Okay, as you know, I'm a plumber who is thinking of becoming a Catholic. A Catholic guy, Robert, whom I admire is a bit scathing about his own Catholic congregation and their attitudes towards marriage. The two things we all probably know is that Catholics are supposed to marry other Catholics (of the opposite sex), divorce is not on the agenda and sex is not permitted before marriage. I'm clear on that last one because, so far, I have been unable to get a girlfriend.
I've heard of unmarried priests and Marist brothers doing bad sexual things. Would they be better off if they could get married? Though it does look like a lot of the offenders have a liking for the same sex. I don't know what the church is doing about trying to fix that one.
Okay, so two Catholics get married and they have children. The children get baptised but have no say in the matter. There they are - stuck as Catholics. No choice is available for them. Maybe baptism should happen a bit later in life? Well, I suppose the present system guarantees plenty of Catholics.
Back to marriage.
What happens when two married Catholics are not getting on? The humane thing is to break up and I'm sure it happens. What if they find someone else? I guess they could just be very good friends. Friends who cuddle a bit, if you get my drift. Still, I suppose that, in the eyes of the church, that's cheating. Remember, what the church says is not thrown on the table to be questioned.
What about gay people? The church certainly won't let them get married. Does the church think that they choose to be gay? I've known enough gay people to know that just isn't so.
What about someone who, say, gets married in a Methodist church and then decides to become a Catholic. Does that marriage count? Is it transferable? I strongly doubt it. Or maybe they can get a special certificate like when you want to drive a car overseas?
I did some research. Evidently getting baptised will make a marriage that happened in another religion okay. There you go.
I think I've covered the main points. Hopefully Robert will have a read and put me right if I've drifted from the truth.
Happy Monday to you all. Richard, good luck with your plumber and your toilet today.
Well done. I put a link on my blog. I enjoy your posts.
ReplyDeleteThanks Richard.
ReplyDeleteRick Tim Bagno
As I have said Rich whoops sorry Rick, marriage is a complicated thingy for Catholics. There are special lawyers with long fancy Latin names who deal with it, Canon lawyers.
ReplyDeleteTo the best of my knowledge the Church recognizes marriages between Protestants. But Catholics need a letter from the bishop to marry a protestant. Catholics marrying outside the Church will find it invalid and can not receive the Eucharist.
There are a lot of things we do for children that don't require consent. You don't ask a five year old if it wants to go to school. If you don't baptize what happens if the child dies. I think you need it to go to heaven, don't you.? Else you are living under original sin and not saved. It's required to get into the kingdom.
That damn God the Father created original sin because some woman bit an apple. Sad. Jesus got to pay for that. Gosh, I'm glad I'm not a Catholic!
ReplyDelete