My wife and I hate church

Dear Mimi,

I am a 42 year old man. I grew up in a staunch Catholic family and observed all the catholic ceremony. I got married ten years ago to a catholic woman and together we decided we would be catholic only in name. So our Sundays are spent at home with our children. The issue is that my mother-in-law recently started living with us and has started nagging us to go to church. At first I obliged her, woke up around 6am to make the long drive to her pentecostal church and endure the screaming and shouting. However I told her today that I am not going to church and neither is my wife or our two children. All hell broke loose she screamed and cried that I have led her daughter to hell, that I am preventing her from pursuing God and that we must go to church or I divorce her daughter. My wife who cannot stand up to her mother said she will follow her mum to reduce trouble. There is my problem- my wife also detests church and I feel betrayed that she would keep going to keep her mother happy instead of herself and our marriage happy. I said she can go if she wants but my children will not go. What should I do?

-Church Mother Drama

Dear Church Mother Drama,

I sympathize with your situation. In all things we need wisdom and this is a scenario wisdom is required. I think you should speak to your wife privately about how to handle this. Ask her if she truly does not mind going with her mother and allow her decide. You do not have to go if you truly detest it. If your wife says she truly detests it and would rather not go, then both of you speak to your mother in law about your decision and tell her to accept it or not but that your marriage would not be breaking up over this. Both of you must communicate and unify in what you want for your family regarding church and inform your mother in law. The goal should always be for peace within the family but not at the expense of sanity. I wish you wisdom.

Love,

Mimi

 

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