We are planning on baptizing Tonino soon and have run into some roadblocks. Since my husband and I did not get married in church and got married at city hall (comune), a civil ceremony, our marriage isn't recognized by the church and therefore Tonino cannot be baptized until I can show that I accept that he will be raised Catholic and I will not interfere. I am totally accepting that and want that for him but my word isn't enough. My husband and I have to get married again in church in a "matrimonio misto" - a mixed religion wedding since I am not Catholic. I am learning so much but never realized how strict the church is although I shouldn't be surprised. So, to get married here, normally takes months and months of courses! The priest said for us it should be starting now until Easter! And this isn't counting the courses we have to take to have Antonio baptized which is another 2-3 months. Since we told him we are planning to go to LA at the end of the year, he said that he would work it out to meet more times a week and get us married and baby baptized by the end of the year.
This is gonna make it wedding number 3 for us... fun right??? =) I really can't complain. It seems like such a chore but I think it's kind of nice, kind of like we are renewing our vows and sharing the special occasion with our baby as he gets baptized at the same time.
Anyways, we met with the couple who we are doing the courses with this past weekend and my husband and I are really enjoying it. We are going through everything that is said during the wedding and they are really making sure we understand all the vows and words the priest will be reading. Nonetheless, we have dived into the Bible to really analyze it all. My husband is appreciating it because he doesn't really remember much of what he learned as a child. For me, I am enjoying it because I am learning so much as well and it's important to me that I am well informed for Antonio.
On a religious note, and I have never been the religious type, I am finding faith and embracing the Catholic religion. I knew that my life would change moving to Italy, but I never expected how much it has influenced me spiritually as well. These next couple of weeks will be very interesting to say the least.
If you have moved to Italy, have you found yourself being more influenced by religion which is quite hard to ignore here? How has it changed your outlook on life if so?
Anna! This post was so informative. Even if you were Catholic, I wonder how you would even prove it? I knew the church was strict, but I didn't think it would be such a LONG process! Good luck with everything....emailing you now. =P
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