London Times: Catholics shouldn't marry Muslims

From the "why is this news?" file:

The London Times had a story today about comments from Cardinal Ruini at the Vatican saying that Catholics shouldn't marry Muslims, in part due to the "deep cultural differences" between the two groups. Italian liberals (of course) are up in arms, saying that it's discriminatory and what not. I say it's just plain common sense.

The Catechism makes it pretty clear that marrying a non-Catholic can cause problems, and has to be approved by the bishop. I know because I almost married a non-Catholic and I read this passage many times. The Church worries about the propogation of the faith to children, but also the ability of the Catholic to faithfully practice his/her beliefs in a "mixed" marriage. And let me tell you, as someone who was going to enter one, things were going to be hard, especially Catholic sexual teachings, which differ from much of Christianity these days. It was going to be a struggle. If the Church thinks that marrying a Protestant is going to be hard, how much harder will it be for Catholics who marry Jews or Muslims? Especially since Muslims raise their children in their faith, which violates the contract the Catholic (if they are to be married in the Church) must sign saying the children will be raised Catholic. There's also the cultural differences Cardinal Ruini mentions.

This doesn't mean that non-Catholics are evil or doomed or lesser beings. It just means that perhaps they shouldn't mix through the indissolvable bond of marriage. It's just plain common sense.