The followign examination of conscience, available at the John Paul II Center, was developed for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee by the staff of the TYME OUT Youth Ministry Center, and is based on their experience with youth retreats, liturgies and the sacrament of reconciliation.

Preparing for the sacrament of reconciliation is often misunderstood. People often think of it as a very negative thing, admitting to all the bad things we might do or mistakes we may have made. Quite the opposite, this sacrament helps us to take an opportunity to talk about what is troubling our hearts, The Sacrament of Reconciliation offers us a chance to speak and pray with someone who can help us look at who we are and the changes we would like to, or perhaps need to, make in our lives. The following examine can be used with the Level 6 Prayer Guide & Journal.

The following questions can help you examine your conscience. Be honest.

• What do I do well?
• What do I want to change about myself? and
• How do I want God to transform me?

My relationship towards God

1. How do I pray?
   • Out of fear
   • Out of need
   • Out of desire for personal gain
   • Out of my personal relationship and respect for God
   • I don’t pray
2. How do I attend Mass?
   • Out of habit
   • Bitterly because I feel I have to
   • Out of fear
   • Open to the experience, when it fits my schedule
   • Regularly, with respect for the Eucharist
   • As a part of the community
   • I don’t attend Mass
3. How do I use God’s name?
   • To swear
   • To express anger
   • Out of respect and love
4. How do I treat all of God’s creation?
   1. I respect other people equally regardless of race, religion, or economic status
   2. I see all life as sacred even the unborn
   3. I am wasteful with the earth’s resources
   4. My relationship with God is separate from everything else and has no impact on how I see or treat the world around me

My relationship towards other people

1. How do I treat my family?
   • Help when they are in need, even when it is not convenient for me
   • Tease and push around my siblings
   • Tell my parents where I am going and whom I am hanging out with
   • Believe that family comes first
   • Fight with or ignore members of my family and make no effort to try to make peace with them
   • Forgive them when I feel they've hurt me
2. How do I treat other people’s sexuality?
   • I use crude language and jokes
   • I use people for my own physical pleasure
   • I see sex as something to be shared by any two people who think they love each other, even outside of marriage
   • I see sex as a gift from God and something that should be saved for marriage
3. How do I treat my teachers?
   • I am rude
   • I don’t do my homework
   • I am disruptive in class
   • I do all my work and show respect
   • I am bored and don’t pay attention
4. How do I treat people that I don’t know?
   • Cheat or lie to get what I need
   • Honor and follow through on all the promises and commitments I have made
   • Kind and courteous
   • I don’t care because I’ll never see them again
   • Share what I have with others
5. How do I treat my friends?
   • With love and respect
   • Use them to gain popularity or gifts
   • Make fun of them behind their backs
   • Accept and understand their differences
   • Forgive them when they hurt me
   • Compliment and encourage them 

My relationship towards myself

1. How do I see myself?
   • Created in the image and likeness of God
   • I focus only on what I don’t like about myself
2. How do I treat myself?
   • Misuse drugs, tobacco or alcohol
   • Disrespect my sexuality
   • Cause physical damage to my body
   • I take care of my physical, emotional and spiritual well-being
3. How seriously do I take my education?
   • Blow off my studies
   • Complete my assignments
   • Participate in class and school activities
4. How do I make choices?
   • Because everyone is doing it
   • It’s the easiest way out of the situation
   • I want to be popular
   • My relationship with God tells me it’s the right thing to do