My girlfriend says that our children "must" be catholic because she is, she says that's a rule, is this true?

Question

I am protestant and my girlfriend is catholic. I was just wondering if there really is a rule where the children must be catholic because she is.

Answer 1

There are no rules, but those your girlfriend and you can both agree on.

Look at it this way. You both should agree in teaching your children both religions without imposition. Your children can learn the best from both worlds (religions).

Answer 2

If it's not a rule, then it's certainly what the Vatican WANTS. Woe is the Catholic who doesn't baptize the child in the "Holy" Roman Catholic faith! Ex-communication - how dreadful!

As a former Catholic, I can tell you that many Catholic parents have a compelling need to have their children baptized Catholic, because they're absolutely convinced that Roman Catholicism is the one and only true faith. I predict that you are going to have problems with your girlfriend (future wife?) as long as this is a major issue with her. Sorry, man.

Answer 3

If you both want to be married within a RCC church, then you may have to agree to raise your kids Catholic before the marriage. If she's devout, she won't agree to be married in a Protestant church.

It sounds like you and she need to sit down and have a very serious discussion.

EDIT: Fred S, the Bible clearly teaches that it's the FATHER'S responsibility to teach the children Scripture. Of course, the mother can teach them, also.

Answer 4

A Catholic parent is obliged to raise their children to know and love the Catholic faith. Ultimately, however, it is up to each child as they grow to adulthood to commit to Catholicism (or not).

Think of it this way: if you believe something is absolutely true, why WOULDN'T you raise your children to believe it, too?

Answer 5

First, cool name. We should hang out sometime.

Second, if you are protestant and your girlfriend is catholic, you already disagree on the validity and supremacy of the catholic church. If the Catholic church has made it a rule that the children of all catholics must be catholics too, that doesn't mean you have to obey them. You already are rejecting the catholic church by being protestant. (duh, i know).

Have her show you where the bible says your kids must be raised as catholics. It doesn't.

Answer 6

that's a rule for purchasing married interior the Catholic Church in a Catholic ceremony. in case you get married exterior of the church (say in a Pentecostal or civil ceremony, it would not be required. in case you acquire married interior the Catholic church and then reneged on the promise to advance little ones as Catholics, then she would would desire to divorce you and then it would be grounds for a CATHOLIC annulment following the divorce (that's the only way she would desire to remarry afterwards). in case you have been sparkling approximately no longer elevating the youngsters as Catholics, although, it would not be grounds for a criminal annulment (that's based upon fraud), yet would be grounds for divorce (irreconcilable adjustments). it is complicated. the actual question is in spite of in case you prefer to get married to somebody whose non secular thoughts are so distinctive from yours, and who's keen to hold little ones up for one among those ransom in the previous they are even born yet.

Answer 7

It is probably what she would prefer and I believe if you are to be married in a catholic church then that is understood that you'll raise the children of the union this way.

Answer 8

You better believe it.

My wife is Catholic and she was very upset that I didn't want them baptized in the church while I was a protestant.

She is lucky I turned into an Atheist, because now I don't care.

Answer 9

Most religions say that the child takes the religion of the mother. But the rules of any religion only apply to its members, so the father need not follow those rules.

Answer 10

If you get married in the church they will ask you to raise the children in the church. I would guess that's what she means.