The short examinations of conscience below are meant to help you shine a light into your soul, with God’s help and inspiration from the saints. In his audiences on discernment, Pope Francis encouraged us not only to examine our consciences in order to prepare for confession, but to discover the “passwords of our hearts.” Many of the questions you’ll read below are not about sins, but ways to grow in the happiness of being close to Him (which is holiness!).
1. God and I
Questions about your relationship with God, inspired by Montse Grases and Marco Gallo.
Questions about your relationship with others, inspired by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Blessed Guadalupe Ortiz.
3. Just me
Questions about virtues and authenticity, inspired by Saint Joan of Arc and Blessed Carlo Acutis.
Questions about discernment and your plan of life, inspired by Blessed Álvaro del Portillo and Venerable Madeleine Delbrél.
5. I can!
Questions about facing hard times, inspired by Carlotta Nobile, Blessed Guadalupe Ortiz, and Saint Josemaría.
6. Hope
Questions about living with hope, inspired by Saint Thérèse of Lisieux and Saint Josemaría.
7. Joy
Questions about living with joy, inspired by Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Venerable Madeleine Delbrél.
GOD AND I
“Remind me, if I forget: I want to do God’s will” (Montse Grases).
“The reason my life makes sense is because of You; now I understand” (Marco Gallo).
Questions about God’s presence and his will:
- Do I begin and end each day with prayer?
- Do I thank God for the good things that happen each day?
- Do I talk to God about the things that upset or annoy me?
- Do I look for God in little things throughout the day?
- Do I rely more on myself or on God?
THE OTHERS AND I
“Picking up a pin from the floor with love can save a soul” (St Thérèse of Lisieux).
“I'm sending you a hug, Mercedes. And if you ever need a heartbeat to sort something out, I'm here, ready to go wherever I'm needed, with all my heart” (Blessed Guadalupe Ortiz, in a letter to a friend, 22 June 1975).
Questions about love and holiness in daily life, family, work, and relationships:
- Do I do anything concrete to make the place I live more beautiful?
- If I’ve hurt the people I live with in any way, have I tried to make amends?
- Do my siblings like the way I treat them? Do my parents?
- Do I ask Jesus to watch over my grandparents and all the elderly?
- When my friends or relatives aren’t well, how do I show my care for them?
- Do I do practical things to bring peace and joy to the place where I study?
- Have I spoken badly or thought poorly of others?
- Have I spent any time caring for the poor, sick, or lonely?
- Have I lost my peace because of someone else’s opinions?
- Have I been indifferent to another person’s suffering?
JUST ME
“To give up who you are and live without belief… That is worse than dying” (St Joan of Arc).
“Everyone is born an original, but most die as photocopies” (Carlo Acutis).
Questions about virtue, faith, and being credible believers:
- Am I really trying to grow in friendship with Jesus? How?
- Do I know how to forgive? Is it hard for me to let go when I’ve been hurt?
- Am I bitter when other people seem richer, happier, or more successful than me? Am I able to rejoice when good things happen to others?
- Does being able to help others really matter to me, or is it just an afterthought?
- What do I spend my time on?
- Am I able to rest well, without neglecting others, my studies, or work?
- In the battle against laziness, how often does laziness win? How often do I win?
THE PRESENT MOMENT
“Our whole life should become a life of prayer. That way, we live an amazing adventure, full of joy: the joy of God’s children” (Blessed Álvaro del Portillo).
“If only we were happy in You, Lord! Then we wouldn’t be able to stop dancing with joy, and we’d begin to guess the dance You want to teach us step by step, through Your providence” (Venerable Madeleine Delbrél).
Questions about our priorities, our time, and discernment:
- What’s the most important thing in my life?
- Can I tell what does me good and what does me harm?
- Do I try to fill my heart with beautiful things, like genuine friendships, positive values, and uplifting stories?
- Do I respect my own and others’ privacy?
- Do I have a healthy relationship with food?
- Do I take proper care of my physical health?
- Do I use social media wisely? Do I ever get lost in endless scrolling or content full of resentment or vulgarity?
I CAN!
“Some battles we don’t choose. Then there’s life… And I’ll never stop choosing it” (Carlotta Nobile).
“Sometimes in the prayer I can’t think about anything, and I realize that my brain is tired from so much thinking, and all I want to do is lean on our Lord and feel that I’m there; then I know how much I love him and I’m very happy” (Blessed Guadalupe Ortiz).
“If we do not let God toughen us through sacrifice, we will never become Our Lord's instruments. On the other hand, if we decide to accept difficulties gladly and make use of them for the love of God, then in the face of what is difficult and unpleasant, when things are hard and uncomfortable, we will be able to exclaim with the apostles James and John, ‘Yes, we can!’” (St. Josemaría).
Questions about the struggle and hard timesL
- Do I only turn to God when I’m in trouble?
- Am I convinced that God look at me and sees someone very, very important?
- Do I hand my fears over to Jesus, so He can overcome them?
- Do I have the courage to speak frankly to God, even when I’m upset with Him?
- Do I use difficulties as chances to realign the compass of my life toward God?
HOPE
“We mustn’t always complain like people who have no hope” (St Thérèse of Lisieux).
“‘It is a time of hope, and I live off this treasure. It is not just a phrase, Father,’ you tell me, ‘it is a reality.’ Well then… bring the whole world, all the human values which attract you so very strongly — friendship, the arts, science, philosophy, theology, sport, nature, culture, souls — bring all of this within that hope: the hope of Christ” (St Josemaría).
Questions about hope and disappointment:
- Do I try to bring hope to the people around me?
- How do I react to unexpected events or annoyances? Am I patient? Do I give in to panic, frustration, or anger?
- Do I try to communicate with my family and build loving relationships so that we can face life’s challenges together?
JOY
“Always carry joy with you. Goodness must be done with joy. If you’re sad, you won’t be able to speak to anyone about God, because God is joy” (Mother Teresa of Calcutta).
“Lord, help us live our lives not like a chess game where everything is calculated, not like a match where everything is hard, not like a riddle that makes your head spin, but like a never-ending celebration, where we find You again and again, like a dance, like a dance in the arms of Your grace, moving to the rhythm of universal love” (Venerable Madeleine Delbrél).
Questions about joy and happiness:
- Do I recognise the great things God has done for me? Do I thank Him every day for all He’s given me?
- Does knowing that God is my Father, and that He’s given us Mary as our Mother, fill me with joy?
- Do I go to the sacrament of confession with joy, knowing that it brings me back to the Lord?
- Do I try to live with good humour, without naivety, but choosing to see the glass half-full?
- When my friends share something good that’s happened to them, am I honestly happy for them?