Sir, - Your Religious Affairs Correspondent mentions a joint statement on "inter-church marriage" issued by the Catholic and Church of Ireland bishops of Killaloe (September 25th). As regards the promises given by the Catholic party on the Catholic upbringing of the children, the statement says this "still remains a serious irritation to the Church of Ireland and to those of other Protestant churches."
I haven't seen the document in question. As regards the promises given by the Catholic party to do one's best to have the children brought up in the Catholic faith, the Pope says that this is "an obligation that faith imposes on the Catholic party" (Familiaris Consortio, no 78). If one genuinely believes that the Catholic Church is Christ's Church subsisting on earth with all the means of salvation won by Christ, that faith of itself demands that one must do one's best to have all of one's children brought up in it. Just as one cannot compromise one's faith, neither can one compromise the obligations that flow from it. The Catholic Church is directly involved because marriage is one of its sacraments and must be celebrated on the basis of its faith. In requiring "a sincere promise" the Church rules out any suggestion that this could ever be merely a private deal between the parties.
The time to address the inter-religious issue is before the marriage. The conscientious beliefs of the other party must also be considered. The Catholic Church asks that both parties be sincerely open with each other since the upbringing of the children must be the concern of both parents. If the Catholic upbringing of the children should pose a moral question for the other party, several Hierarchies have stated that this raises a serious question as to whether the marriage should go ahead. - Yours, etc., Rev Michael Manning,
Millstreet, Co Cork.