WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a significant move towards shared understanding, the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation has announced the publication of a new agreed statement titled, “The Pastoral Care of Mixed Marriages: Neither Yours nor Mine – but Ours.” This document, which aims to provide guidance for the pastoral care of mixed marriages between Orthodox and Catholic Christians, was finalized at the Spring 2023 meeting held at St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto, Ontario.
The Consultation is co-chaired by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR, the Archbishop of Newark, and Metropolitan Methodios, the Metropolitan of Boston. Over the past half-century, it has fostered a fruitful dialogue between Orthodox and Catholic Christians worldwide, seeking to strengthen bonds of understanding and cooperation between these two major Christian traditions.
The latest agreed statement builds on this momentum, focusing on the sacredness of Christian marriage, its lifelong nature, the spiritual formation of children, and the need for shared and ongoing pastoral care. The Consultation acknowledged differences in canonical practices between the two Churches regarding the dissolution of marital bonds and the necessary elements for their formation. However, it affirmed that in both traditions, sacramental marriage takes place within an ecclesial context through the ministry of the Church.
The statement emphasizes that instead of viewing parties in a mixed marriage as “yours” or “mine,” both Churches should adopt a principle of joint solicitude for the spouses. This shift in perspective aims to reflect care for and a shared understanding of mixed marriages and to guide the development of pastoral recommendations.
The Consultation offered recommendations on several aspects of mixed marriages, including their celebration in both Churches, recognition of remarriage after divorce, joint pastoral care, mutual recognition of married life in Christ, updating of pastoral materials, and avoidance of indifferentism and spiritual confusion.
Although this new text does not officially represent either Church, it was drafted by a group of highly esteemed theologians and is intended for prayerful reflection and discussion by members of both Churches. The full text of the statement will be available for further study, and commentaries are expected as more scholars engage with the text.
The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation, established in 1965, is sponsored jointly by the Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical Relations of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, the Committee for Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. It has issued 31 agreed statements on various topics, all of which are available on the websites of the sponsoring organizations.
This new statement underscores the ongoing dialogue between the two Churches. Since 1981, the Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops has been meeting annually to discuss pastoral issues between the two Churches. An analogous initiative has also long existed in Canada.
The release of this new agreed statement marks a significant step in the continuing dialogue between Orthodox and Catholic Christians. By focusing on the pastoral care of mixed marriages, it acknowledges the reality of interdenominational marriages and offers valuable guidance for clergy and laity alike. As such, it represents a hopeful sign of continued cooperation and mutual understanding between these two Christian traditions.
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