Anyone in a Catholic and Orthodox mixed marriage who has any advice? I’m a Catholic woman and he is Orthodox. We are both deeply faithful. In talks with our priests and I just wanted to hear some more real life practical things from those in the same situation in addition. We’ve already discussed raising children and weekly church attendance. I’m wondering about other practical everyday things we might not have thought about. Like any tips or your experiences in stuff like praying together and as a family or navigating calendars and fasts etc. TYIA!
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Welcome : )
I am not in a mixed-faith Marriage, but growing up my Mom was Catholic and my Step-Dad was Presbyterian (for a while).
Statistics show that when children grow up in a mixed-faith Marriage, the children are much more likely to not attend Church when they grow older.
Though my Mom did eventually convert to Presbyterianism, of my siblings I am the only one who still goes to Church and lives for Christ.
Pastor Bod, the Presbyterian Pastor actually later converted to the Orthodox Church. I had hoped that my Parents would follow his lead, but he moved out of State.
My Brothers and Sister all attended the Presbyterian Church with my Parents growing up and I remained Catholic (before becoming non-Denominational in College, then Dispensationalist for a short time, and then reverting back to my Catholic Christian Faith of my youth, thanks be to God! : )
So, here are my thoughts. Orthodox and Catholic Christians are very close to one another. We were once one, and both are holy, universal, and Apostolic.
A compromise might be that you, your Husband, and your children attend an Eastern Catholic Church, where the Sacred Liturgy is like that of the East, but you would be in communion with the Pope. I think for your children’s sake, it is important that you and your Husband attend the same Church (whether that is Catholic or Orthodox). Does this guarantee that your children will not still fall away? No, but it lessons the chances of this happening. Of course always be Praying for your Husband and Children (as I’m sure you already do : )
As far as Praying as a family unit, maybe you could Pray the Jesus Prayer followed by one decade of the Rosary + The Our Father and a Glory be.
I saw Catholic Answers Live recently did two episodes on Orthodoxy, but I have not listened to them yet. Here are the links:
- What Would It Take for Catholics and Orthodox to Reunite? Marriage Validity and Confession
- Every Orthodox Objection to Catholicism—Answered Part 1
- Every Orthodox Objection to Catholicism—Answered Part 2
Hope this helps : )
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Catholics and Orthodox share more beliefs (and live their lives) in common, than they disagree upon. EWTN often invites members of the Orthodox community (laity, religious, and clergy) to publicly share their faith with Catholics and answer questions about what unites our two Faiths. Their focus is on what brings us together rather than those things we disagree with (which aren’t very many). EWTN doesn’t propose we ignore our differences, but to empathize with our Orthodox brothers and sisters. And yes, they are our brothers and sisters of the faith.
AWESOME STUFF. The links you provide are most excellent and clearly answers objections which I didn’t expect. The discussion CA’s have shows are that the Catholic and Orthodox truly have much more in common than what I had previously thought. Nice find! TY 
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