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Christine O'Flynn wrote:

Hi, guys —

I've returned to God within the past few years and have given Him my whole heart. One person said I was not allowed to receive Holy Communion, but another person said it was OK as I was never married in the Church but in a registry office. Because I was married in a registry office,
he said my marriage was invalid.

  • Am I allowed to receive Holy Communion?

Although I was raised Catholic, I've had a mixed faith. I still love my mother's Lutheran church and all Christian churches that recognize Jesus as the Word made flesh.

It deeply saddens me that everyone is not welcome to the table in my church. I've done my best and have repented of all my past sins. I believe God forgives me, just as I forgive my trespassers.

  • Why is the Catholic Church condemning me?
  • Does God want me, in or out?
  • How can I stay in a Church that refuses to give me a place at the Table?

I was very wrong but have returned to God.

  • Didn't the prodigal son show us that God wants us back, no matter how we've hurt Him and rebelled?

Please help!

Thanks,

Christine
  { Can I receive Holy Communion if I wasn't married in the Church and why am I being condemned? }

Mary Ann replied:

Dear Christine,

Someone is not advising you well. Go to your local Catholic parish and speak to the pastor.
You can marry in the Church even if your husband doesn't believe, assuming neither of you were married before: (in which case, you might need to see if those marriages were valid or null)

You will simply have your marriage blessed, as they say, or convalidated: a simple matter of repeating your vows before a Priest or deacon. They will talk to you beforehand a bit, to be sure you are both free to be married and that you understand and intend marriage as:

  • permanent
  • life giving, and
  • faithful.

Welcome home!

Mary Ann

Mike replied:

Hi, Christine —

I just wanted to add to my colleague's fine words.

You said:
It deeply saddens me that everyone is not welcome to the table in my church.

It saddens faithful Catholics as well. The reason is because we believe different things about who Jesus is.

If all Christians believed:

  • the same thing about who Jesus is
  • interpreted the Bible correctly in particular passages, and
  • accepted the divine authority He, Jesus, left behind for us

we could welcome everyone to the Table.

Sadly, because we don't have a Common Union, in the faith, we can't.

The Holy Communion we receive is an outward sign that we believe everything that Jesus teaches through the one Church he founded on St. Peter and his successors.

When we receive Holy Communion, the [Head] Jesus, is united with His Mystical Body [us].
Thus we are one. When we [us] disagree with the [Head] Jesus in Holy Communion, we are not one.

  • Does this make sense?

Mike
Please report any and all typos or grammatical errors.
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