Mixed marriage and our son

[Lampo]

Was wondering if you all have any words of advice and to ask that you might say a prayer for my family.

My wife is Lutheran and I’m Catholic. Our son is 8 months old. He was baptized in the Lutheran Church. He was baptized Lutheran because of my ignorance at the time. I now know he could have been baptized Catholic. My wife doesn’t show any interest in converting and I don’t push her. We haven’t discussed in what faith we are going to raise our son. I know that I have a responsibility to raise him Catholic. I promised this when we got married.

Ever since our son was baptized, I became very eager and passionate about re-learning my faith. I’m a cradle Catholic. My wife doesn’t know a whole lot about her faith. However, she is starting religious education through her church this Sunday. She’s not sure if it’s strictly Bible study or catechism as well. I feel I actually know more about her faith than she.

Another issue is daycare. Mom is staying at home with him right now, but plans are for her to go back to teaching next year. She is currently taking classes to finish her master’s and if she doesn’t teach next year, she will have to start all over with her master’s. I’d rather her stay at home with him until he starts school.

Please pray that we find a way for one of us to stay at home with him instead of sending him to daycare, that God makes my wife’s heart right towards His Church and that we raise our son in the Catholic Faith. If this is God’s will.

Thank you all and God bless!

 

[Sam88]

I did pray for your family at mass today. I earnestly wish that families could be united in the Catholic faith, but I have Lutherans & Baptists in my extended family. Keep learning, praying, and as soon as you can start taking your son with you to mass, and enroll him in any children’s programs when he is old enough.

 

[jennyr]

I also said a prayer for you.

I would say with your wife to use “teachable” moments to teach her about the faith. Not “I am smarter than you, here is the right way” but very humbly and meakly to teach her about the truth that you believe. You definitely can’t just sit back, have your faith be a “candle” to show her the way. And pray often for the wisdom and courage to do it in the way God wants you to.

 

[Struggle]

You are in my prayers. I pray for the conversion of of your wife and child. I beg of you to pray for the conversion of my spouse (Wisconsin Synod).

 

[Eileen_T]

Just in case you don’t have this link, it is a series on the Fundamentals of Catholicism which I find interesting and informative. trueteaching.net/

As for your marital situation, I suggest you pray a Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet every day for your wife and son. Also have Masses offered.

Live your Faith to the full, but only preach by example. Encourage your wife to join you in a reading programme of the writings of the Apostolic Fathers or at least share with her something you learned from reading them.

Learn the differences between what the Church teaches and what Lutherism teaches (and how it differs today from what Luther actually taught) but wait patiently until she - or someone else - brings the subject up.

God’s timing is different to ours, so it may take much time, prayer and fasting.

 

[3boyzmom]

I also will pray for you and your family.

I was raised Baptist, and converted to Catholicism about 15 years ago. I am blessed to have been led to the fullness of the true church. Contrary to what some others may think I still believe that we will find that when we get to heaven we won’t be the only ones there. I think there will be plenty of folks from other Christian denominations. So I don’t think your wife and son are in danger just because they belong to a different church.

That said, I do think that a family is able to worship and grow in their faith in a more full way if they all belong to the same church. They can participate in the mass (or service) and other church activities and grow together in the church. Personally I far prefer the Catholic church because I believe that one can find the fullness of truth there. But, sincere worship is sincere worship.

I will pray for your family, and specifically that your wife will come to long for what you have. My advice to you is to go ahead and take every opportunity you can to grow within your faith and lead by example. Get to that place where you exude peace and serenity and happiness and perhaps she will be drawn to want to know more about it. Ask her to go to church related activities as a family (retreats, picnics, etc) so that she can be exposed to the people and atmosphere of your church. Ask her to come to mass with you without pressuring her to leave her church- just tell her that her company when you worship means a lot to you.

If she does ever decide to join your church, I don’t think you’d have to have your son re-baptized. I was baptized in the Baptist church and it was valid, when I went through RCIA I did not have to be re-baptized.

God bless you all!

 

[loriwing]

I’m a convert and can tell you that her interest in religious ed. could be a blessing in disguise for your family. It could be the catalyst for you two to really talk about your faiths. I’d encourage you to have a lot of interest in what’s being discussed in her class. Find out what she’s learning and challenge her with the truth as we Catholics know it. (I’d spend a lot of time in the apologetics forums if you need some ammo!)

You may even want to attend a few sessions if you don’t think it would be too threatening for her. I have to admit it would be hard for me to keep my mouth in check when I was to disagree on certain things. You may also find that you have way more common ground than you think.

At the very least, be sure to have your Catechism handy!

Good luck and God Bless your family

 

[Lampo]

Thank you all so much!! I am taking a lot your advice. I to think her education class might be a blessing in disguise and I went with her to the first session and plan to go again. Just to learn more about her faith and to also strengthen my own faith. Thank you all again!

 

[Della]

About her going back to teach, would it be possible (or would she be interested) in tutoring at home? She’d keep her hand in as a teacher and also be able to care for your son until he is school age. Just a thought.