Dr. Scott Hahn Gives Marriage Advice! 

I was a Catholic who married a Jewish man in a Jewish ceremony in 1991. I converted to Judaism before our wedding. I later reverted to my Catholic faith (having never been confirmed). I wanted to be confirmed, but could not because I couldn’t raise my children in the church (I made a promise to my husband to raise our children Jewish). 10 years after my first child was born, my Jewish husband said my children needed be baptized. He said I knew more about my Catholic faith than he knew about his Jewish faith and it wasn’t fair to me or the children. He didn’t know that this needed to happen for me to be confirmed. I never told him. I was married in the church two weeks before my confirmation and was given permission by the bishop to make my sacrament with both my daughters. That was 2004. I never pressured my husband any questions that he had I simply answered. In 2018 we were driving home from church, and he looked over at me and said “I’m ready“. I was in the middle of telling him a story of something that had just happened between the priest and myself And I talk right over him, hearing him, but not believing him. He looked at me and said “I said I’m ready“. Tears welled up in my eyes. We’ve been together since 1985 and now it is 2018. I have prayed every day since reverting back to my Catholic faith for my husband to make our family whole in the eyes of God. My husband was received fully into the church on Easter vigil of 2019. We have renewed our vows once more since then. We made a pilgrimage to Israel, and renew our vows at Cana. I consider myself blessed to have been married in a Jewish ceremony as two Jews. A Catholic ceremony as one Catholic and one Jew, and at the church in Cana, Israel as two Catholics. Sometimes God says yes. Sometimes God says no. Sometimes God says wait. ❤✝️

I’m currently navigating this exact situation. Thank you for your guidance, Dr. Hahn.

Dr. Scott Hahn is a beast. Man is awesome!! I relate a lot because we grew up in similar areas and both were Presbyterian. Now full on Catholic. Big Up my brother in God

Wow. Wish I would’ve listened to this nine years ago everything he said I did the opposite. I understand what he is saying now. However, I had to go through a lot of distress for the first seven years of returning to the Catholic Church. My wife has not chosen to be Catholic yet. But I have given her space. We are good now.

I had the amazing opportunity to meet Dr. Hahn and his wife when they stayed at a hotel where I work in St. Joseph, MO two years ago. They were absolutely lovely people. The next day I went to the Cathedral to hear his talk. He is as compelling in person as he is on TV. This is coming from an Anglo-Catholic. However there are many similarities.

Thank you Dr. Hahn.

Thank-you Matt for sharing this portion of his amazing interview!

That's quite a nice Filson vest you are wearing, Matt. They make good wool products ;)

My wife discerned the call to Rome before I did. It was a very bitter time. I finally agreed to read the Church Fathers, in order to prove her position wrong. Whoopsie! We both crossed the Tiber together ❤️ I know it isn’t that easy for everyone. When two devout Catholics marry, it’s a happy day indeed (though even that is no guarantee there will be a successful marriage…both spouses must pursue Christ above all else, or there is always the risk of separation).

The girl who I'm thinking of getting married to is an avid Pentecostal while I've fallen in love with the Catholic faith all over again. Discussions like you two juat had should be more, thanks.

delaying obedience to what I know is true is feeling more like disobedience everyday...

A bad idea in general for a Catholic to marry a Christian who's denomination permits divorces (Orthodox, for example). Unless you don't mind finding yourself in a situation when you're married in the face of the Catholic Church, but your spouse considers themselves free and marries someone else, thus leaving you married and celibate at the same time.

I have a question: Would you offer different advice to a wife who is more open to becoming Catholic than her husband? Both being Protestant at the moment? Or do you recommend the wife stay Protestant until her husband is ready to also become Catholic?

If the warring factions within our Church saw that it really is just disagreements within a covenantal marriage where there is 90% in common, it would work out as Jesus whom we love commands us to be.

You came to chambersburg? That’s where I live. So you were at Corpus Christ?

I am struggling. I am an evangelical from an Anglican background. But as i have read the Bible and heard very timely podcasts (not least from Dr. Hahn) i have become far more catholic. I believe in the real presence of Jesus. I have grown to respect and honour the Blessed Virgin. I do a Rosary most days of the week. I am deeply moved by Bishop Barron's teachings and I pray for the Pope. But, the closer i get to the RC church the more put off i am. I find no redeeming features at a local level. The teaching is ubiquitously bad. I was at mass two weeks ago and I havent been back there, the teaching was antiBiblical and left me livid. The Eucharist is rarely celebrated with zeal and conviction. I am now upset to see so many people taking the Host in people's hands! There's next to no community aspect. The liturgy is plane, and the Pope maybe the false prophet. Which is weird, because when i was far more proestant i thought the idea the RC church could be part of the beast system or the Pope a part of that entirely silly but the closer i get the more ugly it appears. I know the CoE has epic problems not least in its confusion over the sacraments but those who are pro LGBT are open and honest about it. But not in the RC church. Its all hidden and played down while the German bishops do what they want and the Pope cancels Latin mass and conservative Priests elsewhere. I want to take Holy Communion, i know i gave to become a member of the RC church to do so, so that means i need to submit to the Bishops and the Pope ...i struggle and cant bring my self to do so. Im not even convinced they're Christian given the obvious playing of words, deceit and confusion. And of course my Catholic nephew who is 40% convinced God exists is sllowed to take communion but me, a rebellious protestant is not. 😢

WOW ... talk about asking the right person that question LOL

Interesting, I am wondering if Scott Hahn and his wife had their marriage recognized by the Catholic Church or if the had to get remarried.

No sound?

To understand Pope Francis - remember the two virtues of St. Francis - Humility and Poverty. Looks like God is giving the Pope both of those. He was sworn in amid a bank crisis. Is he humiliated? Humiliation brings humility.

In some marriages this doesn’t work at all. I gave up wanting to be Catholic 20 years ago. It’s just not ever going to happen for me. My husband won’t allow it. If I was to ever do what Scott Hahn did it would be a definite divorce for me. I don’t have the right to become Catholic. I now realize that God doesn’t call everyone to the Catholic Church. There are other churches out there to choose. This is what I have come to realize in order to save my sanity.

As long as its two consenting adults who vibe together, then go for it.