Can a person divorced and remarried be saved?

[Alma]

I have many dear Catholic relatives and friends who are divorced and have remarried (a civil marriage only).
I am worried about them because Jesus said that whoever loved someone more than Him is not worthy of Him (see: Mt 10,37).
These friends and relative seem to love someone else more than they love Jesus.
Also they can not go to Confession so they can not have their sins forgiven (they keep on accumulating them).
And they can not receive Communion, the Bread of Eternal Life.

One of them was a Eucharistic Minister, so he knows very well what he chose to leave. Another one told me since the Church had excommunicated him he did not want to have to do anything with the Church, so he stopped going to Mass, and even stopped praying.:nope:

I worry and wonder, will these dear ones be saved?


Alma

 

[UKcatholicGuy]

Alma,

objectively this does seem like a grave situation. I say objectively because I can’t see their hearts. All I can say is that Our Lord called leaving your spouse for another-- even through civil divorce-- is adultery. Paul says adulterers will not inherit the Kingdom. That’s why it does seem grave.

Only God knows the hearts of men. But based on the facts we have right now, I would pray my heart out for them. I’ve personally never done it, but maybe you could buy a green scapular. Apparently it’s a wonderful devotional to our Mother for conversion of sinners.

Make holy hours for them. Say daily rosaries for them. Inquire about having a Mass said for them. Basically, storm heaven with prayers for them, for I believe you have good cause to be worried about the state of their souls.

You (and they) will be in my prayers.

God bless,
UK

 

[Alma]

UKcatholicGuy:

Thank you for your thoughtful reply.:tiphat:

I have already been doing what you wisely suggest.
I find some comfort in the fact that they are all very good persons who do good things for others. I am sure God will take that into account in their final hour. Nevertheless I worry because they chose someone instead of God and when the time comes they may die unrepentant of their choice, and as St. Agustine said: ‘God created you without you but will not save you without you’.
Anyway, I will keep on storming Heaven with prayers, as you say.

Thanks again!:tiphat:

Alma

 

[vern_humphrey]

Alma:

I have many dear Catholic relatives and friends who are divorced and have remarried (a civil marriage only).
I am worried about them because Jesus said that whoever loved someone more than Him is not worthy of Him (see: Mt 10,37).
These friends and relative seem to love someone else more than they love Jesus.
Also they can not go to Confession so they can not have their sins forgiven (they keep on accumulating them).
And they can not receive Communion, the Bread of Eternal Life.

Have they tried to regularlize their marriages?

I took a friend through RCIA. He and his present wife are both divorced and remarried, and they are working on annulments of their previous marriages. It can be done.

Alma:

One of them was a Eucharistic Minister, so he knows very well what he chose to leave. Another one told me since the Church had excommunicated him he did not want to have to do anything with the Church, so he stopped going to Mass, and even stopped praying.:nope:

I worry and wonder, will these dear ones be saved?


Alma

The second case is more problematic – he wasn’t excommunicated by the Church, he excommunicated himself. He seems to be blaming the Church for his own actions.

If he will not pray, then his help will only come through the prayers of others.

 

[wcknight]

It’s quite serious to leave the Church and to divorce and remarry. Christ tells us one breaks their marriage vows at one’s peril. BUT God is also quite merciful. A lot of prayers and good deeds will go a long way to invoke that mercy.

Keep praying for them, as will we. We all need God’s mercy. Our Lady tells us that the prayers of a holy person have even saved the soul of someone who would have been condemned. (They may end up in Purgatory for quite awhile, but it is better than the alternative)

Christ’s Peace.

 

[the_Hatter]

Alma:

Also they can not go to Confession so they can not have their sins forgiven (they keep on accumulating them).

Maybe I’m forgetting something, but why can’t they go to Confession?
Anyhoo, I’m sure that we all, unfortunately, know of many divorced/remarried Catholic couples. It’s sad to realize that so many Catholic **adults **have such a flimsy grasp on their faith. :banghead:
Pray. That’s my best suggestion (something I will do, as well). And try and make them realize what they’re doing is wrong. Try, also, to get them to go to Confession.

 

[stbruno]

fathercorapi.com/articledet.aspx?articleID=1896068715

Consider reading this article from Fr.Corapi’s website about Marriage.
One thing I know for certain…God died for everyone…and everyone can be saved. But they also need to follow Christ in all ways. As a friend, we can only point the way, plant some seeds and hope they land on fertile soil. Let God do the rest! Pray and pray always.

 

[gardenswithkids]

the Hatter:

Maybe I’m forgetting something, but why can’t they go to Confession?

I wondered about confession too. If they come to realize what they’ve done is wrong, couldn’t they go to confession? If there is a chance for annulments to be granted, they could live as brother and sister until they can be married in the Church. Pray for the grace of God for now and their final hours. Even if they live apart from the Church for years, God desires for them to be saved. St. Joseph is a great saint to interceed for people at their death; he could be a source of help in the end of their lives. Trust in God, but keep storming Heaven with your prayers!

 

[Alma]

Thank you all very much, I am deeply moved by your advices and prayers.
Someone asked why these persons can not go to Confession, same reason they can not receive Communion: the Church does not allow them to do it because they are not living as Christ intended them to.

I will keep all of you in my prayers also,

Thanks again!:tiphat:

Alma

 

[gardenswithkids]

Alma:

Someone asked why these persons can not go to Confession, same reason they can not receive Communion: the Church does not allow them to do it because they are not living as Christ intended them to\

They are barred from Communion because as they are in an invalid second marriage they are in effect commiting the mortal sin of adultery. But the remedy for mortal sin is to go to confession (and stop living in a state of mortal sin.) You may want to ask on the “ask an apologist” board, but I really don’t think they are barred from confession. However, if they deny that they are living in a state of sin and have no plan to change, confession may be a mute point until they are ready to mend their ways.

 

[amanda_nicole82]

I’ve said this before in another thread, but I will say it again because I think it is important. Salvation is based on trusting Christ as our Savior, we cannot save ourselves. There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, salvation is not based on personal works but on faith alone. I think it is nice of you to be concerned about your friend, but It is not for us to decide whether or not someone is saved, that is a personal relationship between them and the Lord. This is what I pray to God: that if any of my friends and family are not saved that He would open up their hearts to Him. I have prayed that prayer and have seen the Lord work in people’s lives around me! Here is a link to an awesome website about the assurance of salvation:

rbc.org/ds/q0601/

 

[gardenswithkids]

amanda_nicole82:

…There is nothing we can do to earn our salvation, salvation is not based on personal works but on faith alone. …

Amanda, you are partly right. We can do nothing to *earn *our salvation. Salvation is a free gift from God. We are saved by God’s grace, and justified by faith and works.

To say salvation is based on faith alone, is unscriptural. The only place in the Bible that includes the words “faith alone” is the letter from St. James 2:24: “See how a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”

While we can not earn our salvation, we can loose our salvation. Jesus tells us “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father” Matt 7:21. Relating to the original topic of the thread, Jesus also tells us in Matthew 19:9 “I* say to you, whoever divorces his wife, (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery*.” It is not the will of the Father for people to commit adultery. Entering the kingdom of heaven is for those who do the will of the Father.

For a person who is living in adultery, recognizing they are living in sin is a grace, the strength to make the neccesary changes to their lives is a grace, and the sacrament of confession so they can be reconciled with Jesus and His Church is a grace. Yes, there is faith and work involved, but God’s grace initiates the process of salvation. We must pray that God gives all of us the grace to do the will of the Father in all areas of our lives so that we may recieve the salvation that He freely offers.