M
M4nt1c0r3
Guest
Hi there
This is on the vocation of marriage and preparing for it.
My girlfriend and I served with a youth evangelization ministry for a year together, and she returned to do it again and I went home to continue my education. Our distance is a long distance one, as she is in another country doing this youth ministry for the rest of the year, and I am planning attending University/College in her town after she returns.
Now, for a few months I’ve felt very strongly about asking for her hand in marriage. However there is a slight issue, the organization she is serving with states in their personal conduct policy that “volunteers should not further or deepen a relationship past the point before they joined.” That the gist anyway. The idea is you can’t begin a relationship, or become engaged, while serving.
For the past two months I’ve been taking this daily into my prayer life and reflecting and contemplating what God is asking me to do in this situation. Of course, God doesn’t typically speak to me in a direct fashion, all I can tell in my discernment is that He is prompting me to pursue her hand for sure, whether it be sooner or later, sooner being this Christmas when I get to see her and later being July or August when she returns.
So my question is this: Can a Catholic, non-vocational, ministry restrict its members/volunteers from pursuing a vocation so long as they are under them? If so, is this restriction something that is like, God ordained through an authority over her, or a thing that God can work around and though?
A few things about us when answering
Thank you and God bless
This is on the vocation of marriage and preparing for it.
My girlfriend and I served with a youth evangelization ministry for a year together, and she returned to do it again and I went home to continue my education. Our distance is a long distance one, as she is in another country doing this youth ministry for the rest of the year, and I am planning attending University/College in her town after she returns.
Now, for a few months I’ve felt very strongly about asking for her hand in marriage. However there is a slight issue, the organization she is serving with states in their personal conduct policy that “volunteers should not further or deepen a relationship past the point before they joined.” That the gist anyway. The idea is you can’t begin a relationship, or become engaged, while serving.
For the past two months I’ve been taking this daily into my prayer life and reflecting and contemplating what God is asking me to do in this situation. Of course, God doesn’t typically speak to me in a direct fashion, all I can tell in my discernment is that He is prompting me to pursue her hand for sure, whether it be sooner or later, sooner being this Christmas when I get to see her and later being July or August when she returns.
So my question is this: Can a Catholic, non-vocational, ministry restrict its members/volunteers from pursuing a vocation so long as they are under them? If so, is this restriction something that is like, God ordained through an authority over her, or a thing that God can work around and though?
A few things about us when answering
Code:
We are devout and passionately Catholic striving for holiness. Lay on the heavy theology if you want!
The Sacramental life is very important to us.