With St. John Paul II’s canonization on Divine Mercy Sunday 2014, it is good to be reminded of what this amazing pope and saint said about divorced Catholics. He has our back!
I earnestly call upon pastors and the whole community of the faithful to help the divorced and with solicitous care to make sure that they do not consider themselves as separated from the Church, for as baptized persons they can, and indeed must, share in her life. – Blessed John Paul II, Familiaris consortio
Originally posted 2014-11-20 06:00:47.
I am a divorced and remarried Catholic. I am currently not able to receive communion because my first marriage hasn’t been annulled. There wasn’t any abuse and only suspected infidelity by my first wife. I met someone and I pursued the relationship. We have been married since 2003. I have barely started the process of annulment and I really don’t know what I’m in for or what to expect. I know this could take up to 2 years to complete and in the meantime all I can do is make spiritual communion each day. I am also being affected by thoughts of damnation because of the choices I’ve made. I don’t even know if I have a chance of getting this annulment approved by the church. Please help….any advice/encouragement would be very much appreciated. Thank you Vince…..
Fred,
Praise God you are taking action, even if it is painful and uncertain! I will tell you, that our God is a God of mercy. He wants to draw you close to him, and the annulment process is a means to allow you to receive the Eucharist. Stay on this path. Whatever happens, is God’s will and that will ALWAYS bring you peace, no matter the outcome. I am going to email you a link to my ebook on annulments. That will go a long way toward understanding the process. I just can’t encourage you enough to stay on this path of filing for an annulment. Your heart is seeking to come into full communion with the Church, and the annulment process is the path. God bless you! Vince