Trouble with wife not wanting to pray

[SRM77]

I’ve been married to my wife for seven years this April. I’m a “craddle” Catholic while she was raised Luthern, but the way I understood she didn’t attend church often. We married in the Catholic church, had a son who we baptised Catholic. My wife tried the RCIA a couple years ago, but her work scheduled conficted so she dropped out. She does attend the Catholic church with my son and I when she isn’t working. She claims she only does so as not to make me mad.

I’ve tried to introduce her to prayers at home which she will have no part of, telling me i’m being to pushy. She even commented to me a few weeks ago that she wasn’t even sure there was a God. I do believe this was to hurt me or I hope it was!

I love my wife, I just don’ t understand her refusal in praying and becoming closer to God.

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

I’ve been married to my wife for seven years this April. I’m a “craddle” Catholic while she was raised Luthern, but the way I understood she didn’t attend church often. We married in the Catholic church, had a son who we baptised Catholic. My wife tried the RCIA a couple years ago, but her work scheduled conficted so she dropped out. She does attend the Catholic church with my son and I when she isn’t working. She claims she only does so as not to make me mad.

I’ve tried to introduce her to prayers at home which she will have no part of, telling me i’m being to pushy. She even commented to me a few weeks ago that she wasn’t even sure there was a God. I do believe this was to hurt me or I hope it was!

I love my wife, I just don’ t understand her refusal in praying and becoming closer to God.

Simple: she does not believe in God. She told you.
Why are you mad at her? Do you think madness gets conversions?
And what about listening to her thoughts and feelings before you give an answer to what she thinks and feels?
I think this would be a shortcut.
You cannot push religion down one’s throat !
Your job is to answer the HER anxieties, wishes, feelings, doubts, intellectual dramas about human existence and so on. Your job is to deal with her troubles not inject dry Catholic Teaching into her existence.

Your job is also to teach her that to be Christian is not only going to Church but praying at home. You pray and let her listen to you. Do not force her. And also to care for the poor and for Somalia, where 2 million people are dying of hunger.

Then, let God and Jesus work.

Mine was your problem, too.

 

[faithfully]

I’ve been married to my wife for seven years this April. I’m a “craddle” Catholic while she was raised Luthern, but the way I understood she didn’t attend church often. We married in the Catholic church, had a son who we baptised Catholic. My wife tried the RCIA a couple years ago, but her work scheduled conficted so she dropped out. She does attend the Catholic church with my son and I when she isn’t working. She claims she only does so as not to make me mad.

I’ve tried to introduce her to prayers at home which she will have no part of, telling me i’m being to pushy. She even commented to me a few weeks ago that she wasn’t even sure there was a God. I do believe this was to hurt me or I hope it was!

I love my wife, I just don’ t understand her refusal in praying and becoming closer to God.

YOU ARE BEING PUSHY… Careful you don’t push her right out the church.

I just talked with my priest about DH. He is not Catholic or of any religion. I wish for him to be baptised. As my priest says. This is a CALLING! It’s not for you to decide for her.

She’s supporting your upbringing of your son in the faith. Be GREATFUL! THANK HER. Do not FORCE her. Tell her you would like to share with her, so she understands what’s going on. Do not insist she get it. Do your prayers with your son. Let your wife HEAR them. But that’s enough.

For what it’s worth, I usually only share really “interesting” stuff. DH is a history buff. He gets interested in what REALLY happened.

 

[JohnnyK]

remember, we are all on different paths, spiritually. I was away from the faith for most of my adult life, before coming back about 8 years ago. if you would have told me i would come back and have a reconversion, I would have thought you were nuts. Keep praying for her, like St. Monica did for St. Augustine!

 

[BettyBoop416]

I’ve always considered prayer to be a rather personal thing. If she doesn’t feel comfortable praying with you, back off. As others have said, you risk pushing her farther away.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I’ve been married to my wife for seven years this April. I’m a “craddle” Catholic while she was raised Luthern, but the way I understood she didn’t attend church often. We married in the Catholic church, had a son who we baptised Catholic. My wife tried the RCIA a couple years ago, but her work scheduled conficted so she dropped out. She does attend the Catholic church with my son and I when she isn’t working. She claims she only does so as not to make me mad.

I’ve tried to introduce her to prayers at home which she will have no part of, telling me i’m being to pushy. She even commented to me a few weeks ago that she wasn’t even sure there was a God. I do believe this was to hurt me or I hope it was!

I love my wife, I just don’ t understand her refusal in praying and becoming closer to God.

Dude, if she expressed to you that she isn’t sure God exists, take her at her word! She’s not trying to hurt you. She was probably a very lukewarm Lutheran at best. Give her some breathing room! No pushing her to pray with you. Teach your son about the Church, make sure he gets his sacramental training. Back off, and pray for her every day.