Can I receive communion?

[FreckleFace]

My husband and I were married Presbyterian 13 years ago. I was raised Catholic and have received baptism, first communion and confirmation. We have been going to our local Catholic church since our daughter was born 12 years ago. I have always received communion.

My husband is now going through RCIA. He came home from class last night and many questions were raised. He said that because we were not married Catholic he would not be able to receive communion at the Easter Vigil. I immediately thought, well, am I supposed to be receiving communion?

I probably should be talking with our priest.

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

Yes, you should sit down and talk with your parish priest. Baptized Catholics are bound to follow canonical form when they get married, thus you should have either been married in a Catholic parish or received a dispensation to be married somewhere else. Because you did not do that, you are in what the Church calls an “irregular marriage”, meaning that the Church does not recognize your marriage as valid. According to Church law such individuals should not receive communion.

That’s the bad news, the good news is that if this is your only marriage then its a pretty easy thing to straighten out. All you need is your records of your sacraments and your husbands record of baptism, a copy of your civil marriage license, and 2 witnesses. Then all you do is say the marriage vows before the priest or deacon and your 2 witnesses.

God bless!