Q. 745.  What is the chief reason that our confessions do not always amend our way of living?  A. The chief reason that our confessions do not always amend our way of living is our want of real earnest preparation for them and the fact that we have not truly convinced ourselves of the need of amendment.  We often confess our sins more from habit, necessity or fear than from a real desire of receiving grace and of being restored to the friendship of God.

Q. 746.  What faults are to be avoided in making our confession?  A. In making our confession we are to avoid:  (1) Telling useless details, the sins of others, or the name of any person; (2) Confessing sins we are not sure of having committed; exaggerating our sins or their number; multiplying the number of times a day by the number of days to get the exact number of habitual sins; (3) Giving a vague answer, such as “sometimes,” when asked how often; waiting after each sin to be asked for the next; (4) Hesitating over sins through pretented modesty and thus delaying the priests and others; telling the exact words in each when we have committed several sins of the same kind, cursing, for example; and, lastly, leaving the confessional before the priest gives us a sign to go.

Q. 747.  Is it wrong to go to confession out of your turn against the will of others waiting with you?  A. It is wrong to go to confession out of our turn against the will of others waiting with us, because (1) it causes disorder, quarreling and scandalous conduct in the Church; (2) it is unjust, makes others angry and lessens their good dispositions for confession; (3) it annoys and distracts the priest by the confusion and disorder it creates.  It is better to wait than go to confession in an excited and disorderly manner.

Q. 748.  What should a penitent do who knows he cannot perform the penance given?  A. A penitent who knows he cannot perform the penance given should ask the priest for one that he can perform.  When we forget the penance given we must ask for it again, for we cannot fulfill our duty by giving ourselves a penance.  The penance must be performed at the time and in the manner the confessor directs.

Q. 749. {192} What is the examination of conscience?  A. The examination of conscience is an earnest effort to recall to mind all the sins we have committed since our last worthy confession.

Q. 750.  When is our confession worthy?  A. Our confession is worthy when we have done all that is required for a good confession, and when, through the absolution, our sins are really forgiven.

Q. 751. {193} How can we make a good examination of conscience?  A. We can make a good examination of conscience by calling to memory the commandments of God, the precepts of the Church, the seven capital sins, and the particular duties of our state in life, to find out the sins we have committed.

Q. 752. {194} What should we do before beginning the examination of conscience?  A. Before beginning the examination of conscience we should pray to God to give us light to know our sins and grace to detest them.