Can I lie about my attraction to Catholicism?

[ktchnofdngr]

I am a non-Catholic that would like to become Catholic, but I’m married to someone that is hostile to Catholicism. In order to spend time at adoration, I often either “bend” the truth by only telling partially what I am doing, or lie by omission. My husband also doesn’t know that I pray the Divine Mercy chaplet daily and the rosary semi-regularly. The deception is wearing on me, but if I were to be truthful with him, it would cause a major rift. At the same time, I find spiritual sustenence in adoration and these prayers, and am reluctant to give them up. I need help unraveling the morality of this situation.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

You can’t directly lie, but you are also not required to tell someone something he doesn’t yet need to know – particularly when there is just reason to refrain from telling him. In this case, tell your husband as much as you feel comfortable telling him (e.g., “I was visiting a friend,” “I’m praying right now; could we talk later?”) and feel free to avoid mentioning anything about your interest in Catholicism unless directly asked. Only if you decide that it is time to become Catholic will you need to consider how best to discuss it with him. At that point, you may wish to contact the Pastoral Solutions Institute, a Catholic counseling apostolate, for assistance.