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masuwerte
Guest
Do any of you, married to a non-Catholic Christian, go to church with your spouse? Does he or she go to mass with you? Sorry if this has been asked before.
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masuwerte
Guest
Maybe it would help if I explain about my own situation, that I’m an Episcopalian married for many years to a Catholic woman. We have one son, and I go to mass with them every week. My wife used to go to church with me once in awhile, but not for several years, and lately she has been quite hostile to the idea. So I’m just looking for some feedback from Catholics in mixed marriages.
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kage_ar
Guest
Not in your situation, but, I’m a mom 
I can imagine it would be difficult to take a child to two services on a Sunday morning. Would make a long morning for the child. The differences could also be confusing for your child.
Not an easy thing, mixed marriage - prayers for you!
I can imagine it would be difficult to take a child to two services on a Sunday morning. Would make a long morning for the child. The differences could also be confusing for your child.
Not an easy thing, mixed marriage - prayers for you!
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BlestOne
Guest
DH was Lutheran when we met. He did convert before we married but while we were dating the Sunday morning thing went like this:
If dh had his dd for the weekend he would take her to services at the Lutheran Church then go to breakfast while I went to mass with my kids. On the weekends when he didn’t have his dd… he would see if he could take her to services and then drop her off and come down and go to mass with me and my kids. After a while he started bringing his dd to mass on some Sundays and after she stopped going to private Lutheran school he took her to mass with us… then he went to RCIA and sent his dd to PSR and they are both Catholic now.
If dh had his dd for the weekend he would take her to services at the Lutheran Church then go to breakfast while I went to mass with my kids. On the weekends when he didn’t have his dd… he would see if he could take her to services and then drop her off and come down and go to mass with me and my kids. After a while he started bringing his dd to mass on some Sundays and after she stopped going to private Lutheran school he took her to mass with us… then he went to RCIA and sent his dd to PSR and they are both Catholic now.
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jwashu
Guest
I have a friend who is involved with RCIA at our parish and her husband is Methodist. Each Sunday morning they go to his Church then attend our 5PM Mass.
However they have no children… In your case I can’t see trying to make a child go to Church twice each Sunday. However they might come every so often for special events.
Anglican is so much like Catholic I can’t see that it would be that confusing.
Joe
However they have no children… In your case I can’t see trying to make a child go to Church twice each Sunday. However they might come every so often for special events.
Anglican is so much like Catholic I can’t see that it would be that confusing.
Joe
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genealogist
Guest
I have attended many services at my wife’s Presbyterian congregations over the years. Lately, not many. Lately, she has been coming to Mass with the kids and I.
Mixed marriages are tough but one must find what works for you and your spouse and respecting the obligations each of you may have placed on him by their Church.
As a Catholic I had a hard time accepting that many of the Presbyterians were not there each week either so we did not really stick out as much as I thought. It’s not about the show but my father was very hostile in his comments about dead weight Catholics so I did not want us to be thought of as dead weight Presbyterians because of lack of attendance.
It would be nice to worship weekly as a family and if not weekly at least monthly. Saturday night services or Masses make this more feasible. So might attending weekday services together as a couple if time allows.
Ideally everyone would be Catholic but in reality there is more that unites Christians than divides us and we must strive to accept that reality without being indifferent.
I look at two churches similar to having a mother and a MIL. There is time for both but the primary responsibility for each spouse is to his own mother. Enjoying time at the MIL does not mean I love my mom less.
Mixed marriages are tough but one must find what works for you and your spouse and respecting the obligations each of you may have placed on him by their Church.
As a Catholic I had a hard time accepting that many of the Presbyterians were not there each week either so we did not really stick out as much as I thought. It’s not about the show but my father was very hostile in his comments about dead weight Catholics so I did not want us to be thought of as dead weight Presbyterians because of lack of attendance.
It would be nice to worship weekly as a family and if not weekly at least monthly. Saturday night services or Masses make this more feasible. So might attending weekday services together as a couple if time allows.
Ideally everyone would be Catholic but in reality there is more that unites Christians than divides us and we must strive to accept that reality without being indifferent.
I look at two churches similar to having a mother and a MIL. There is time for both but the primary responsibility for each spouse is to his own mother. Enjoying time at the MIL does not mean I love my mom less.
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OhioTeacher
Guest
I love this analogy…I think I will share it with my fiance. We have been having lots of discussions lately on which church we will be attending and how frequently (he is Catholic, I am not). Your analogy makes perfect sense to me! Thanks!!
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vester444
Guest
my husband was baptized Catholic, but then his parents decided to go to a Lutheran church…ahem, because it was CLOSER to their house. uhh, ok whatever.
Anyway - he never had communion etc.
Before we got married he made it clear that he would be ok not only getting married in a Catholic church, but also raising any children Catholic.
I never told him he HAD to become Catholic, etc.
I never said anything about he HAD to do RCIA, etc.
He goes to Mass with me, because we just want to do it together, etc.
Ironically, he has been “arguing” with protestants on internet forums, who make him so mad…etc. He has ended up becoming quite the APOLOGIST!!! He has now started defending transubstantiation - haha! and now Mary and the Saints, etc haha!!!
Ironically, EXACTLY WHILE WRITING THIS, my husband started on his own out of the complete blue started talking about RCIA again haha!
Gooooooooo Holy Spirit!
Anyway - the point is that the Holy Spirit works.
I never required him to convert, but ironically my dad converted after 20 years of marriage, so it CAN HAPPEN
Pray for my husbnad and just remember, its possible - just be kind to your spouse and be gracious and gentle
Anyway - he never had communion etc.
Before we got married he made it clear that he would be ok not only getting married in a Catholic church, but also raising any children Catholic.
I never told him he HAD to become Catholic, etc.
I never said anything about he HAD to do RCIA, etc.
He goes to Mass with me, because we just want to do it together, etc.
Ironically, he has been “arguing” with protestants on internet forums, who make him so mad…etc. He has ended up becoming quite the APOLOGIST!!! He has now started defending transubstantiation - haha! and now Mary and the Saints, etc haha!!!
Ironically, EXACTLY WHILE WRITING THIS, my husband started on his own out of the complete blue started talking about RCIA again haha!
Gooooooooo Holy Spirit!
Anyway - the point is that the Holy Spirit works.
I never required him to convert, but ironically my dad converted after 20 years of marriage, so it CAN HAPPEN
Pray for my husbnad
and just remember, its possible - just be kind to your spouse and be gracious and gentle
C
Cajun_Girl
Guest
I’m a Catholic with a Baptist husband. We attend both Mass in my church and service at his church every Sunday. We also go to his Wednesday night service and weekday Mass on Thursdays. This has worked out fine for us, and in fact my priest recommended that we go to each other’s churches at least some of the time so that we can have a better understanding of each other. I admit to slacking off some of his services recently, however, since I’m pregnant and tired at the moment.
Before we were married, I did tell my sweetie that I didn’t think our children should go to both churches because they would be confused. He agreed. Now that we’ll soon be having a baby, I’m a little concerned that this will be more difficult to put into practice than we had thought. You may want to consider whether or not your wife’s reluctance is related to your son’s religious education.
Belonging to different faiths isn’t easy, but I wouldn’t trade my sweetie for anything! Good luck on working through this.
Before we were married, I did tell my sweetie that I didn’t think our children should go to both churches because they would be confused. He agreed. Now that we’ll soon be having a baby, I’m a little concerned that this will be more difficult to put into practice than we had thought. You may want to consider whether or not your wife’s reluctance is related to your son’s religious education.
Belonging to different faiths isn’t easy, but I wouldn’t trade my sweetie for anything! Good luck on working through this.
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Peach0218
Guest
When my inlaws got married (in a Catholic church), FIL committed to raising the kids Catholic. I think they went to various churches over the years but eventually ended up attending Catholic masses wherever they were living. DH and his brother were used to attending with both parents, even though their dad never received communion. They all worked through it b/c the whole family was very prayerful and Christ-centered. He has a wonderful relationship with his sons on a spiritual level, even though he wasn’t Catholic for most of their lives. But he did just convert a year or two ago! It took him 25+ years to sort it out, but he eventually decided he felt called to the Catholic faith. HTH!
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Crazy_Diamond
Guest
The Association of Interchurch Families might be able to help you better. They’re especially familiar with Episcopalian-Catholic marriage issues.
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