Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
John 20:21-23

Examination of Conscience

In the Catholic Church, we are brought into the community through the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and the Eucharist.  This is the beginning of our Christian journey and this beginning is a call to live a fuller, more human, sacramental life. In addition to the sacraments of Initiation, the Church offers two sacraments as a sign of the continuing healing power of Christ:  Confession and Anointing of the Sick.  Through these sacraments the Church is recognized as a healing, forgiving community in the name of the Lord Jesus.

For additional versions of examinations of conscience, please see links below.

Mortal Sins in Catholic Teaching

In Catholic theology, a mortal sin is a grave offense against God’s law that results in the loss of sanctifying grace in the soul. To be considered a mortal sin, three conditions must be met:

1. Grave Matter – The sin must be serious, as defined by Scripture and Church teaching.
2. Full Knowledge – The person must be aware that the act is sinful and its gravity.
3. Deliberate Consent – The person must freely choose to commit the act.
 
If a sin meets all three conditions, it separates the sinner from God, and, without repentance, can lead to eternal damnation. It can only be forgiven through the Sacrament of Confession (Reconciliation) with a sincere act of contrition.
 
List of Mortal Sins
 
While the Church does not have an official exhaustive list, traditional teachings and catechisms highlight common mortal sins:
 
1. Sins Against the Ten Commandments
• Idolatry (worshiping false gods or material possessions)
• Blasphemy (cursing God, desecrating sacred things)
• Missing Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation (without a serious reason)
• Disrespecting parents (grave disobedience or abuse)
• Murder (including abortion and euthanasia)
• Adultery (cheating on one’s spouse)
• Fornication (sex outside of marriage)
• Homosexual acts (as per traditional Church teaching)
• Masturbation (considered serious if committed with full knowledge and consent)
• Pornography
• Prostitution
• Rape
• Theft (if serious)
• Lying (when it causes grave harm)
• Coveting (strong, deliberate desire for someone else’s spouse or possessions)
 
2. Sins Against the Theological Virtues
• Despair (losing hope in God’s mercy)
• Presumption (assuming one can be saved without repentance or effort)
• Hatred of God (deliberate rejection of God)
• Sacrilege (profaning the Eucharist or other sacraments)
• Simony (buying or selling sacred things)
 
3. Sins of the Flesh
• Lust (deliberate indulgence in impure thoughts or actions)
• Impure acts alone or with others
• Use of contraception (as per Church teaching)
 
4. Sins Against Charity
• Murder
• Abortion
• Euthanasia
• Serious slander or calumny
• Serious injustice (e.g., cheating workers of their wages, corruption)
 
5. Sins Against the Holy Spirit
• Final impenitence (dying without repentance)
• Deliberate refusal of God’s mercy
• Resisting known truth
• Envy of another’s spiritual good
• Obstinacy in sin
 
The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) further clarifies sins and their gravity, and individual cases should be discerned with a priest in confession.