Would a Catholic priest forbid someone to visit Mormon family?

[Prince_Hal]

Can you give me some advice regarding a personal situation?

I live in the USA and have been a Mormon for 25 years. My wife of five years is also Mormon and we have two children (two- and three-years-old) and another on the way. All very happy.

I no longer believe that the Mormon church is what it says it is, and am greatly inclined to Catholicism. My wife is a staunch Mormon.

I am divorced and my ex-wife who was Mormon has converted to Catholicism and my daughter who is 16-years-old has been baptized Catholic as well. They both live in the UK. We have a good relationship.

But, my ex-wife has now told me that she does not believe that my daughter should visit us in the USA anymore because she would be visiting a Mormon household and therefore may come under the Mormon “spirit.”

When my daughter does visit, I take her to Catholic Mass and never to the Mormon church. My wife does not read the Book of Mormon in front of her. We do not even drive her into a Mormon church carpark.

My ex-wife says that there is an evil spirit that heads the Mormon church and she cannot have my daughter exposed to it. She says that she has seen a Catholic priest and he gives the same advice. She says that I should visit my daughter by flying to England. Obviously, with work, I can only spend a few days a year with her and she cannot see her brother and sister (the flights would be too expensive).

I will be buying her a ticket anyway. But can you give me your thoughts on this? Would a Catholic priest actually confirm such an action?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

There is a good way to test your ex-wife’s claim about her priest’s advice. Politely ask your ex-wife for the priest’s contact information so that you can talk to him yourself and explain to him your family situation. Certainly the facts that you and your wife are careful not to proselytize your daughter or even to expose her to Mormonism during her visits would be important information that the priest needs to assess in his pastoral counseling of your ex-wife. If the priest confirms your ex-wife’s claims and is unwilling to reassess his advice, then contact the diocese in which he lives or the religious order he serves.

If your ex-wife is unwilling to allow you to talk to her priest and unwilling to compromise on visiting arrangements for your daughter, I can only recommend consulting with a lawyer to review your visitation rights.