I, myself am a Greek Orthodox man and I have found my soulmate. Everything I read on these forums says, “pray that you find a good CATHOLIC man and marry him”, and I plan on soon getting engaged with my strong-faithed catholic girlfriend of 4 years. Is she being told by this church to disregard my marital thoughts and look for someone Catholic?
It is spiritually perilous to marry someone not of your faith. It can also make marriage very difficult and filled with disagreements and strife.
A Catholic is required to obtain permission from the Bishop to marry a non-Catholic. A Catholic also promises to raise their children in the Catholic faith. Are you going to be OK with this?
A Catholic has obligations regarding attending Mass, raising their children Catholic, etc. And, I would imagine a Greek Orthodox has similar requirements. How do you propose to deal with this?
A mixed marriage isn’t impossible, but it is very, very difficult. Young couples “in love” often seriously underestimate the problems it will cause them.
I just want to know if it really would matter to a normal Catholic or her church.
Of course it matters.
It seems unreasonable, in my opinion.
Why is that? The Greek Orthodox Church as similar requirements of its own members. The GO will not even recognize your marriage as valid, and will excommunicate you, if you do not marry in the GO Church. At least the Catholic Church allows a Catholic to marry in the other party’s church, with a dispensation from the bishop.
The Church is in the business of helping people get to heaven. Mixed marriage causes much strife and confuses children. It can, in many cases, lead the family away from the path to holiness. So of course the Church is serious about Catholics marrying non-Catholics and to ensure the free practice of the Faith by the Catholic and the raising of the children in the Catholic faith.
Would you guys have a problem with someone related to you marrying “out of the faith”?,
Yes. I would.
even though Orthodoxy and Catholicism are basically the same thing.
If they are
basically the same thing, why are you not converting to become a Catholic? Perhaps because they are not “basically the same thing.” There are very real differences.
I know of several GO-Catholic couples, and if anything the differences become more pronounced once married. GO is not just a religious affilitation, it is a *cultural *affilation as well. Going to both Divine Liturgy (while not understanding Greek) and Mass (or going separately), arguing over whether the children will be GO or Catholic, whether the children will learn Greek, etc, and the seriously overwhelming Greek culture in every day family life have made the Catholic party in the GO-Catholic marriage really regret their decision.
Of course the other GO-Catholic couple don’t practice either faith. So, they don’t argue. But that is not thgood!
So, if you both practice your faith seriously, then yes I think it’s a bad idea to get married. Have you discussed how you would practice your faith as a couple, raise children, etc?
