Receiving the Eucharist when marriage is not valid?

[Ruthie_again]

I was in a similar situation: married to a fallen away Catholic, who reverted at the same time as I converted. We, too, lived as brother and sister until our marriage could be convalidated.

Our priest is faithful. He advised us. And confirmed us - and, guess what? That’s a sacrament!

YES, YOU MAY RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS. (As long as you are not in mortal sin from something else. If you are, then you do need Confession and absolution before.) Since you are not having sex with your husband, you are not fornicating.

Some might say that you are sinning by continuing to live in the same house. That is not true. The only reason to separate would be if your living together would create scandal (people might assume you are fornicating).

CCC 2284 Scandal is an attitude or behavior which leads another to do evil. The person who gives scandal becomes his neighbor’s tempter. He damages virtue and integrity; he may even draw his brother into spiritual death. Scandal is a grave offense if by deed or omission another is deliberately led into a grave offense.

It would create worse scandal if you separated!

And, as long as I’m quoting the Catechism:

1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent."131

1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: "Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother."132 The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.

1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart133 do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.

 

[zenith15]

Yes I agree they should see a priest and soon. ** In these situations in being in mortal sin **proper direction is vital. With that direction confession and communion will soon be available. But for now step one is see a priest.

Once again, Bismarck, they are NOT in mortal sin at present.