Polygamy and Holy Communion in Catholic Church

[Krisdun]

Say the following scenario occurred;

A Catholic woman married a man (not necessarily Catholic) and lived happily with him for a couple of years. The man then decides to marry another woman (whilst keeping his first wife) hence becoming a polygamist. Would the Catholic wife of a polygamist be allowed to continue to receive Holy Communion?

 

[Fauken]

Would the Catholic wife of a polygamist be allowed to continue to receive Holy Communion?

Depends. Things could get tricky if she approved of and encouraged her husband’s behavior. Otherwise, her husband’s adultery has no impact on the validity of their marriage or the state of her soul. Either way, he can say he has two wives all he wants. He doesn’t. He is married to one woman and is in an adulterous relationship with the second.

 

[Krisdun]

I suppose in the eyes of the church the first Catholic wife is married to one man but she can also be termed to be in a relationship (as sister wife) with another woman. I am not sure what rules the Catholic Church would have regarding this?

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Say the following scenario occurred;

A Catholic woman married a man (not necessarily Catholic) and lived happily with him for a couple of years. The man then decides to marry another woman (whilst keeping his first wife) hence becoming a polygamist. Would the Catholic wife of a polygamist be allowed to continue to receive Holy Communion?

Sure, it happens all day long when a Catholic woman whose husband divorced her and remarried, but who has not remarried herself, goes to Holy Communion.

The first wife didn’t sin. Her husband did.

 

[Fauken]

I suppose in the eyes of the church the first Catholic wife is married to one man but she can also be termed to be in a relationship (as sister wife) with another woman.

How would she be? Her husband’s adultery is his own. She has no affiliation with that other woman. From the Catholic view, his adultery is by no means a marriage nor can it be described as such. It would be both factitious and insulting to marriage.

 

[RolandThompsonGunner]

I suppose in the eyes of the church the first Catholic wife is married to one man but she can also be termed to be in a relationship (as sister wife) with another woman. I am not sure what rules the Catholic Church would have regarding this?

In this scenario, is the wife condoning or approving of this arrangement? Is she actively participating in some kind of three way “marriage”? Or is this something the husband is doing against her will?

 

[Krisdun]

I would say the wife is not actively seeking a three way marriage but the Church may still express its own views on this.

 

[TK421]

It would depend. If she is openly approving of the arrangement (not such an uncommon thing in the past if it meant being shacked with a wealthy man over a commoner) then that would be a grave matter even if she isn’t in a sexual relationship with anybody else.

If her husband is sleeping with other women or other “wives” (he is only validly married to one woman) against her will, then only the husband is sinning.

 

[Krisdun]

Not only was it not uncommon in the past but can occur today in some parts of the world e.g. some African countries where polygomy is accepted and some of these may have quite sizeable Catholic communities.

 

[TK421]

I guess it’s worth pointing out that if somebody is born in poverty and sold off by relatives than they’re culpability is tremendously reduced.

 

[RolandThompsonGunner]

I would say the wife is not actively seeking a three way marriage but the Church may still express its own views on this.

I thought you were asking whether she would be sinning. The situation would clearly be disordered and wrong. Whether she has any share of the blame would depend on whether she was freely consenting to/participating in it.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Not only was it not uncommon in the past but can occur today in some parts of the world e.g. some African countries where polygomy is accepted and some of these may have quite sizeable Catholic communities.

If it’s common there, I’m sure the Catholic priests in that area are familiar with the problem and are used to counseling Catholic wives appropriately.
It’s not really a concern of you or me.

 

[runningdude]

I suppose in the eyes of the church the first Catholic wife is married to one man but she can also be termed to be in a relationship (as sister wife) with another woman. I am not sure what rules the Catholic Church would have regarding this?

There are no rules. There is no “sister wife” relationship recognized by the Catholic Church. The wife should discourage her husband is she is safely able, and then look out for her spiritual welfare. Nothing would prohibit her from receiving communion.

 

[Krisdun]

Not saying it is common there but certainly possible.

 

[Krisdun]

I would be surprised if the Church did not ask about the first wife’s relationship with the ‘second’ wife in this case.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I would be surprised if the Church did not ask about the first wife’s relationship with the ‘second’ wife in this case.

Your average Catholic woman who wants to go to Holy Communion is not going to be happily engaging in a poly relationship with her husband’s other woman. There have been cases where the husband pretty much forced the wife to accept the fact that he was bringing another woman into the relationship.

 

[Krisdun]

Your average Catholic woman who wants to go to Holy Communion is not going to be happily engaging in a poly relationship with her husband’s other woman.

I would certainly hope that would be the case but the Church might want to check out all the facts first.

 

[Fauken]

I would certainly hope that would be the case but the Church might want to check out all the facts first.

So because her husband has an adulterous relationship, his wife gets to be scrutinized because she might be condoning it? That would be a great conversation for a priest to have with her.

“Your husband is cheating on you? Do you approve of it?”