Baptism for my sons

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I have two sons, 1 and 3, whom I want to be baptized, but my wife is not a Christian. She is not opposed to their baptism, but she is not going to pretend that she is a Catholic or that she intends to bring them up in the faith like my parents did when I was baptized as a baby. Are my kids out of luck?

Thanks in advance for all your answers.
 
Snowy said:
I have two sons, 1 and 3, whom I want to be baptised, but my wife is not a Christian. She is not opposed to their baptism, but she is not going to pretend that she is a Catholic or that she intends to bring them up in the faith like my parents did when I was baptised as a baby. Are my kids out of luck?

Thanks in advance for all your answers.
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Is she opposed to you bringing them up as Catholics?
 
She may not be interested in transmitting your faith to your children but ARE YOU? If so then it is your responsibility to request baptism for them and to ensure that they are raised in the faith like your father & mother did for you: teaching them their prayers, introducing them to Jesus, bringing them to church,etc. Are you ready to do that?

I’m godmother to a little girl whose mother is agnostic at best. Dad undertook to have the children baptized to please his mother but he has done nothing to ensure that the children are taught about God & the faith. Now they are divorced and she has custody and he has limited contact. I would like to bring them to the church but I’m not in a position to usurp her authority.
 
LDNCatholic said:
Is she opposed to you bringing them up as Catholics?
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As of today, she believes that I have gone crazy by becoming a Christian and is very worried that I might try to turn her sons into zealots who cannot think for themselves. Not that I have started behaving like one of those crazy born-again-Christians you hear about, she’s just obfuscated by her preconceptions. Nothing the Virgin cannot take care of.
 
Snowy said:
As of today, she believes that I have gone crazy by becoming a Christian and is very worried that I might try to turn her sons into zealots who cannot think for themselves. Not that I have started behaving like one of those crazy born-again-Christians you hear about, she’s just obfuscated by her preconceptions. Nothing the Virgin cannot take care of.
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Well then, you have to educate her on her preconceptions, show her that you aren’t one of those people, maybe then she will be alright with you having the children raised Catholic, God willing she might even become a Christian herself.

Sorry I couldn’t be more help, God bless.

Peter
 
Thank you, Phemie. My syntax was not clear: my parents pretended to be real Catholics to have me baptized (why folks do that in Catholic countries is hard to explain) and I was brought up Godless. Of course I’m interested in teaching them my faith, I didn’t become a Christian to let my sons be Godless. I might have never been graced with faith if it hadn’t been for my sons.
 
Snowy said:
I have two sons, 1 and 3, whom I want to be baptized, but my wife is not a Christian. She is not opposed to their baptism, but she is not going to pretend that she is a Catholic or that she intends to bring them up in the faith like my parents did when I was baptized as a baby. Are my kids out of luck?

Thanks in advance for all your answers.
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No, I had my children baptised and their dad is an athiest.
 
Snowy said:
I have two sons, 1 and 3, whom I want to be baptized, but my wife is not a Christian. She is not opposed to their baptism, but she is not going to pretend that she is a Catholic or that she intends to bring them up in the faith like my parents did when I was baptized as a baby. Are my kids out of luck?

Thanks in advance for all your answers.
Click to expand...
Baptizing them and bringing them up in the Faith is your responsibility, as the Catholic parent, not hers. You will be the one to pray with them, take them to Mass, make sure they get to RE class or better yet Catholic school, and bring them to the sacraments. Moreover you will be the one modelling the Christian life for them. Welcome home, by the way, and you will find as you teach them, there is no better way to learn more about the Faith yourself. You are indeed wise to see that it is indeed your children leading you closer to Christ.
 
It is only required that at least one parent consent to the children’s baptism, and that that parent intends to raise and educate the children in the Catholic faith.

May God draw your wife to know and love Him.
 
As of today, she believes that I have gone crazy by becoming a Christian and is very worried that I might try to turn her sons into zealots who cannot think for themselves.

**Sound to me like she’s the zealot who cannot think for herself.

I’ve noticed that there is such a thing as liberal bigotry.**
 
bpbasilphx said:
As of today, she believes that I have gone crazy by becoming a Christian and is very worried that I might try to turn her sons into zealots who cannot think for themselves.

**Sound to me like she’s the zealot who cannot think for herself.

I’ve noticed that there is such a thing as liberal bigotry.**
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I totally agree. I haven’t tried to turn her into a Christian, and yet when I was trying to explain to her how I had become faithful, she tried to convince me of exploring other faiths before settling as a Christian. :confused:
 
If you are Catholic and intend to remain in the church and raise your sons Catholic the best you can then you can have them baptized. Your wife shouldn’t be required to take the classes with you but it might be a good idea.
 
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