November 13, 1987 The Message -- for Catholics of Southwestern Indiana
Question Corner
13
Q&A
By FATHER JOHN DIETZEN
NC News Service Columnist
Marriage outside the Church
and receiving Holy Communion
Q. I am 71 years of age and have been married
for 17 years to a Protestant woman. This is a good
marriage. We were married in the Methodist
Church and since that time we have been church-
goers in our respective churches.
We both were married previously, Although I
always have attended the Catholic Church I have
not i'eceived Communion in all these years. This I
have always regretted: What must I do to make
possible?
--Louisiana
A. I wish I could help you more directly and
personally. But the only practical advice I can give
is that you go to your parish priest, or another
priest you may know and have confidence in, ex-
plain the situation and follow his instructions.
I hope you will do that, even though it may be
inconvenient and perhaps somewhat difficult.
Through this column I am happy to shed
whatever light I can on the church's laws and pro-
cedures regarding matters like these. But at least
two reasons make it impossible for me to go fur-
ther than that.
First, almost always more details than can be
included in a simple letter are required even for a
preliminary judgment on what might be possible.
Only personal discussion would uncover those
facts.
More practically, any marriage involving a
Catholic, when a previous spouse of either partner
is still living, almost always requires action of the
diocesan marriage tribunal in which that Catholic
lives.
My advice is the same for you as for the hun-
dreds of others who write with a similar question.
Information I can give. For action you must talk
with a priest in your community or diocese and
ask his assistance.
NEIDIG
Q. I grew up in a family that really had no
religion. I had never been baptized until I wanted
to get married in a church wedding. You had to be
a member of that church so I was baptized, but for
the wrong reasons,
My husband tortured me mentally and
physically and was unfaithful several times. We
had no children. I wanted to get counseling to see
if we could stay married, but eventually we divorc-
ed,
Six years later I met a wonderful Catholic man
and married him, We went to church together for
the past seven years; only last year could I go
without crying.
I consider myself Catholic. We have two
children who have been baptized and I want to be
|| u
Jubilarians honored
Ralph "Cotton" and Mary Catherine Stemle were
honored with a buffet dinner and open house in celebration
of their fortieth wedding anniversary. It was hosted by their
children: Carol, David, Gary and Randy, all of Jasper. Mr.
Stemle and the former Mary Catherine Scherle were married
at St. Joseph Church, Jasper, on Nov. 11, 1947.
a member of the Catholic Church too.
This weighs heavily on my heart. I know
religion is now in my heart and I want it in my life
as well. Is it possible for me to join the Catholic
Church and have our marriage blessed? Perhaps
you should know also my first husband was mar-
ried before our wedding.
A. The final fact you mentioned certainly is
significant. It suggests another of two or three
possibilities which could open the Way for you.
Judging even from the few details you give in
your letter, it would seem an annulment procedure
is certainly worth investigating. However, there
may be simpler avenues than that. ]
Please talk to the priest in your parish church
|
and ask his advice on the steps you and he might
take.
I
A free brochure, "Infant Baptism: Catholic
Practice Today," is available by send&g a
stamped, self.addressed envelope to Father John
Dietzen. Holy Trinity Parish, 704 IV. Main St.,
Bloomington, I11. 61701.
Questions for this column should be sent to
Father Dietzen at the same address.
Copyright (c) 1987 by NC News Service
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