8.121. I’ve heard scrupulosity is a real problem, and I don’t want to obsess over sin. I don’t feel guilty anyway, so I think I’m fine.
This objection is increasingly common in today’s climate, where sin is seen as a psychological burden, not a moral reality, and where “feeling good” is mistaken for spiritual health. It is a clever half-truth used to justify ignoring guilt, confession, and the call to conversion.
Yes, scrupulosity—an obsessive fear of sin—is real. But it is not common, and it is not the same as having a well-formed conscience. In today’s world, the far more prevalent problem is indifference to sin, not excessive fear of it.
Feeling no guilt is not a sign of holiness—it may be a sign that your conscience is asleep. The Catholic Church has always taught that contrition, examination of conscience, and frequent confession are necessary parts of the Christian life—not signs of neurosis, but of spiritual maturity.
St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote entire books helping the scrupulous—but he never said we should ignore sin or wait until we “feel guilty” to confess. We confess because God is holy, and we have offended Him, even if our emotions don’t register it.
| Category | Traditional Catholic Teaching | Modern View of Scrupulosity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scrupulosity | A real condition needing guidance and calm correction | Used as a pretext to avoid seriousness about sin | True scrupulosity is rare; **laxity is widespread** |
| Conscience | Must be formed by doctrine, not feelings | Formed by personal comfort, psychology, and emotions | **Guilt is not bad**—it leads to confession and grace |
| Feelings vs. Reality | Objective sin must be confessed even if one “feels fine” | If I don’t feel guilt, I must be okay | Sin is real **regardless of your awareness** |
| Guilt | A grace from God to move the soul toward repentance | A psychological burden to be avoided | “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 1:7) |
| Confession | Regular confession brings clarity and peace of soul | Avoided unless “really necessary” | Saints confessed often—**not because they were paranoid**, but because they loved God |
| Fruits | Humility, vigilance, sanctity, grace | Lukewarmness, pride, spiritual blindness | “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matt. 7:16) |
Summary:
Scrupulosity should be corrected—but it is not an excuse to ignore sin altogether. The saints took sin seriously, not because they were anxious, but because they knew the holiness of God and the danger of Hell. That’s not obsession—that’s faith.
If you don’t feel guilt, ask yourself why. It may not be that you're pure—it may be that you’re blind. And Our Lord warned:
“If the light that is in thee be darkness: how great is the darkness!”
Don’t wait until you feel guilty. Examine your conscience. Read the commandments. Go to confession. That’s not scrupulosity—that’s Catholicism.
Further reading:
A Comprehensive Examination of Conscience By Rev. Donald F. Miller, C.SS.R. (1959)
An Examination of Conscience for Adults in Preparation for Confession