The Pastoral Care of Mixed Marriages: Neither Yours nor Mine—but Ours

In a world characterized by an increasing number of Christian families in which members are from different Church traditions, the pastoral care of mixed marriages presents both profound challenges and unique opportunities. The document entitled “The Pastoral Care of Mixed Marriages: Neither Yours nor Mine – but Ours,” produced by the North American Orthodox-Catholic Consultation, released in February 2024 and published here below, represents a significant ecumenical effort to address these complexities from a shared Christian perspective.

Following the link to the dialogue document (below) are links to two canonical commentaries, prepared by two members of the Consultation, that offer insightful reflections on this agreed statement, exploring its implications for pastoral ministry to couples in which one spouse is Orthodox and the other Catholic. The commentaries reflect the views of their authors, but are intended to foster a deeper understanding of the statement’s recommendations and stimulate further discussion.

The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation is sponsored jointly by the Committee for Ecumenical Relations of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, the Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Dialogue Document: The Pastoral Care of Mixed Marriages
Catholic Commentary by Chorbishop John Faris
Orthodox Commentary by Rev. Patrick Viscuso