NIMMA
28 Bedford Street, Belfast
N. Ireland, BT2 7FE
Phone:
(028) 9023 5444
E-mail: nimma@nireland.com

Relationships between communities impacts on mixed marriages

How different communities intermarry can be an indication of relationships. Although not uncommon during the 18th and 19th centuries, mixed marriages were always disapproved of, often discouraged and indeed made illegal during the Penal law period.

More recently, the situation worsened during the first period of the last century with the juxtaposition of the 1908 Roman Catholic Decree Ne Temere; the growing Home Rule movement; the reaction of Ulster Protestants, the First World War, the Easter Rising and the War of Independence and Partition.

Ne Temere and protests against

Ne Temere reaffirmed the Roman Catholic stance that "mixed marriages" should be conducted in a Roman Catholic Church performed by a Roman Catholic priest.

The Association of Loyal Orange Women which had been formed in the mid-19th century was revived in 1911 and was associated with protest meetings throughout Ireland against Ne Temere. The Protestant Churches were also very concerned, catholic and Protestant attitudes hardened against mixed marriages and our society is still experiencing the consequences of this almost a century later.

Mixed Marriages in the Community Today

The Roman Catholic Church has significantly moderated its position especially since the 1980's. The promise to bring the children up in the Roman Catholic tradition is now made only by the Roman Catholic partner and is within the unity of marriage. Many clergy from the Roman Catholic and main Protestant denominations do try and be helpful at the time of marriage and baptism of children.

Nevertheless general pastoral care of "mixed marriage" couples is often poor. Paradoxically it is often those couples who are trying to lead an Interchurch practising Christian life together and rearing their children to know the richness of the two traditions who make some Clergy, and indeed the wider community, uncomfortable.