God The Beatitudes General Sins Against the Theological Examination of Conscience There is One God in three Divine Persons: 1. Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Virtues and Catholic Doctrine Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Kingdom of Heaven. 1. Presumption on God’s Mercy. OF 2. Blessed are the meek; for they shall possess RS M the land. 2. Despair. E E Jesus Christ 3. Resisting and/or Attacking the known truth. H R

3. Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be C Jesus is one Person: a Divine Person. He has two T

comforted. 4. at another’s spiritual good. A Y natures: a Divine Nature and a Human Nature. F 4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for 5. Obstinacy in sin. ; for they shall be filled. 6. Final impenitence. The Main Events in the Life of 5. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain 1808 Christ mercy. Conception in the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 6. Blessed are the pure of heart; for they shall see Sins Crying to Heaven for Vengeance The Birth in Bethlehem, Presentation in the Temple, God. 1. Willful murder. I. I am the Lord Thy God. Thou shall not have Baptism in the Jordan River by St. John the Baptist, 7. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be 2. Sodomy. strange gods before Me. called the children of God. Temptations in the desert at the beginning of His public 3. Oppression of the poor. II. Thou shall not take the Name of the Lord thy ministry, Sermon on the Mount, Transfiguration, Last 8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for God in vain. 4. Defrauding laborers of their wages. Supper, Carrying of the Cross to Calvary, Death on the justice’s sake; for theirs is the Kingdom of III. Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day. Cross, Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. Heaven. IV. Honor thy father and thy mother. V. Thou shall not kill. Titles of the Blessed Virgin Mary The Corporal Works of Mercy Nine Ways of Being an Accessory to VI. Thou shall not commit adultery. The New Eve, Mother of God, Mother of the To feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, Another’s Sin VII. Thou shall not steal. Church, Our Lady, Most Holy Virgin, Queen, clothe the naked, visit the imprisoned, shelter the 1. By counsel. VIII. Thou shall not bear false witness. homeless, visit the sick and bury the dead. Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix and Mediatrix. 2. By command. IX. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s wife. 3. By consent. X. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s goods. The Four Marks of the Church The Spiritual Works of Mercy 4. By provocation. One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. To admonish the sinner, instruct the ignorant, 5. By praise or flattery. The Two Greatest Commandments counsel the doubtful, comfort the sorrowful, bear 6. By concealment. I. You shall love the Lord your God with your wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries and pray for whole heart, with your whole and with The Seven Sacraments the living and the dead. 7. By partaking. Baptism, Confession, Holy Eucharist, Confirmation, 8. By silence. all your mind. II. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matrimony, Holy Orders and Anointing of the Sick. Three Eminent Good Works 9. By defense of the sinful action. What is a Sacrament? Prayer, Fasting and Almsgiving. The Precepts of the Church A Sacrament is an outward, visible sign instituted The Four Last Things 1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy by Jesus Christ that gives the grace it signifies. The Evangelical Counsels Death, Judgement, Heaven or Hell. Days of Obligation and rest from servile labor. Chastity, Poverty and Obedience. 2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year. The 3. You shall receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist at Faith, and . The Seven Capital Sins and their least during the Easter Season. Imprimi Potest: 4. You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence Opposite Virtues Very Rev. David M. Wilton, CPM established by the Church. The 1. – Humility. Superior General of the Fathers of Mercy 5. You shall help to provide for the needs of the , Justice, and Fortitude. 2. Avarice – Generosity. November 11, 2009 Church. 3. – Chastity. Feast of St. Martin of Tours The Gifts of the Holy Spirit 4. – Meekness. Prayer Before Confession Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding, Counsel, 5. – Temperance. Come, Holy Spirit, enlighten my mind that I may clearly Piety, Fortitude and Fear of the Lord. 6. Envy – Brotherly Love. The Fathers Of Mercy know my sins. Move my heart that I may be sincerely 7. or Acedia – Diligence. 806 Shaker Museum Road sorry for them, honestly confess them and firmly resolve to amend my life. Spirit of Wisdom, grant me to see The Fruits of the Holy Spirit Auburn, KY 42206 Joy, Long-Suffering, Charity, Humility, Peace, the malice of sin and my ingratitude toward You, the (270) 542-4146 all-loving God. Spirit of Fortitude, help me to make Fidelity, Patience, Modesty, Kindness, Continence, www.fathersofmercy.com whatever sacrifice is needed to avoid sin in the future. Goodness and Chastity. Amen. Examination of Conscience How to go to Confession 1. The priest will greet you. Did I deny or doubt God’s existence? Did I give a fair wage to my employee(s)? Did I fulfill my contracts, give or accept 2. The penitent says: “Forgive me, bribes, pay my bills, rashly gamble or speculate Father, for I have sinned.” You then Did I refuse to believe God’s revelation? Was I impatient, angry, envious, unkind, or deprive my family of the necessities of life? say how long it has been since your last proud, jealous, revengeful, hateful toward Did I believe in horoscopes, fortune telling, Confession. others or lazy? Did I tell lies? Deliberately in order to deceive 3. The penitent tells the priest his sins and dreams, good luck charms or reincarnation? or injure others? Did I give bad example, abuse drugs, drink answers any questions. Did I deny that I was a Catholic? alcohol to excess, fight or quarrel? Did I commit perjury? 4. The priest will give you some advice and will assign you a penance. Did I abandon the Catholic Faith? Did I physically injure or kill anyone? Did I vote in accordance with a properly 5. The penitent will next pray the Act of Did I despair of or presume on God’s mercy? informed conscience, in a way consistent with Have I had or advised anyone to have an the teachings of the Church, in regard to the Contrition (see prayer below). Did I neglect prayer for a long time? abortion? sanctity of human life and human life issues? 6. The priest then gives the penitent absolution. Did I fail to pray daily? Did I participate in or approve of the grave evil Was I uncharitable in word or deed? known as “mercy killing” or euthanasia? 7. The priest will then say: “Give thanks Did I blaspheme God or take God’s Name in Did I gossip or reveal the faults and sins of to the Lord, for He is good.” vain, curse or break an oath or vow? Did I attempt suicide? others? 8. The penitent responds: “His mercy Did I miss Mass on a Sunday or on a Holy Did I willfully entertain impure thoughts and Did I fail to keep secrets that I should have endures for ever.” The priest will then Day of Obligation through my own fault? desires? kept? dismiss you. Am I always reverent in the presence of the Did I dress immodestly? Did I eat meat on the Fridays during Lent or on Act of Contrition Most Blessed Sacrament? Did I use impure or suggestive words? Ash Wednesday? O my God, I am heartily sorry for having Was I inattentive at Mass? Did I tell impure stories or listen to them? Did I fast as required on Ash Wednesday and offended Thee and I detest all my sins Good Friday? because I dread the loss of Heaven and the Did I arrive at Mass late? Did I deliberately look at impure television, pains of hell. But most of all, because they Did I fail to receive Holy Communion during Did I leave Mass early? internet, plays, pictures or movies? offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and the Easter Season? deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, Did I deliberately read impure material? Did I do unnecessary servile work on Sunday? Did I fail to confess my sins at least once a with the help of Thy grace, to confess my Did I disobey or disrespect my parents or Did I perform impure acts by myself year? sins, to do penance and to amend my life. legitimate superiors? (masturbation) or with another (adultery, Amen. fornication or sodomy)? Did I go to Holy Communion in the state of Did I neglect my duties to my husband, wife, mortal sin? Prayer After Confession children or parents? Did I marry or advise another to marry outside of the Church? Did I go to Holy Communion without fasting Almighty and Merciful God, Whose mercy Did I fail to actively take an interest in the for one hour or more from food and drink is boundless and everlasting and of Whose religious education and formation of my Did I abuse my marriage rights? (water and medicine are permitted)? goodness the riches are infinite, I thank You children? Was I unfaithful to my marriage vows? Did I make a bad Confession? because You have so graciously pardoned all my sins and restored Your Heavenly favor. Have I failed to educate myself concerning Have I kept company with someone else’s Did I deliberately not tell all the sins I I am awed by Your divine compassion and the teachings of the Church? spouse? committed during one of my Confessions? the incomprehensible love of Your Son, which has led Him to institute so gentle and Did I give a full day’s work in return for a full Did I practice artificial birth control or was Did I fail to contribute to the support of the day’s pay? I or my spouse permanently sterilized (tubal Church? powerful a remedy for sins. In union with all ligation or vasectomy)? the gratitude that has ever ascended to You Did I give scandal by what I said or did, from truly penitent hearts, I proclaim Your especially to the young? Did I steal, cheat, help or encourage others to merciful praises on behalf of all in Heaven, Was I the cause of anyone abandoning the steal or keep stolen goods? on earth and in purgatory, for ever and ever. Catholic Faith? Have I made restitution for stolen goods? Amen.