Catholic married to Pentecostal w/ a divorce/remarrying question?

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Help! I'm a Catholic who married a Pentecostal woman about 15 years ago. Our marriage was blessed in the Catholic church within the same year because the original wedding was in her small town Pentecostal church. About a year and a half ago we divorced. I understand that the Catholic Church does not believe in divorce. From that point on I stopped receiving the sacrament of communion. I am proud to say that we have reconciled our differences and decided to remarry after only being divorced less than 2 years. Since we never remarried and the fact that the Catholic Church doesn't recognize divorce, is it possible for myself to continue to receive the sacrament of communion?

Respectfully, Will

-- Will (willb3rd@yahoo.com), February 10, 2005

Answers

Congratulations on your reconciliation with your wife!!! Boy it's refreshing to hear something like that. I don't know the answer to your question, but I felt like I wanted to extend my congrats.

David

-- non-Catholic Christian (no@spam.com), February 10, 2005.


Congratulations to both of you.

Will, why did you stop receiving the Eucharist to begin with? There is nothing to prohibit divorced Catholics from any of the sacraments. The Church does not recognize "re-marriage"..there is no such thing. Catholics who obtain a civil divorce and then get "married" again to another person, are in a state of adultery..mortal sin..that's what keeps them from the sacraments..not the divorce.

Catholics who obtain a divorce, and submit their marriage to the Catholic Tribunal, and the Tribunal declares that their marriage never existed to begin with and annuls the marriage...those Catholics are then free to marry..The world may view them as getting married "again" yet the Church does not.

In your case, you are married, and have always been married. There was never any reason for you to stop receiving communion simply because you obtained a civil divorce.

As far as receiving communion again, it would be the same for you as for any other Catholic..you'd need to examine the state of your soul. If you have any unconfessed sin, then go to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation before you receive the Eucharist.

-- Lesley (martchas@hotmail.com), February 10, 2005.


Thank you David for your kind words. I want to especially thank Lesley for enlightening me about this subject. I am not sure how I got the notion in my mind that divorced Catholics cannot receive the sacrament of communion. This was something that was told to me many years ago as a child (not sure who) and I guess it has always stuck with me that once you're divorced your doomed in the eyes of the church w/o the getting an annulment. This had been weighing heavily on my heart for a while and I am happy to hear that I will be fine. It all makes sense to me now and what the word of God says in the Bible... Please excuse my ignorance.

-- Will (willb3rd@yahoo.com), February 10, 2005.

Will..we're all "ignorant" about something, eh? I feel so badly for you that you've been without the Eucharist for so long..yet how wonderful that you and your wife are back together AND as soon as you talk with a priest, you'll have the joy of being able to receive Our Lord again..so many blessings!!!!

-- Lesley (martchas@hotmail.com), February 10, 2005.

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