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Cathy wrote:

Hi, guys —

I was born and raised Catholic. I have been baptized, confirmed and received my First Holy Communion.

I got married outside the Church. That marriage eventually ended in divorce but I have never remarried.

  • Can I receive Holy Communion?

Cathy

  { If one marries outside of the Church, divorces but never remarries, can they receive Communion? }

Paul replied:

Dear Cathy,

From the little that you wrote it seems that the irregular union outside the Church is no longer an impediment since you are no longer taking part in it; but your choice to enter into an invalid marriage in the first place, and the continued choices to remain in it, might still impede you from Communion without the sacrament of Confession.

We cannot judge how much knowledge of this disordered (and objectively immoral) union you had, or how free you were in consenting to it; but if you have not confessed this to Jesus it is always good to take something of this magnitude to Confession. If there was any guilt on your part, without sincere repentance and sacramental absolution, you would be unreconciled and remain unable to receive Jesus in Communion.

Please see a priest about this; either in Confession or beforehand with an appointment in his rectory and Welcome back!

Peace,

Paul
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