May one receive Holy Communion while married to a divorced man?

[James_Kevany]

My friend is married to a man who was divorced. She wants to become a Catholic and is in an RCIA program. She is distraught because someone said she can not receive Holy Communion as she is married o a divorced man. What are her options for receiving Holy Communion? Neither are Catholic and it is not known that either were Baptized. Thank you. JK

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear friend,

As long as it has not been established that her husband’s first marriage is invalid, her current marriage is not valid. It’s not just about not being able to receive Holy Communion, she cannot enter the Catholic Church while living as husband and wife so long as their marriage is not valid. They need to talk to the priest about the possibility of getting his first marriage annulled. I would hope that the RCIA people would know this and would have told her. I suspect that the RCIA people don’t realize this.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.