Expert: Griff Ruby - 4/14/2005

Question
is there a self judgment? what is it in the catholic church?

Answer
I don't recall anything be referred to in that term, however the expression might refer to what we do in preparation for and within the confessional.  Innately, we know basic right from wrong (Natural Law) which is written on our hearts by God, as spoken of in Romans 2:14-15 where it talks about our conscience bearing witness to us, either accusing or excusing, as applicable to the particular case.
In preparation for the confessional, we review our past life, especially since our baptism or last confession, inquire of our own conscience whether we have sinned in anything, and from that obtain the knowlege of what sins we are to confess.
Then again, if we are honestly not conscious of any serious ("mortal") sin since our last confession or baptism, we may receive the sacraments of the Church, but if we know of any mortal sin we have committed since our last confession we must seek to confess it and have it absolved before recieving any other sacrament.
In our personal judgement (coming after death) God judges us, and presumably does so in a manner that we cannot doubt the rightness of it.  Then later, at the end of time and the end of the world, there is the final judgement in which all personal judgements of all persons are seen by all and all secrets come out.  Then all will see the judgement we each received from God, and will also know the rightness of it.
But self-judgement (from what I see of it) can only be something we do in this life known as examining our conscience.  I hope this helps, God bless!