Marriage to a Protestant

[savedbygrace71]

It just seems silly to purposely make your life more difficult than it already is - along with the life of someone you say you love.

If it’s hard for a Catholic (who lives in the life of grace) to be married to a non-Catholic, imagine how difficult it is for the non-Catholic to be married to a Catholic.

How is it supposed to be so difficult to be the non Catholic married to the Catholic? That isn’t very clear. I was the non Catholic spouse, married to a Catholic man whose mother is Catholic and whose father is not. He was raised as agreed in the Church. He is firmly, devoutly Catholic. So when we married, I agreed our children would also be Catholic. Some years later, I felt the call to convert. My father in law never has, but that’s his life and his faith- and it has been perfectly fine, no harm to anyone in the family. I specifically chose a church friend as my sponsor for RCIA so that it would be clear to me and my priest that I wasn’t converting “just for my husband.” It was between me and God.

OP, the best and only thing to do is talk to her. Find out how she feels about Catholicism. Ask her come to Mass as a courtesy to you. She may have been taught some crazy things about the CC that are completely inaccurate, as Southern Baptists sometimes are. Let her know that your faith is the center of your life, and that the two of you need to be able to talk it through. There are anecdotal experiences for any possibility- your situation will have its own resolution no matter what opinions we all have.

 

[Tigg]

It just seems silly to purposely make your life more difficult than it already is - along with the life of someone you say you love.

If it’s hard for a Catholic (who lives in the life of grace) to be married to a non-Catholic, imagine how difficult it is for the non-Catholic to be married to a Catholic.

I could be wrong, but wasn’t there a period in history when the Church would not permit mixed marriage? Or at the very least, there had to be a dispensation of sorts for it to occur? I’ll need to look at earlier resources and obviously, this objection has now been relaxed, but purely from the sacramental view of marriage and the special graces unique to it alone, mixed marriages create a greater vulnerability and struggle. There are exceptions and we bless those who have been able to make it work, but know full well that in this day and age marriage and family life are being attacked in an unprecedented way. Anyone not believing this need only to be reminded a synod is being convened because of it.

 

[jmcrae]

Your ASSumption that being married to a non-Catholic is necessarily more difficult seems to be firmly embedded…despite various anecdotes right here n this thread.
As for “imagine how difficult it is for the non-Catholic”…I was previously the non-Catholic married to a Catholic for the first 32 years of our marriage, I’ll tell you that yes, I CAN “imagine” what it’s like. And NO…it was not difficult.
It’s a matter of mutual respect…which ought to be an ingredient in ANY marriage. Both being catholic doesn’t guarantee that either.
A more diverse set of acquaintances might provide a healthy perspective…

I have a wonderfully diverse set of acquaintances, thank you.

 

[jmcrae]

I could be wrong, but wasn’t there a period in history when the Church would not permit mixed marriage? Or at the very least, there had to be a dispensation of sorts for it to occur?

A dispensation is still required, but it seems to be mostly a formality nowadays.

I’ll need to look at earlier resources and obviously, this objection has now been relaxed, but purely from the sacramental view of marriage and the special graces unique to it alone, mixed marriages create a greater vulnerability and struggle. There are exceptions and we bless those who have been able to make it work, but know full well that in this day and age marriage and family life are being attacked in an unprecedented way. Anyone not believing this need only to be reminded a synod is being convened because of it.

I agree.