Just my two cents: From the outside looking in, the Catholic church always seemed to have a sense of holiness that protestants lacked. Note that I say this knowing full well and good that since I’ve been married to my second wife (and I her second husband) for well over 20 years, that I’ll never be asked to set foot in a Catholic church.
I have attended Alliance, Lutheran, Evangelical services, and I believe you are right — the holiness is missing.
The Anglican Church that I attended, though, did have that sense of holiness.
Christ will forgive this ‘transgression’ as there are many more and many worse that you (and I) have committed.
Melas, I am talking (lecturing?) you as much as myself. My wife was raised Catholic, I was not and never formally converted. We are both in our second marriages, and together now 29 years. This marriage, I think, is what is my life's mission. For me, marrying this woman and raising her child, by her first husband, is my mission in this life.
We all need to go to church, for our own good.
“the Catholic church always seemed to have a sense of holiness that protestants lacked.”
That might stem from the fact that we believe Christ is present in the Eucharist, while others often say it is a symbol or reminder.
I attended Mass for eight years waiting for my husband to agree to having our marriage blessed in the Church. It’s hard to go and not receive the Eucharist, but I knew the Lord would open my husband’s heart eventually.
Everyone is welcome at Mass.
If you ever get into south Central Virginia I would likle to take this opportunity to invite you. Depending on the circumstances of the previous marriages of both of you, there may be no reason why you can't come into the Catholic Church.
Actually, that is hardly likely to be an issue today, unless you advertise it or want to be more active than the typical RC.
And considering the wide criteria for annulments and the thousands granted after being sought and processed, it is possible many married Catholics are really not, and if your wife married a nonRC, that would be grounds for an annulment, in addition to things like psychological abnormality, stubbornness.
You don't have to be asked. Just get a list of Catholic parishes, and GO. You don't have to be married in the Church to attend Mass, and many Catholics and "seekers" will tell you that.
The Catholic Church is made up of sinners. Try every parish on the list, and make your choice that way. Go more than once. Learn about it as well as you can.
Get a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and read it. You'd be surprised at how readable and interesting it is. Don't cheat yourself of the experience of Mass because you think you don't belong. GO!!
If you feel drawn to a church, then attend services there for a while and see what comes of it, no one is going to ask for a purity form to be filled out at the door.
You would always be welcomed in a Catholic Church. Doesn't mean you can take part in the Sacraments, but you're certainly welcome to attend Mass! If you go, engage the priest in conversation; ask him questions. You never know where it might lead.
My pastor one Sunday advised those who are married outside the Church to keep attending Mass regularly even though they cannot receive Communion. He said that they still benefit from attending Mass, and that one day circumstances in their lives may change and they can marry in the Church and begin receiving Holy Communion once again. My sister was married outside of the Church 25 years ago, and she and her husband, who is not Catholic, both attend Mass every Sunday without fail.