Examination of Conscience for a Husband

Examination of Conscience for a Husband

Material Responsibilities

1. Provision
   • Have I consistently provided for the physical needs of my wife and family, including food, shelter, clothing, and other necessities?
   • Have I managed our finances responsibly and with the intention of supporting the well-being of my family?
   • Have I been diligent and industrious in my work to ensure that our family’s needs are met?
2. Protection
   • Have I ensured the safety and security of my wife and family?
   • Have I taken necessary measures to protect my family from harm, both physically and emotionally?

Emotional Responsibilities

1. Love and Affection
   • Have I shown my wife love and affection unconditionally?
   • Have I been supportive, understanding, and compassionate towards my wife’s needs and concerns?
   • Have I made an effort to spend quality time with my wife and family?
2. Respect and Honor
   • Have I respected my wife’s dignity and treated her as an equal partner in our marriage?
   • Have I valued my wife’s opinions and involved her in important family decisions?
   • Have I honored my wife through my words and actions, avoiding any form of belittlement or disrespect?
3. Communication
   • Have I communicated openly and honestly with my wife about my thoughts and feelings?
   • Have I listened attentively and empathetically to my wife’s concerns and perspectives?
   • Have I worked to resolve conflicts in a loving and constructive manner?

Spiritual Responsibilities

1. Spiritual Leadership
   • Have I led by example in living a life of faith and devotion to God?
   • Have I ensured that our family attends Mass regularly and participates in the sacraments?
   • Have I encouraged and facilitated family prayers and spiritual practices at home?
2. Religious Education
   • Have I taken an active role in the religious education of our children?
   • Have I supported my wife in teaching and nurturing the faith within our family?
   • Have I sought to grow in my own faith to better guide my family?
3. Moral Guidance
   • Have I provided moral and ethical guidance to my wife and children, helping them to live according to the teachings of the Church?
   • Have I addressed any immoral behavior within the family with love and correction?
   • Have I been a source of encouragement and support for my family’s spiritual growth?
4. Prayer and Sacrifice for My Wife
   • Have I prayed daily for my wife’s spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being?
   • Have I fasted or offered other sacrifices for my wife’s needs and intentions?
   • Have I performed acts of reparation for any sins against marital chastity, including any personal sins of impurity or infidelity?
   • Have I encouraged my wife to grow in her faith and supported her spiritual practices?

Avoiding Near Occasions of Sin

1. Personal Habits and Attachments
   • Have I avoided situations and behaviors that could lead me to sin, particularly in relation to marital chastity?
   • Have I maintained appropriate boundaries with members of the opposite sex to safeguard my marriage?
   • Have I been careful to avoid inordinate attachments to food, alcohol, or other substances?
   • Have I used alcohol in moderation, avoiding excessive drinking that could harm my judgment or behavior?
   • Have I been mindful of my entertainment choices, avoiding content that could lead me or my family into sin?
   • Have I controlled my recreational internet use and television watching, ensuring they do not detract from family time or spiritual duties?
   • Do I play video games to excess, or when there is a higher leisure good that I could be engaged in?
   • Have I avoided gambling or any hobbies that could become disordered or financially irresponsible?
   • Have I ensured that my hobbies and interests do not take precedence over my responsibilities to my wife and family?
   • Have I engaged in any conduct that could invite undue attention, such as removing my wedding ring, acting or dressing immodestly?
   • Have I placed my work, professional image or friendships before my duties to my God, my wife or my children?

Chastity Within Marriage

1. Marital Debt
   • Have I fulfilled my obligations to the marital debt, being attentive to my wife’s needs and desires?
   • Have I approached the marital act with love, respect, and a desire to foster intimacy and unity with my wife?
   • Have I avoided selfishness in the marital act, seeking to give rather than to take?
   • Have I betrayed my wife through impure thoughts, pornography or self-gratification?
2. Generosity and Openness to Life
   • Is my heart and mind oriented towards generosity and the acceptance of new children, in accordance with the Church’s teachings on openness to life?
   • Have I been open to the possibility of new life, welcoming children as a blessing from God?
   • Have I avoided any practices or attitudes that would close off the gift of life, such as contraception or a contraceptive mentality?
3. Patience and Selflessness
   • Have I been patient and understanding with my wife in all matters, including those related to intimacy?
   • Have I shown selflessness in my dealings with my wife, putting her needs and well-being above my own?
   • Have I avoided any form of coercion or pressure in matters of intimacy, always respecting my wife’s feelings and boundaries?
   • Have I sought to grow in chastity and purity of heart, treating my wife with the utmost respect and love?

Closing Reflection

• Have I loved my wife as Christ loves the Church, being willing to make sacrifices for her well-being and happiness?
• Have I sought forgiveness from God and my wife when I have failed in my duties?
• Have I prayed for the grace to fulfill my responsibilities as a husband with humility, dedication, and love?

Prayer

Lord, grant me the strength and wisdom to be a loving, faithful, and responsible husband. Help me to provide for, protect, and cherish my wife as You cherish the Church. Guide me in leading my family spiritually, and give me the grace to love with a pure and selfless heart. Amen.