Statement of Intention for wedding, regarding baptized non-catholic

[smf834]

Hi,

I have tried to use the search function on this forum, but i haven’t found what i was looking for. I am a catholic engaged to a baptized non-catholic, and we are set to marry next year. I just obtained the booklet explaining the order of the rite of marriage, and I understand we are considered a “mixed marriage”, and therefore I am required to sign a dispensation to promise to do all I can to bring up my children in the Catholic Church. My fiance will not be obligated to sign the same form.

Now, when I was going through the Statement of Intention, namely the part that says “Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?”

My fiance has raised the issue that this basically asks her to bring up our children in the Catholic Church as well? Are we reading it correctly? Will the presiding priest omit the words “and his Church” when he asks this question to my fiance?

Thanks!!

 

[thequeen]

If she is questioning whether she wants to raise your future children Catholic I would question whether I wanted to marry her. and yes she is obligated to do all she canto bring any future children up in the faith and no he will not omit the words.

 

[smf834]

The issue at hand is not what she will or will not raise our children Catholic, but the canon law regarding mixed marriage has been changed to that the non-catholic party no longer has to say the vow to raise children in the Catholic church, but the Statement of Intention doesn’t seem to reflect that.

 

[ByzCathCantor]

Some advice, from a fellow Catholic in a mixed-faith marriage.

My wife was raised Methodist, and has yet to consider conversion after nearly 20 yrs of marriage. She is in Church with the family virtually every Sunday.

Yet, as we ourselves discussed, decided and vowed well before our wedding, we have faithfully raised our children as [Byzantine] Catholics.

Especially if your faith is important to both of you, as was and still is the case with my wife, you really must work this out between yourselves beforehand. I may be shot for saying this here on CAF, but it really doesn’t matter what the Church may or may not ask you to do in the process. That said, one cannot argue the Church’s wisdom of forcing the issue with mixed-faith couples preparing for marriage. It simply must be addressed, best by both of you.

Trust me - you don’t want to be holding your first born, wondering whether, when or where you will have the blessed child baptized. That would tear any faithful Catholic apart.

I can attest that it is possible to work through this to a happy result, especially if done in the healthiest way possible - that is, between the prospective bride and groom. There will be greater challenges ahead of you in married life - let this be a test as to how well you can resolve them together, as a couple.