Hi Cathy,

The short answer is yes to everything, if ...

You can return to the faith with a good Confession and the pledge to separate from your live-in boyfriend, or at least to live a celibate lifestyle with him.

You can marry in the Church, if your previous marriage is found to be null. Even if your previous marriage is not found to be null, you can return to the faith and to Mass without participating in the Eucharist.

Your local pastor can advise you.

Mary Ann

Dear Cathy —

You said:
I was born and raised Catholic. I got married when I was 21 and divorced three years later.

• Were you married in the Catholic Church?
  

You said:
It is now 4 years since I've been divorced and I am dating someone very seriously. We actually live together and are talking about:

• getting married and
• in what church we would get married in.
  
  
• Would the Catholic Church accept us and our marriage if I'm divorced and we live together?
  
  
• What faith is the person you are dating?
• Has he ever been married before?

You said:
It is important to me that I am married in the Church and that my children are raised Catholic.
Even if they will not accept me back I would want to raise my children in the faith.

• If the Church will not recognize me, can I attend church with my children?

My boyfriend is currently contemplating converting to Catholicism.

• What do I need to do to make all of this happen?
  

• Was he baptized in another Church?

You said:

• Can it happen?

Yes, but how it is done depends upon the answers to these questions.

Hope this helps,

Fr. Jonathan