Orthodox marrying a Catholic

[howirenic]

I thank everyone for their contributions and real-life testimonies as to the difficulty of such an intermarriage.

To be honest, I would not consider conversion to Catholicism and so I suppose that means I would only be open to marrying a woman who would want to convert to Orthodoxy. I know that sounds selfish, but as others have pointed out, you can’t compromise in faith.

I know of a few Catholic women who are courted to Orthodox men and are going to convert… I suppose that was the configuration I had in mind.

Having a mixed religion household (as odd as it is to call an Orthodox-Catholic household that) would be a serious issue and I agree with people’s concerns on that.

 

[1ke]

I know of a few Catholic women who are courted to Orthodox men and are going to convert… I suppose that was the configuration I had in mind.

Don’t be surprised when the Catholic girls you seek to date are not impressed with this plan.

It is always a bad idea to go into a relationship thinking (or in your case actually planning) to change them.

It is offensive that you believe a woman should leave the Catholic faith for you.

 

[Xantippe]

I thank everyone for their contributions and real-life testimonies as to the difficulty of such an intermarriage.

To be honest, I would not consider conversion to Catholicism and so I suppose that means I would only be open to marrying a woman who would want to convert to Orthodoxy. I know that sounds selfish, but as others have pointed out, you can’t compromise in faith.

I know of a few Catholic women who are courted to Orthodox men and are going to convert… I suppose that was the configuration I had in mind.

Having a mixed religion household (as odd as it is to call an Orthodox-Catholic household that) would be a serious issue and I agree with people’s concerns on that.

Yes. I think that the lifestyle issues are actually (on a day to day basis) way more difficult than the higher doctrinal issues. I’m pretty sure that the filioque would not give you any marital issues at all.

 

[howirenic]

Don’t be surprised when the Catholic girls you seek to date are not impressed with this plan.

It is always a bad idea to go into a relationship thinking (or in your case actually planning) to change them.

It is offensive that you believe a woman should leave the Catholic faith for you.

I would never approach a Catholic woman with this intention. I am merely describing a scenario in which I meet a Catholic woman who is open or even desiring to become Orthodox. A scenario that I have witnessed already with other couples.

I’m sort of baffled that you think that I would think I’m worth converting over.

 

[GreyWings]

The Orthodox church is considered a “sister church” for Roman Catholics. Just throwing that out there. But there are differences, still, as they are not, well, Roman Catholic.

 

[1ke]

-]/-]

The Orthodox church is considered a “sister church” for Roman Catholics. Just throwing that out there. But there are differences, still, as they are not, well, Roman Catholic.

Yes, but a Cathoilc who leaves the Church for Orthodoxy commits a formal act of schism, excommunicable and grave matter.

 

[powerofk]

-]/-]

Yes, but a Cathoilc who leaves the Church for Orthodoxy commits a formal act of schism, excommunicable and grave matter.

As does an Orthodox who leaves Orthodoxy for Catholicism. Honestly, we need to continually pray for Christian unification - especially amongst the apostolic churches. St. Andrew and St. Peter were brothers, for crying out loud! It makes no sense that the See of Peter and the See of Andrew haven’t been able to reconcile.

 

[faustinamary]

As does an Orthodox who leaves Orthodoxy for Catholicism. Honestly, we need to continually pray for Christian unification - especially amongst the apostolic churches. St. Andrew and St. Peter were brothers, for crying out loud! It makes no sense that the See of Peter and the See of Andrew haven’t been able to reconcile.

Thank you powerofk for you post in my other thread! To both you and howirenic, the doctrine of papal primary is theologically sophisticated but most Catholics ignore it completely, even clergy are unaware of it. If you read ‘Contra errores Graecorum’ of St. Thomas Aquinas," dhspriory.org/thomas/ContraErrGraecorum.htm - you will find a defenses of the statements “That the Roman Pontiff is the first and greatest among all bishops” and “That the same Pontiff has universal jurisdiction over the entire Church of Christ.” that are dependent on a sophisticated understanding of the Holy Spirit.

‘Contra errores Graecorum’ is not well-known, meaning most people who support the Pope and doing so without knowing why. Additionally - the Holy Spirit is complex to understand and there aren’t available resources easy to access to simplify understanding. I don’t know of any. When the logic behind ‘Contra errores Graecorum’ is accessible, more conversions will happen and so might reconciliation between the See of Peter and the See of Andrew!

 

[Demetra2]

I am a Greek woman married to a Catholic man. We married in the Greek Orthodox church because my religion did not permit me to marry in the Catholic church. My advice to you would be that presuming you do marry a Catholic, have an honest discussion as to how your children will be raised. The sacraments are the same but Orthodox do not have a pope. What ever you decide make it very clear to all the potential grandparents. I found this to be a huge problem in my life because my parents were against our children being raised Catholic. I was too timid to reveal it to them prior to the marriage and that was a mistake!
By the way after 29 years of marriage I converted to the Catholic faith and I am very happy that I did. Best decision I ever made. My husband never pressured me or even suggested it but he was delighted when I told him that I wanted to convert. So you never know what path you will travel.