Making pagsusuri.com

13 Apr, 2026

The title comes from the name of a project I launched in Lent of 2026. Pagsusuri is a Tagalog term for “assessment” or “evaluation.” The complete term is referred to as “Pagsusuri ng Konsensya,” which translates to “Examination of Conscience.”

In this post, I will share what the project is about, why I go to Confession, how to examine one’s conscience, and what led me to launching the project.

What pagsusuri.com is about

pagsusuri.com is a serverless static website that is about aiding Filipino Catholics in examining their conscience.

At first, it was for personal use. A few months later, I thought it might be useful to others. So I purchased a domain name solely for the purpose of sharing (and remembering).

It’s currently available in English, Tagalog, and Bisaya. I plan to add more local dialects and make the existing questions more conversational in tone.

If you have suggestions and corrections to improve the website, please email me. I’d be more than happy to hear from you!

Why I go to Confession

I returned to regular Confession as a means for spiritual growth and to address my issues with depression and anxiety.

So far, everything is working quite well. A good priest will give helpful (feasible) advice and will encourage you to keep on going.

With that said, I’d rather see a good priest than a therapist¹.

What’s an examination of conscience?

An examination of conscience is a self-reflective activity that promotes self-awareness and helps us grow in our spiritual life. It encourages us to live true to our values and intentions as individuals—giving us a sense of moral accountability; reducing guilt and anxiety by allowing us to confront and find resolutions to our shortcomings (through speaking them, literally). Lastly, it helps maintain a healthy connection with the Divine.

How to examine one’s self?

One can easily examine himself through prayer and meditation. One way to do this is to have a series of questions in reference to the Ten Commandments, Seven Capital Sins, or using the app itself.

Two general questions that could help in your examination are these:

1. What have I lacked in my duties to loving God?
2. What have I lacked in my duties to loving my neighbor?

It’s important to note that “love” itself is not just a feeling, but an action.

How I examined myself through the years

In my youth, I would attend activities from the Work.

In some activities, an assigned person reads out a series of questions that aids you in your self-assessment. There are pauses between questions to give you time to reflect in silence.

This is often done in an oratory or an enclosed space within the center. But you can do this anywhere quiet as long as you’re not distracted.

I held this principle to heart and do this at least once a month.

It’s one thing to store your list of shortcomings; it’s another to dispose of it—leaving no evidence but a reformed lifestyle.

Here are some methods I’ve used through the years:

1. Mental

I reflect and keep all my shortcomings in mind only. This was only effective for when I would go to Confession weekly. Fewer faults meant fewer items to remember.

At one point, my schedule in college became overwhelming that I hadn’t had the chance to regularly visit the priest. After graduation, I had spent most of my time at work—missing out not only on family events but also on hearing Mass and time for prayer.

So as time went by, my list just got longer. I had to find other ways to remember everything.

2. Pen and Paper

I have seen people do this. I think this is the most common way to keep record of your list. Some do this to translate their lists before going to Confession—simple to dispose of afterwards. Forgiven and forgotten.

3. Text editor

Because I spend most of my time on my devices. I thought it would be more efficient for me to examine myself on one medium. All sins to be confessed are indented under the corresponding questions.

The way I did this was to keep a template of the file, duplicate it, and delete the modified file after Confession. My problem with this is that I found it too cluttered when reading the list during Confession.

4. Spreadsheets

With this method I didn’t need to delete any file. The first column contained the questions for examination, the second contained how I sinned against the commandment in reference to the question in hand. After Confession, I’d select the second column and delete its contents.

5. Laudate App

Available in both Play Store and App Store.

After months of using Sheets, I was introduced to this app. It became my go-to app for readings, prayers, and examination of conscience. You could even select a type of examination of conscience: for Children, for single people, for married couples, etc.

It even has a Confession Guide once you’ve finished your examination.

The problem I had with this was that checked items were considered as “did NOT sin”. For example, “I have taught my children prayers and how to get closer to God.”

I have no children at the time of this writing. So I wouldn’t check it based on its literal meaning. But if it means “godchildren,” then it’s worth reflecting on. However, that would also mean that I should have this assumption to check the remaining items that are not applicable to me.

6. Pagsusuri.com

This is what I’m using now as a supplement to methods (1), (2) and (3). I no longer use the spreadsheet method as I’m trying to reduce the number of apps I use on my devices; and make use of what’s already there. (Plus, I don’t have that much trust in Google anymore).

What led to launching this app?

I was at our local cathedral when I was waiting for my turn in Confession. There was only one priest at the time. The line was already long when I arrived and it only grew longer after I sat down.

Don’t get me wrong, I find it a joyful sight when people line up for Confession.

All of a sudden, the priest came out of the confessional box and asked us waiting penitents if we had already examined our conscience. He gave a short orientation on how Confession in the cathedral works, where in the confessional box the Confession guides are located, and handed out a number of pamphlets containing an Examination of Conscience guide written in Tagalog. These sheets were passed on to the ones who just arrived or those who haven’t been given one in the first place.

This made me assume that:

• not many people examine themselves before going to Confession
• not many people go to Confession very often

After all, the minimum requirement for a Catholic to go to Confession is once a year. And there are many others out there who haven’t gone to Confession for years, even decades! I wouldn’t be surprised if they had forgotten how Confession works.

Conclusion: the Making

What I witnessed that day in the cathedral sparked the idea to make an easy-to-read and go-to website that should be available for all Filipinos. The Laudate app was always in English. The reference guides in churces in my area are mostly in Tagalog.

Combining these these ideas and the methods I used in my own EOC gave birth to pagsusuri.com—which is made with plain HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

No server needed, we don't want to be keeping any user details here. Deleting user input is as easy as refreshing the page. All input is cleared upon closing the browser.

Feel free to share with your family and friends. No attributions needed.

#bts #catholicism #examination of conscience #web apps