Catholic, Jewish leaders address challenges of mixed marriages

Published: 2004-11-30

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Following a November meeting the U.S. Catholic-Jewish Consultation Committee said mixed marriages present a number of challenges to the partners and children of such marriages and to the Catholic and Jewish religious communities. Their communique, released in Washington Nov. 29 by the media relations office of the U.S. bishops, said religiously mixed marriages account for about 50 percent of Jewish marriages and come close to that figure in the Catholic community as well. The committee held its semiannual meeting at St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore Nov. 3. "The major topic of discussion was the challenge of mixed marriage in American life and how our communities are responding to its problems and possibilities both for the couples involved and for the raising of their children," the 1,300-word communique said. Four presenters "discussed both the understanding of marriage in their respective communities and the pastoral and programmatic responses of each," it said.

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