His church and mine: A love story
“So, you’re Catholic, but you’re married to a Lutheran pastor. How does that work?”
I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve been asked this question in my seven years of marriage. Depending upon the inquirer, I have a few canned answers that easily roll off the tongue, but the simplest and most genuine is this: “By the grace of God!”
When I boarded a plane bound for Notre Dame 13 years ago, I could never have imagined that the journey would…
[This is the beginning an article found in the Summer 2016 edition of Notre Dame Magazine by Messy Jesus Business Rabble Rouser, Nicole Steele Wooldridge. Continue reading HERE.]
About the Rabble Rouser
Nicole Steele Wooldridge has been a friend of Sister Julia’s since they were neighbors in Chicago several years ago. Having majored in Theology and International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame (Go Irish!), Nicole shares Sister Julia’s passion for Catholic Social Teaching. Though her goal is to travel the globe (five continents and 24 countries down … everywhere else in the world to go!), she is happily rooted in the Seattle, Washington area for now while she and her husband raise their two young daughters. Nicole’s columns for Messy Jesus Business tend to focus on the intersection of faith and parenting, particularly as it relates to the radical call of Gospel living. When she’s not working part time at a local college or chasing her girls around the house, Nicole enjoys reading spy novels, visiting microbreweries, and discussing black holes. She is extremely grateful to be a part of the Messy Jesus Business family!
“Whenever Eric and I discuss our differences in theology and tradition, our goal is never to “convert” the other but rather to “journey with” one another in our relationship with Christ. As it turns out, our churches agree with this approach.”
Thank you for living theory into practice! So many of us don’t even know that our churches today actively believe (and try to practice) journeying together. There is still so much pain I hear in congegations from when Lutherans and Catholic children were taught that their playmates (or family members) were going to hell. We have alot of “reacquainting” to do. Great post!
Love, love, love this story. Man, if you can make a marriage work between a Catholic and an ELCA Lutheran, I don’t understand how Congress can’t figure out how to get along!! 🙂