I have a few questions that I need answered by a priest or knowledgable person in the ministry.
Background: My father is Catholic and my mother is Methodist. My mother has expressed an interest to convert to Catholocism and I think thats just great! The questions I have relate to this conversion. My mother has been married three times. The first lasted only a month or so and ended. The second she was in for a number of years and had two children. He was abusive and she left him and divorced taking the two childeren with her. She meets my father who was also married once before but had recieved an anulment. They married outside of any church at the justice of the peace.
Now I know my mother can convert thats not the issue what im wondering is she would be percluded from taking communion im guessing? and their marriage probably couldnt be blessed by the church if im not mistaken?
As for my dad he recieved an anullment so is he able to take communion even though he is in this marriage with my mother?
to me its all about the communion what would it take to get them both back into the good graces of the church so they could both take communion and celebrate all the sacraments?
Your mother could seek annulments for her prior marriages. Even though your father received an annulment before marrying your mother he would be in an irregular/invalid marriage for two principle reasons. First he is required to marry in the Church unless he received a dispensation. Secondly, he could not validly marry your mother while the question of her previous marriages remain. Being in an irregular marriage precluded him from receiving the Eucharist unless certain conditions are meet (he’d need to talk to a priest about this).
They would need to meet with a priest and see about annulment proceedings for her first two marriages. Only after both were found null could they go about having their marriage convalidated. If it has been long enough and her previous husbands have passed away those marriages would not need to be investigated.
I have a few questions that I need answered by a priest or knowledgable person in the ministry.
Background: My father is Catholic and my mother is Methodist. My mother has expressed an interest to convert to Catholocism and I think thats just great! The questions I have relate to this conversion. My mother has been married three times. The first lasted only a month or so and ended. The second she was in for a number of years and had two children. He was abusive and she left him and divorced taking the two childeren with her. She meets my father who was also married once before but had recieved an anulment. They married outside of any church at the justice of the peace.
Now I know my mother can convert thats not the issue what im wondering is she would be percluded from taking communion im guessing? and their marriage probably couldnt be blessed by the church if im not mistaken?
As for my dad he recieved an anullment so is he able to take communion even though he is in this marriage with my mother?
to me its all about the communion what would it take to get them both back into the good graces of the church so they could both take communion and celebrate all the sacraments?
Being in an irregular marriage precluded him from receiving the Eucharist unless certain conditions are meet (he’d need to talk to a priest about this).
Can you tell me what condidtions would enable him to take communion? its petty cut and dry no hidden adjenda hes just married to a divorced non catholic woman.
Sad thing is I mentioned these things to my mother yesterday as she needs to know before she takes the step and she said she knew these thing all along and now that they have surfaced again she will probably not convert. I can say this is one aspect of the church that I just have a hard time with. When you own mother is not granted the whole church if she wanted it is troubleing.
As others have said, the best bet is for your mother to meet with the priest and lay all the cards out on the table. The priest will then be able to help her sort through anything that needs sorting through.
Generally speaking, in the case of multiple marriages, each one needs to be examined in turn. The Church presumes that the first marriage is valid until it is examined. If it is found to have been null, then the second marriage would be presumed valid and need to be evaluated.
I can sympathize with how daunting this can feel. I know people who have been in similar situations. But – from the other end of the process – they are very thankful and often kicking themselves for not doing it sooner.
My advice would be to gently encourage your mother to at least meet with the priest to discuss these things. She doesn’t have to commit to going through it all just yet. But she owes it to herself to at least take that first step to gain some insight and some direction. That will much better equip her to make an informed decision.
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