Does getting married in a Catholic church mean you have to promise to make your children catholic?

Question

The priest at our church just told me to come down and sign a piece of paper (he tells us this just now, after over a month of talking to him) to promise that we either make our children catholic, or we bring them to that specific church. I wasn't sure which one as I did not understand him very well.

Please help! Any website link that can explain this would be much appreciated!!

The reason I ask is because my fiance is Christian, and we haven't talked about what religion we will raise our children on. Also, the priest *just* told us this crucial bit of information. I would think that something like this is very important, and not keep it till a month before the wedding! If we do not want to raise our children as Catholics, we may have to change our wedding location and 1 month is just too late to start from the beginning!

To answer sparki777, we haven't discussed how we are going to raise our kids yet as
1) we do not have children yet
2) we were not aware prior to 2 days ago that the church was going to make me sign/blackmail me to sign the paper if we wanted to get married in that church.

Answer 1

You, as a Catholic parent, are obliged to raise your children to understand and love the Catholic faith. (The Church assumes that you understand and love the Catholic faith because you are Catholic.)

Your fiance, not being Catholic, doesn't have to sign anything and doesn't have to actively raise the kids Catholic. He just has to know that you're obliged to do it.

Two more things -- if you're getting married in less then a month, why haven't you discussed how you are raising the kids yet? And second, Catholic = Christian.

Answer 2

Marriage is life-giving. So you do have to be open to life, but remember the catholic church does agree with natural family planning, so if you don't want to have children avoid having sex at your most fertile times every month. I'm pretty sure you don't have to have children before you can adopt, for the simple reason that some couples cannot have children so therefore can never wait until after they've had their own children to adopt. Also, children are a gift so i would really consider my position on 'not wanting' children. why would you be angry about, or turn down a gift from God? because he does know what's best. For more information look up adoption in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. God Bless L

Answer 3

In such a situation (a marriage of mixed faiths), the Catholic party must promise "to do all in his/her power" to raise the children in the Catholic faith. The non-Catholic party does not have to promise anything.

Answer 4

If you get married in a Catholic ceremony, you must agree to raise your children Catholic. They like have new brains to program and new pockets to empty and new children to victimize. RUN!

Answer 5

The Catholic Church is a business and wants to keep its clients--forever.

Read Conversations with God by Neale Walsch.

Answer 6

well that's what they believe, you have to be Catholic to be married in a Catholic Church and I'm sure that goes to raising your children there as well.

Answer 7

Asking you to sign a piece of paper like that is illegal. Moreover he cant force you or anyone to bring their children there.

Get married in a protestant church. They dont ask you to do nonsense stuff like this.

Answer 8

The priest that married me said exactly that. However, this is my take on that. He forced me to promise. I view that forced promise as evil. It totally goes against the free will that they supposedly teach.

Answer 9

yes

Answer 10

You got it