A "mixed marriage"
Love and Marriage
Denominationally disparate marriage
A "mixed marriage" can bring particular difficulties which should be discussed with the concerned parties prior to the wedding. Children's education or the common life of faith could give rise to disagreement. But these marriages are not identical to another. There could be a chance for common action in faith; but the problems resulting from the split in Christianity could also be intensified. In an extreme case, the success of the marriage could be endangered and the faith of spouses and children be influenced negatively.
When both partners take their faith seriously, a marriage which is denominationally different has the best chances of success. But in this case, the difference in faith is often especially painful for the couple, and the conflicts regarding the wedding and education of children more pronounced. The Catholic Church tries to meet the wishes of the non-Catholic partner as long as they do not jeopardize the faith of the other spouse and the children.
The married couple has an obligation to live according to what they perceive to be the true faith and pass it on to the children; for who would want to give to their children less than what they themselves have experienced in terms of purpose and happiness in this life? For this reason, no church can give an exemption from this moral obligation. Prior to the wedding, Catholic partners must declare that they are aware of this duty and will endeavor to fulfill it as far as possible in their marriage.
But since children's education concerns both parents, it could become impossible for the Catholic spouse to give a Catholic education to the children; in this case, the right and obligation remain to witness the Catholic faith to the spouse and the children through the conduct of life. In addition, the commitment continues to actively participate in a responsible, Christian, conjugal relationship and family life. Obviously, the non-Catholic partner who agreed to the Catholic upbringing of the children has the same rights.
For many married couples who consider all these questions to be important, it can be a consolation to know that the first years in the life of a child are most significant for religious education but that confessional differences play very little role during that period.
When spouses with different religious convictions try honestly to resolve this conflict in faith and love and to bridge existing differences, they prepare the way for a rapprochement of the churches.
