Can my cross be that my wife and son protest my faith?

[Lampo]

My wife is Lutheran. I am Catholic. I had a conversion of my faith - renewed enthusiasm - after we got married. Long story short; we have a 15 month old son; because of my ignorance, he is baptized Lutheran. My wife hasn’t agreed to raise him Catholic. I pray every day for her conversion and that we raise our son in the Catholic faith. I feel that is all I can do. Can this situation be my daily cross and should I offer it up?

 

[leonie]

Your son is Baptized Catholic–all Christian baptisms are Catholic! Why? because the Church is the means by which all Baptisms are valid. So, rejoice!

Did you know that the children of Catholic men --whose wives do not practice in the faith–will practice in the faith 80% of the time? A Legionary priest told me that. Where only the wife practices (my situation), less than 25% of the kids do. Where both practice, only 50% of the kids stay Catholic.

The father is very important. Don’t worry a bit about your kids. They will watch you closely. As for your wife, if you love her like Jesus loves the Church, she will not oppose your faith–though, she may not join.

But, I know you are lonely. That loneliness can bring you closer to God. When you feel alone, pray, “God, let my hunger for unity with my wife become a hunger for unity with you.”

God bless from another Catholic in a mixed marriage.

 

[Lampo]

Your son is Baptized Catholic–all Christian baptisms are Catholic! Why? because the Church is the means by which all Baptisms are valid. So, rejoice!

Did you know that the children of Catholic men --whose wives do not practice in the faith–will practice in the faith 80% of the time? A Legionary priest told me that. Where only the wife practices (my situation), less than 25% of the kids do. Where both practice, only 50% of the kids stay Catholic.

The father is very important. Don’t worry a bit about your kids. They will watch you closely. As for your wife, if you love her like Jesus loves the Church, she will not oppose your faith–though, she may not join.

But, I know you are lonely. That loneliness can bring you closer to God. When you feel alone, pray, “God, let my hunger for unity with my wife become a hunger for unity with you.”

God bless from another Catholic in a mixed marriage.

What encouraging words! Thank you so much. Thank you for the wonderful prayer as well. Doesn’t my wife oppose/protest(ant) my faith by mere definition of her being a protestant?

 

[water]

Can this situation be my daily cross and should I offer it up?

Yes, you should offer it up. Pray, pray and pray. Live as a good Catholic and be a loving husband and father. I have similar situation where my brother and sister are Lutherine as well. My family has been praying for them for at least 20 years and we still are.

The good thing comes out of this is that it helps me go to daily mass and offer my prayer to God for my siblings conversion. The daily mass also helps me spiritually in return.

Do you remember that St. Monica prayed for her son, St. Augustine, and her husband?

God bless.

Mother of Saint Augustine of Hippo, whose writings about her are the primary source of our information. A Christian from birth, she was given in marriage to a bad-tempered, adulterous pagan named Patricius. Prayed constantly for the conversion of her husband (who converted on his death bed), and of her son (who converted after a wild life). Spiritual student of Saint Ambrose of Milan. Reformed alcoholic.

source: catholic-forum.com/saints/saintm04.htm

 

[water]

Doesn’t my wife oppose/protest(ant) my faith by mere definition of her being a protestant?

she might, but I would suggest that you should not worry about this too much. The more you think about it, the harder for you to show your love towards her. It is like when someone is against you or your religion, you are upset…and sometime angry. Try to avoid any argument when you are upset and angry.

On the other hand, you should focus more about how much she or your son love you, and that you love them by praying for them and be a good husband/father and a great Catholic.

You may want to go to Eucharistic Adoration very often - that is an act of faith! I have recently trying to go weekly.

PS: I share with you what I believe it helps me…and hope it will help you too.

 

[skeffer]

Your son is Baptized Catholic–all Christian baptisms are Catholic! Why? because the Church is the means by which all Baptisms are valid. So, rejoice!

Did you know that the children of Catholic men --whose wives do not practice in the faith–will practice in the faith 80% of the time? A Legionary priest told me that. Where only the wife practices (my situation), less than 25% of the kids do. Where both practice, only 50% of the kids stay Catholic.

The father is very important. Don’t worry a bit about your kids. They will watch you closely. As for your wife, if you love her like Jesus loves the Church, she will not oppose your faith–though, she may not join.

But, I know you are lonely. That loneliness can bring you closer to God. When you feel alone, pray, “God, let my hunger for unity with my wife become a hunger for unity with you.”

God bless from another Catholic in a mixed marriage.

I know how you feel as my husband won’t go to mass with me and his grandchildren I am asking for prayer as I truly miss my bestfriend we have been married for 33 years have been together for almost 35 years we started dating when I was 14 he was 15 . I was 16 he was 17 when we got married I just recently got the calling to join the catholic church but he doesn’t feel the same way. He doesn’t disaprove he thinks that it’s great but he doesn’t want to come with me . this saddens me a great deal . …God bless all pray for us

 

[Jesus1]

I know how you feel as my husband won’t go to mass with me and his grandchildren I am asking for prayer as I truly miss my bestfriend we have been married for 33 years have been together for almost 35 years we started dating when I was 14 he was 15 . I was 16 he was 17 when we got married I just recently got the calling to join the catholic church but he doesn’t feel the same way. He doesn’t disaprove he thinks that it’s great but he doesn’t want to come with me . this saddens me a great deal . …God bless all pray for us

I know how hard it is to be Catholic when your spouse doesn’t always support you

But, just keep praying for them, and find common ground. The Bible is great! common ground, and even people like Scott Hahn have been converted after studying Sacred Scripture. Just like when a waiter raves about a particular dish, you want to order it. So, rave about God, what Bible verse has touched you, and why. Ask her about what she learned at her service as well. Then, ask the Holy Spirit that if He wants you to talk to her about some issue, such as Confession, the Pope, etc. that He will open up the door. Whenever I do that, that person comes and asks me about that particular question. They will listen intently to every word I say, and I will see such amazing answers to my prayer. But, if I try to do it on my own, not praying about it, the people at times run, since I am out there pushing my own ideas on them.

But please take courage. My Great-grandmother married a Scottish-Rite person, and then came to a greater understanding of her Faith. He would drive her and their children to Mass every Sunday, but would wait in the car. Every night she would bring the children up to their bedroom and pray a Rosary, asking for his conversion.
One day the children didn’t see any results to their praying for their Father converting, and so they decided that they would pray for something they really wanted - a pony! Within a few short weeks, one day their un-baptized Father went down to an Indian camp and bought them a pony. (see how God uses all kinds of people in all different spiritual states to at times answer our prayers?" Convinced that their prayers were working, they began praying for his conversion again.
One day, as my Grandmother was coming out of Mass, God told her that he would convert after her death. Sure enough, when he was a widower in his 80’s, one day he and one of his friends went down to the Catholic Church, and were baptized into the Catholic Faith! God works in amazing ways. He is truly so good!

The Bible promises us that the saved spouse sanctifies the unsaved one. So, please stay strong in your Faith. Sometimes when I look around, I see where people have come back into the Catholic Faith after they have already been married. Approached properly, their spouses can and actually do come into the Catholic Faith as well. Just make them hungry for all of the joy and peace that you are experiencing from the fullness of the Catholic Faith:thumbsup:

God bless
I will pray for you