Making a Good Confession (Examining Your Conscience) 

I believe the Lord truly uses you and speaks through you Fr. Casey. Your words are wise beyond your years. Thank you Father. God bless you.

I go to Confession every Saturday...the more often I go, the more spiritually aware I become. Catholics should focus on this sacrament more than the needless controversy of communion in the hand or mouth.

As an Orthodox Christian, this spoke to me. Thank you Father.

I'm going to confession tomorrow so this video definitely helped me a lot in preparing for it.

Thank you father Casey.God Bless You!!!

Thank you for giving me faith in the christian faith again. I was not raised catholic but i plan to attend my local mass this weekend.. all i seek is Absolution. I do not care what that may entail.

I love that. Cuz yeah, I always feel like I miss stuff when I go to confession

Thank you Father!!! Thanking God for a wonderful priest like you!!!

Thank You Father !!!! God Bless what You do for us !!!

Thank you for the insights and thought provoking guide. Been trying to go to Confession on a more regular basis lately. This video has been very helpful.

Amazing Father !! You’ve just voiced exactly wat ive felt. I’ve also thot that the examination of our conscience can’t be limited to the Ten Commandments only, but to everything Jesus has sed in the Bible. In fact going against anything Jesus has sed is a breach of Law, even something ‘as small as’ wasting food (in the sense that that line would hardly be noticed as a ‘breach of Law’) when we know our poorer brothers n sisters in so many parts of the world r struggling for the same. I don’t mean it’s wasted intentionally. Jesus says ‘let nothing be wasted’ and the food was even gathered into baskets! Shows how much Our Lord valued that. So we should in the same way. If one can’t ‘physically’ visit the sick, I feel one can call up and enquire and/or pray for them. Basically do all the good that we can possibly do, which is in our scope or limitation.

Reconciliation is a awesome sacrament , source of immense grace that we can visit regularly ,I always feel a sense of renewal and strength for the journey,until and when i am called home to God,I always try to convey to others and young people the awesome nature of a loving, merciful God that made us for Himself in His image of love for eternity...

Yes, Yes, Yes, Keep it up the great work and job you do.

Thanks Father Casey.

Thank you! I always struggled with using the 10 commandments for my examen. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

Thank you father for this

You always bring the right videos at the right time. Thank God for clergymen & religious like you!

I´m a 50 year old man and I recently discovered your beuatiful contribution to the sprad of the Good Word in a way that is fresh, yet accurate and available to some diversity. As a man who used to be confessed 2 or 3 times a year and been missing Confession for 3 full years, how I yearn for a conversation with a man like you, Father, who I think the Holly Spirit inspired to talk about faith in a world where faith is considered obsolet and reason for mockery. Yes, I have some theological difficulties I cannot, til this day, have the light of the Lord to be taught and educated well. I disagree with some points regarding pristhood and women, with celibacy and even with more profound theological teachings...but never with the Truth that Jesus is our Lord and our salvation, that the Holly Trinity is a fact I clearly accept without needing to understand it scientificaly because God laid His eyes over me, not for my deeds, no, but opened my eyes at least for these Truthes that feed my soul. Father, how I need spiritual guidance to overcome so many doubts, how can I help my 17 year old daughter who lives with her mother, who is an atheist, but who still agees to go to mass each Sunday with me. nevertheless, she does not feel any will to confess, surely by my miserable example, but even younger, still in the Scouts, she never felt that urge for purification and acknowlodging herself as the only person within her school mates who accepts being a Catholic....does not help ether. I´m trully sorry for this long text and I even apologise to whever loses his/her time by reading this personal confession but.....how wonderful and brave first Christians were by confessing themselves in a reunion of all the members of the group with whom they lived.... How heroic and pure that was and how I feel so far away from those models of virtue.

Thank you Fr. Casey

Indeed! Many books on the sacrament of reconciliation prescribe generic methodologies of preparation for confession. It is not a one-size-fits-all thing.

This is awesome. As usual, examined with clarity and eloquence. I am privileged to teach a parish based RCIA group and have recently cover the sacrament of reconciliation and by implication, the examination of conscience. Like you, I have found the commandment based tools just adequate but not exhaustive so I’ll certainly be checking out the resources you recommend. Thank you for your vocation and God bless 🙏🏾

I enjoy listening to your videos you a fantastic vocabulary!

Confession is good for the soul this definitely gives you something to think about before making a good confession.

I hope you'll also make a talk about our Mother Mary. Thank you Father.

Thank you for this!

God knows my sins. But it is hard to state them out loud. Hence the need for confession. Is hard but necessary. Thank you for what you do. Oh and this new book. WOW.

Father Casey, I appreciate and feel very enlightened by your videos. As you speak of examining our conscience, why don't you please compile for us a booklet or something we can print out that will help us to make an excellent confession? You are so knowledgeable and a faithful, loving servant of the Lord that I am positive that you could compose what we should be asking ourselves before Reconciliation. Thank you for always assisting us in becoming better people.

Very wise words, especially the need to focus on Catholic Social Teaching and the Beatitudes.

During the years I've tried many tools and readings to examine my Consciousness, including meditations on the Scriptures. As I do love Ignatius spirituality, I think the most efficient and powerful one is St.Ignatius' Daily Examen of consciousness. Giving thanks to God for its daily gifts and admitting my own failures helps me to see which opportunities and calls I've missed during my day, but also what God gave me generously and I wasn't able to notice. Tools base on ten Commandments aren't so helpful to me because it seems like making a list and putting a flag on the sins that I've committed. Once a priest told me that I sin when "I miss the mark". In other words, as my Confessor suggested me, the three questions before going to bed: what did I do well during my day? What could I have done better? What didn't I do well? I like the fact that, as Pope Francis said, two spouses should go to bed only after reconciliation ...the same happens with God.

Thank you for the video. This helped me really break down the sacrament of reconciliation and visualize what I can do to understand Jesus's plan for me. Amen.

Than you fr.Your wise beyond your years.Thnc for becoming a priest

Because of my very list and task-oriented brain, I find these examination of conscience tools extremely helpful for going to confession. Usually I like to make notes on these papers and bring them into the confessional with me. But I think you rightly point out the flaws with many of them. Maybe a more comprehensive tool is in order? (like you had mentioned, a combination of the ones found on the USCCB website might be a good start)

God bless you more and more

Awesome video father Casey

My most fruitful Confessions have been looking at the Seven Deadly Sins (and the corresponding virtues)--that is, at broad enough categories/those attitudes that lead to other sins to organize the thoughts. And, then challenging myself to find at least one in each category. Granted, for certain ones that is harder than others (Greed--it is still there, but sins involving money are harder when you are poor--more of the, this actually falls under envy, or those couple opportunities to give where you don't--rather than, I am going to rule my business world and not pay people enough, Bwahahaha), but it is flexible enough to cover more than the 10 Commandments.

Thank you - very helpful

Fr. Casey I wish I could have you as a confessor. I believe my confession would impact both my life as a sinner and yours as a confessor. But alas we are to many miles apart.

A week after Lent started - and my confession - I've already fallen. I feel like packing it in altogether.

Check out the Church's teaching on the 10 Commandments in the "Catechism of the Catholic Church" 1994 (the white little one or big green one promoted by JPII). More formation & meditation on the 10 would cover your points.

10/10 !!

Hey Father Casey, What is your opinion on the Idente Missionaries?

What do I do if I forgot to mention some sins to the priest in the confessin (my confession is still valid? or should I go and confess the ones that I forgot to say?)

"confessions of living saints" :D oh yes. it's me sometimes, mea culpa :))

Lord, forgive us for the bad things we have done and the good things we have not done.

Here in Auckland New Zealand, reconciliation at most parishes inside a confessional is once a week for only an hour or so. So, you have to be on the ball and well-planned to have your time at confession. They do offer reconciliation "by appointment", but I would feel like I was "bothering" the priest and would rather be in the Church and enter an actual confessional. Is it this way in the US? How regularly is the sacrament offered in this way?

This is an interesting approach to look in at from the outside. As regards whether giving to the poor violates the ten commandments, it may interest you that Jewish scholars would consider failure to make tzedekah (lit. righteousness, in practical terms includes giving) is theft (and therefore against the ten commandments, not to mention several of the 615), since tzedekah is an obligation, not an option. - a lurking Jew

Wonderful informative lesson. Thank you. Might I suggest a less noisy, erratic background "music". It is very distracting. Thanks again. God bless you.

what do you think of the tridentine mass?

When examining your conscience, use the 10 Commandments, Precepts of the Church, Works of Mercy, Beatitudes, and the 7 Deadly Sins (PALEGAS - Pride, anger, lust, envy, gluttony, avarice, sloth) with their daughters according to St. Aquinas.

A greater emphasis on repentance/ conversion/ contrition might help. The publican's Gospel prayer says much....how do I disturb my relationship with God..

I struggled with habitual sin that made me ashamed of myself going to confession.

Fr Casey, with even Seattle releasing "Communion in hand only directive", I think you need to address that (especially for those who insist on receiving on tongue). Also whether we can NOT receive this easter.

We definitely can't interpret the 10 commandments as only 10 closed yes/no questions in Old Testament. To make a proper examination we need to ponder it in the light of the New Testament, along with the capital sins and the and absence of the Virtues of the Holy Spirit, based on current style of life. Pope Francisco himself has recommended a very beautiful questionnaire for a thoroughness examination. There are good material in Catholic websites if look for it. Read and reflect on the life of Saints in which God has mystically acted, such as St. Maria Vianey and St. Pío de Pietrelcina it's helpful too. Pray for our priest is important. Jesus told Saint Faustina Kowalska his sadness for Prists who in the Eucharist and Sacraments does not truly believe or are in mortal sin.

Polluting the eviironment ?

What about priests who scold you during confession? My last confession, a little more than a year ago, was brutal and come out very disappointed and defeated.

💯👏🙏👍

Doesn’t the commandment to love others as you love yourself cover everything, for example to give to the poor, not to gossip being only two such examples!

The examination of Conscience isnt just about offering a weekly confession. Matthew6-5 states the following " And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. 6But when you pray, go into your inner room, shut your door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.…" Why do we need to wait to confess our sins? Only God can forgive us of our sins.

UCCB resource link www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/penance/examinations-of-conscience.cfm

What exactly is the point of going to a priest who often committed more sins than many of the people who go to confession?

4:51 yeasss right

I am afraid that sometimes there are disputes about the hompophobic, racist, or sexist definitions. Is it homophobic to think homosexual acts are objectively wrong? Sexist to think women and men are different? Racist to oppose illegal immigration? One should always examine one's intentions, as well as one's behavior, and a priest should help with that, because you are both judge and doctor.

Serious question, Father: What does “homophobic” mean for Catholics? How am I supposed to know if I’ve entered into it?

Father have you thought of running for Congress?

You could never convince me that doing personal things while at work and getting paid for it is a sin (or I should say, you could not have convinced me of it back when I was a Christian)

I committed the sin of avarice from messing around with spiritual energies with a pagan massagist.

And how did Jesus talk about the pharacies?

It’s okay to be against the lgbtq lifestyle and agenda. Homophobic is “their” framing and i reject the accusation. Go and sin no more.

Why do priests give people penances during the sacrament of Reconciliation when Jesus forgave unconditionally? He simply told them to sin no more.

USCCB?? help

Why on earth does this sacrament have to be so complicated

is polluting really a sin???

wait wait wait... back up.. homofobia is a sin in a church that preaches that homosexuality is a moral evil? I'm intrigued, can someone elaborate

If you read the Bible...bam- all you need to know. Follow the instructions of the Saints, clearly they have it right.

Mark 2:7 “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?”

Where does Jesus say in the Gospels (or elsewhere) we must have a "preferential option for the poor"? I thought that came from the discredited "Liberation Theology."

15 minutes in the confession and the line is long. It is an hour before mass so only 4 people can make it. Humm, what sins these folks have that must take that long to be in there? Did they violate 500 laws in the Jewish laws? I already sinned standing in the line waiting for my turn. Oh God have mercy on me.

I just don't think many people are homophobic anymore.

Comment number two at three minutes from publishing. :)

I confess that I never have gone to a priest, and confess a priest has never come to me :) Who needs people in fancy clothing? Can you imagine the Apostles in confessional boxes in the desert. Lol.

You really love to hear peoples sins don’t you

How arrogant to make the Ten Commandments 20

No thank you. I don't want to be probed by a Priest I don't know.

Blah blah blah you have dead fruit