may arise about my faith? Do I ever defend my faith, prudently and charitably, when someone says something contrary to what I know is to be believed?

Particular Questions on the First Commandment

From the Particular Examen on the Theological Virtues by Fr. John Hardon, S.J.

B. By Sins Against Hope

1. By distrusting the mercies of God, and despairing of the pardon of our sins.

2. By presuming on God's goodness, without the least concern of amendment.

3. By deferring our conversion or repentance till the end of life.

4. By exposing ourselves to the danger of offending God either by company, reading, or otherwise, which is called tempting God.

5. By exposing ourselves, without necessity, to some corporal danger; as sickness, wounds or death.

6. By neglecting the remedies which God has appointed in these dangers, as physic for the body, or prayer and the sacraments for the soul.




• Do I immediately say a short prayer when I find myself getting discouraged? How often today have I complained, even internally?

• Do I daily say a short act of hope?

• Do I dwell on my worries instead of dismissing them from my mind?• • Do I fail in the virtue of hope by my attachment to the things of this world?

• Do I try to see God's providence in everything that "happens" in my life?

• Do I try to see everything from the viewpoint of eternity?

• Am I confident that, with God's grace, I will be saved?

• Do I allow myself to worry about my past life and thus weaken my hope in God's mercy?

• Do I try to combine every fully deliberate action with at least a momentary prayer for divine help?



C. By Sins Against Charity

1. By not loving God above all things, but rather choosing willfully to offend him, than suffer any loss of honor, riches, etc.

2. By preferring the love of man before the love of God; or offending him through fear of being jeered or slighted.

3. By omitting our duty through shame, or human respect.

4. By thinking seldom of God, or being ashamed to speak of him; or by not hearkening to his inspirations, by forgetting his benefits, or neglecting to give him thanks.




• Have I capitalized on the difficulties today to tell God that I love Him just because He allowed me a trial or misunderstanding? Do I see God's love for me in allowing me to prove my love for Him in the crosses He allowed me today?

• Have I seen God's grace to prove my love for Him in every person whom I met today?

• Have I failed in charity by speaking unkindly about others?

• Have I dwelt on what I considered someone's unkindness toward me today?

• Have I been stubborn in asserting my own will?

• Have I allowed my mood to prevent me from being thoughtful of others?

• Am I given to dwelling on other people's weaknesses or faults?

• Do I control uncharitable thoughts as soon as they arise in my mind?

• Did I pray for others today?

• Have I controlled my emotions when someone irritated me?

• Have I performed any sacrifice today for someone?



D. By Sins Against Religion

A. By not adoring God, or praying to him but seldom.

B. By praying without attention, and with willful distractions.

C. By a want of respect to God in time of prayer; or by talking or being present in holy places without a becoming modesty and gravity in our looks, words and actions.



• Have I neglected the knowledge of my faith as taught in the catechism, such as the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten Commandments, the Seven Sacraments, the Our Father, etc.?

• Have I deliberately doubted or denied any of the teachings of the Church?

• Have I taken part in any non-Catholic worship?

• Am I a member of any non-Catholic religious organization, secret society or anti-Catholic group?

• Have I knowingly read any heretical, blasphemous or anti-Catholic literature?

• Have I practiced any superstitions (such as horoscopes, fortune telling, Ouija board, etc.)?

• Have I omitted religious duties or practices through motives of human respect?

• Have I recommended myself daily to God?


E. By Sins Against the Care We Ought to Have of Our Salvation

A. By a love of idleness.

B. By being too solicitous in temporal concerns, and neglecting the means of salvation.

C. By deferring amendment of life, or immediately desisting, after having begun it.

D. By neglecting the means of salvation; as the sacraments, prayer, good works, or performing them without devotion.



• Have I been faithful to my daily prayers?

• Have I abused the Sacraments in any way? Received them irreverently?

• Have I made fun of God, Our Lady, the Saints, the Church, the Sacraments, other holy things?

• Have I been guilty of great irreverence in church, e.g., conversation, behavior, or dress?

• Have I been indifferent with regard to my Catholic Faith — believing one can be saved in any religion, that all religions are equal?

• Have I presumed on God´s mercy at any time?

• Have I despaired of God´s mercy?

• Have I hated God?

• Have I given too much importance to any creature, activity, object or opinion?


A. By taking the name of God in vain.

B. By swearing to what one knows or doubts to be false.

C. By swearing to what is unjust, or prejudicial to others.

D. By swearing without necessity, though the thing itself be true and just.

E. By blaspheming God or holy things.

F. By cursing one's self or others, or taking pleasure in hearing others swear or curse; or by provoking them to it.

G. By not reprehending them when one could and ought.

H. By making a vow to do what is impossible to fulfill; or to do what is evil and displeasing to God; or to do what one never intends to perform.

I. By breaking lawful vows, or deferring to fulfill them without just cause.

2. The Second Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Take the Name of the Lord Thy God in Vain


• Have I sworn by God’s name falsely, rashly or in slight and trivial matters?

• Have I murmured or complained against God (blasphemy)?

• Have I cursed myself or others, or any creature?

• Have I angered others so as to make them swear or blaspheme God?

• Have I broken a vow made to God?

Particular Questions on the Second Commandment

A. By doing servile works on Sunday, or causing others to do the like without necessity.

B. By employing a considerable part of Sundays or holidays in temporal affairs, as is often the case with merchants, advocates, solicitors, etc.

C. By omitting to hear Mass, or not hearing it with due attention and reverence.

D. By spending Sundays and holidays in idleness, gaming, dancing, feasting, and other recreations.

E. By not dedicating a considerable part of those days to reading and praying, and by not taking care that those under your charge to the like.

3. The Third Commandment: Keep Holy the Sabbath


• Have I missed Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of obligation?

• Have I been late for Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of obligation or left early through my own fault?

• Have I made others miss Mass on Sundays or Holy Days of obligation, leave early or be late for Mass?

• Have I been willfully distracted during Mass?

• Have I done or commanded unnecessary servile work on Sunday or Holy Days of Obligation?

• Have I bought or sold things not of necessity on Sunday and Holy Days of obligation?

Particular Questions on the Third Commandment

4. The Fourth Commandment: Honor Thy Father and MotherA. By Children

1. Not paying due respect to their parents, or by despising them either in their hearts or actions.

2. By not loving them, but wishing their death, or some misfortune; or by forsaking them in their necessities.

3. By not cheerfully obeying them; or by obeying them in things unlawful.

4. By slighting their representations, and resisting their corrections.

5. By putting them into a passion, and not taking care to pacify them.

6. By not executing or delaying their last will and testament.


• Have I been disobedient or disrespectful to my parents, or have I neglected or refused to aid them in their wants or to do their last will?

• Have I shown irreverence to others in positions of authority?

• Have I maligned or insulted priests or others consecrated to God?

• Have I failed in due reverence to aged persons?

• Have I mistreated my spouse or my children?

Particular Questions on the Fourth Commandment

B. By Parents Not Discharging Their Duty to Their Children

1. In not loving them, and supplying their corporal necessities.

2. In not being careful of their salvation.

3. In not correcting them when it is necessary; in flattering their passions, or indulging their evil inclinations.

4. In treating them with too much severity.

5. In not setting them good example.

6. In forcing them in the choice of their state in life.

4. The Fourth Commandment: Honor Thy Father and Mother (Con’t)


• Have I neglected their material needs?

• Have I failed to care for their early baptism, or have I failed to care for their proper religious education?

• Have I allowed them to neglect their religious duties?

• Have I allowed them to date/go steady without the prospect of marriage within the near future?

• Have I failed to supervise the company they keep? Have I failed to discipline them when they need it? Have I given them a bad example?

• Have I scandalized them by arguing with my spouse in front of my children, or have I scandalized them by cursing or swearing in front of them?

• Have I guarded modesty in the home? Have I permitted them to wear immodest clothing?

• Have I denied their freedom to marry or follow a religious vocation?

Particular Questions on the Fourth Commandment

A. By anger, quarreling, or threatening, or by injurious or reproachful words, or actions against our neighbors.

B. By revenge, or deliberate thoughts or desires of revenge.

C. By provoking, striking, challenging, wounding, or being the cause of another's death.

D. By bearing malice, refusing to salute or speak to any neighbor out of hatred or aversion, or refusing to be reconciled to him.

5. The Fifth Commandment : Thou Shalt Not Kill


• Have I advocated, procured, desired, or hastened the death or bodily injury of anyone, including the pre-born?

• Have I borne hatred, oppressed anyone, or desired revenge?

• Have I caused enmity between others, or have I quarreled or fought with anyone, or wished evil on anyone?

• Have I intended or attempted to injure or mistreat others, or is there anyone with whom I refuse to speak, or against whom I bear a grudge?

• Have I taken pleasure in anyone’s misfortunes or have I been jealous or envious of anyone?

• Have I mutilated my body unnecessarily in any way, or have I entertained thoughts of suicide, desired to commit suicide or attempted suicide?

• Have I become drunk, used illicit drugs? Have I overeaten or do I neglect to eat properly, i.e., nutritious foods?

• Have I failed to correct in Charity?

• Have I harmed my own soul by intentionally and without necessity exposing it to temptations?

Particular Questions on the Fifth Commandment

Our Lord came to make reparation for the sin of anger, first by teaching us a prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;” and then by givibg us a precept: “Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you.”

More concretely still, He added: “Whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him another two…if a man take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.”

Archbishop Fulton Sheen, For God and Country

JMJ

A. By the hearing. 1. In willingly giving ear to immodest words, discourses, songs, etc.

B. By the sight. 1. In looking on immodest objects. 2. In reading or keeping immodest books; lending them to others; or

neglecting to suppress them when we may.

C. By the tongue. 1. In speaking immodest words. 2. In relating improper stories or wicked actions of ourselves or others.

D. By the touch. 1. In using indecent actions.

E. By thoughts.1. By entertaining impure thoughts willfully and with delight.

F. By immodest actions.1. In committing the sin of impurity; and whether effected by soliciting, seducing with promises, or forcing; whether it be fornication, or adultery.2. In sins against nature.

6. Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery


• Have I abused or denied my marriage rights?

• Have I practiced birth control (by pills, devices, withdrawal)?

• Have I committed adultery or fornication (premarital sex)?

• Have I sinned impurely by myself (masturbation)?

• Have I entertained or taken pleasure in impure thoughts?

• Have I been an occasion of sin for others by wearing revealing and immodest clothing? Have I done anything to provoke or occasion impure thoughts or desires in others deliberately or through carelessness?

• Have I watched suggestive movies/TV, pornography, or pornographic literature or permitted my children to do so?

• Have I used indecent language or told indecent stories, and have I willingly listened to such stories?

• Have I neglected to control my imagination, or have I prayed to banish such thoughts and temptations?

• Have I avoided laziness, gluttony, idleness, and the occasions of impurity?

Particular Questions on the Sixth Commandment

A. By taking another's goods, and to what value.

B. By retaining what we know belongs to another.

C. By denying our debts, or willfully delaying payment, to the prejudice of our neighbors.

D. By making unjust bargains or contracts, into which every trade or profession ought to make a strict inquiry.

E. By causing any damage to our neighbors.

F. By putting off false and counterfeit money.

G. By desiring another's property.

H. By not giving alms when necessity requires.

I. By not paying dues to our pastors, or by not contributing to the decent support of religious worship.

J. By simony.

7. The Seventh Commandment: Thou Shall Not Steal


• Have I stolen anything? What or how much? Have I failed to make restitution for my stealing, cheating and frauds?

• Have I willfully or negligently damaged anyone’s property?

• Have I been negligent in the stewardship of other people’s money or goods?

• Have I cheated or defrauded others? Have I refused or neglected to pay any debts?

• Have I gambled excessively or have I acquired anything known to be stolen?

• Have I cheated my employer of an honest day’s work or have I cheated my employees of their wages?

• Have I refused or neglected to help anyone in urgent need or have I been stingy?

• Have I been grasping and avaricious, placing too great importance upon material goods and comforts? Is my heart set on earthly possessions or on the true treasures of Heaven?

Particular Questions on the Seventh Commandment

A. By witnessing what is false, or defending a false accusation, as in lawyers and solicitors; or condemning the innocent, or discharging the guilty, as judges and arbitrators.

B. By detraction, either in laying something false to another's charge, or reporting for truth what is merely doubtful; or in revealing something as yet secret and unknown, though true, to the prejudice of some third person; with a declaration, whether it be done out of levity and indiscretion, or out of malice or ill-will; whether in the presence of many, or in a matter of importance.

C. By lying, or speaking what we judge to be otherwise than we say; whether out of custom, or to the considerable prejudice of others.

D. By hypocrisy, which is a lie in action.

8. The Eighth Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness


• Have I lied about anyone (calumny)? Have my lies caused them any material or spiritual harm?

• Am I, without necessity, critical, negative or ever uncharitable in my talk?

• Have I rashly judged anyone (i.e. believed firmly, without sufficient evidence, that they are guilty of some moral defect or crime)?

• Have I injured the good name of another by revealing true but hidden faults (detraction)?

• Have I disclosed another´s sins? Or have I been guilty of tale-bearing, (i.e. reporting something unfavorable said of someone by another so as to create enmity between them)?

• Have I lent an ear to or encouraged the spreading of scandal about my neighbor?

• Have I taken false oaths or signed false documents?

• Have I flattered others?

Particular Questions on the Eighth Commandment

9, 10. The Ninth and Tenth Commandments: Thou Shalt Not Covet they Neighbor's Wife and Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Goods

A. By all unlawful and willful desires of impurity and theft; which have been already mentioned in the sixth and seventh commandments.

In the Catholic version of the Decalogue, the Sixth and Ninth Commandments are coupled together. They both prescribe the practice of chastity.

Like the Sixth and Ninth Commandments, the Seventh and Tenth not only forbid actually taking another person’s property, but even internally desiring to appropriate it.


Part Three

VI. The Seven Deadly Sins

VII. The Nine Co-operations

VIII. The Seven Precepts of the Church

IX. The Works of Mercy

X. Miscellaneous

JMJ

In the examination of conscience a person concentrates less on his own sin than on the mercy of God – as the wounded concentrate less on their wounds than on the power of the physician who binds and heals the wounds.

As the empty pantry drives the housewife to the bakery, so the empty soul is driven to the Bread of Life.


The Seven Deadly Sins and the Opposite Virtues

1. Pride..........................................................Humility2. Covetousness..............................................Liberality3. Lust...........................................................Chastity4. Anger.........................................................Meekness5. Gluttony.....................................................Temperance6. Envy...........................................................Brotherly love7. Sloth..........................................................Diligence


1. The Sin of Covetousness

2. The Sin of Luxury

3. The Sin of Sloth

These sins have been examined in the first, sixth, and seventh commandments.

1-3. The Sins of Covetousness, Luxury, and Sloth


A. In entertaining too great and opinion of ourselves, or in valuing ourselves above our deserts.

B. In publishing what we think good in ourselves, that we may be esteemed by others.

C. In arrogance, by attributing to ourselves the good we have not.

D. In presumption and ambition, by confiding too much in our own strength, conceiving ourselves capable of accomplishing things above our abilities, and in rashly attempting them.

E. In contempt of others, on account of the good opinions we have of ourselves, and when this contempt is manifested by words or actions or by being severe and exacting on inferiors.

F. In want of submission to our superiors, by disobeying them, blaming their conduct, or murmuring against them.

VI. The Seven Deadly Sins4. The Sin of Pride

4. The Sin of Pride (Con’t)

G. In not acknowledging our faults; or when, in confessing the facts, we maintain we have done well, or at least allege false excuses.

H. In contempt of admonitions and corrections.

I. In discord.

J. In hypocrisy.

K. In curiosity, which inclines us to know things prejudicial to our salvation.

L. By ingratitude for God's benefits.

Five Effects of Pride

1. Vainglory (Boasting, Dissimulation / Duplicity)2. Ambition 3. Contempt for others 4. Anger / Revenge / Resentment 5. Stubbornness / Obstinacy


A. In eating or drinking to excess, as far as they are prejudicial, either to our health or our reason, or any ways scandalous, or of ill example to others.

Clearly one who uses food or drink in such a way as to injure his health or impair the mental equipment needed for the discharge of his duties, is guilty of the sin of gluttony.

Philippians 3:19: Whose end is destruction: whose God is their belly: and whose glory is in

their shame: who mind earthly things.

5. The Sin of Gluttony


"Prae-propere, laute, nimis, ardenter, studiose" or, according to the apt rendering of Fr. Rickably: “too soon, too expensively, too much, too

eagerly, too daintily.”

6. The Sin of Envy

A. Trouble at the good success of our neighbor, or when we endeavor to do him an unkindness, or speak often against him, or create an ill opinion of him in the mind of another.

B. When we rejoice at our neighbor's harm.

A fable attributed to Aesop: A Wild Ass, who was wandering idly about, one day came upon a Pack-Ass lying at full length in a sunny spot and thoroughly enjoying himself. Going up to him, he said, "What a lucky beast you are! Your sleek coat shows how well you live: how I envy you!"

Not long after the Wild Ass saw his acquaintance again, but this time he was carrying a heavy load, and his driver was following behind and beating him with a thick stick. "Ah, my friend," said the Wild Ass, "I don't envy you any more: for I see you pay dear for your comforts."


The man is upset at work, so he goes home and yells at his wife. She gets mad and takes it out on the children, so they kick the dog, who bites the cat, who scratches the furniture, which makes the man angry...

A. Not to endure anything contrary to our inclinations.

B. To suffer ourselves to be hurried away by the emotionsof wrath against those that give us any trouble.

C. To proceed to quarrels, injurious language, oaths, curses, threats; to take revenge, or to desire and wish to be in a capacity of exercising it.

D. To refuse to pardon injuries, or to be reconciled to our enemies, or to such of our neighbors with whom we have had some misunderstanding, or falling out.

7. The Sin of Anger


It is not enough to tell God that we are sorry and then forget about it. If we broke a neighbor’s window, we would not only apologize but also would go to the trouble of putting in a new pane. Since all sin disturbs the equilibrium and balance of justice and love, there must be restoration involving toil and effort.

…suppose that every time a person did wrong he was told to drive a nail into a wall, and every time he was forgiven to pull one out. The holes would still remain after the forgiveness. Thus every sin…leaves “holes” or “wounds” in our human nature, and the filling up of these holes is done by penance; a thief who steals a watch can be forgiven the theft, but only if he returns the watch.


JMJ

VII. The Nine Sins of Co-operation

A. Have I knowingly caused others to sin?

B. Have I co-operated in the sins of others?

C. Has my example led others to sin, or to believe that I condone sin (scandal)?

1. By counsel. 2. By command. 3. By consent. 4. By provocation. 5. By praise or flattery. 6. By concealment. 7. By partaking. 8. By silence. 9. By defense of the ill done.

Are you the

“devil” on someone’s shoulder? Nine ways to cooperate in the sin of another:

Encouragement through active participation or

tacit support

VIII. The Seven Precepts of the Church

5. To contribute to the support of the Church.

6. To obey the laws of the Church concerning Matrimony.

7. To participate in the Church's mission of Evangelization of Souls.

1. To attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, and resting from servile works.

2. To observe the days of abstinence and fasting.

3. To confess our sins to a priest, at least once a year.

4. To receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist at least once a year during Easter Season.


The corporal works of mercy are oriented toward the body.

These are the seven practices of charity toward our neighbor, based on Christ’s prophecy of the Last Judgment, that will determine each person’s final destiny:

A. Feed the hungry

B. Give drink to the thirsty

C. Clothe the naked

D. Shelter the homeless

E. Visit the sick

F. Visit those in prison

G. Bury the dead

1. The Corporal Works of Mercy

The spiritual works of mercy are oriented toward the soul.

These are based on the teachings of Christ and on Church practice since apostolic times.

A. Admonish Sinners

B. Instruct the Ignorant

C. Counsel the Doubtful

D. Comfort the Sorrowful

E. Bear Wrongs Patiently

F. Forgive Injuries

G. Pray for the Living and the Dead

2. The Spiritual Works of Mercy


Sin is not only limited to our dwelling on thoughts and commission, but includes omission.

“We can fail in the practice of…virtues either by commission, omission, or by tepidity, in not acting as generously as we might in responding to the grace we have received from God.” - by Fr. John Hardon, S.J.

Scandal: Sin is compounded by leading others (directly or indirectly) to sin.

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6, NAB

XI. Miscellaneous

There is no evidence whatever to sustain the position…that sin tends to make a person morbid.

To call someone an escapist because he asks for forgiveness is like calling a householder whose home is on fire an escapist because he sends for the fire department. If there is anything morbid in the sinner’s responsible admission of a violated relationship with divine love, this is a jovial sanity compared with the real and terribly morbidity that comes to those who are sick and those who refuse to admit their illness.


JMJ

Part One I. Condensed Primer on Sin Part One I. Condensed Primer on Sin Part Two II. Sin in Relation...

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Transcript of Part One I. Condensed Primer on Sin Part One I. Condensed Primer on Sin Part Two II. Sin in Relation...