It seems to be lost in the translation that this deals with a specific Catholic issue. For Catholics, if you are not married in the Catholic Church, your marriage is not considered to be sacramental, and you are therefore ‘living in sin’ from a Catholic standpoint. If you choose a non-Catholic wedding, you are not considered married by the Catholic church. If you are not Catholic, I do not see why this would bother you. If you are Catholic, you should be informed about the implications.
As far as I know, you cannot be married in a Catholic Church if you have a previous Catholic marriage that has not been formally annulled. This is not a decision made by individual priests. Proof of annulment must be provided before a second Catholic wedding will be allowed. So although annulments are private, if someone is known to have had a church wedding and a subsequent divorce, if the second marriage is a Catholic ceremony, there was an annulment.
I don’t think anyone here is ‘judging’ anyone else, there are just a lot of Catholics who don’t realize that any non-Catholic ceremony is not considered valid by the Catholic church.
My $.02
Love,
O2
I understand a Priest not being able to marry couples outside the church. That was explained to me 32 years ago by my cousin I asked to officiate my first marriage. That is any churches right. Preacher at the courthouse was glad to do the honors. When my wife passed 4 years later my cousin did the service for her funeral at my request. He was allowed to do that though not a Catholic service. We were Protestants.
We are all living in sin but for those whom Christ has called and accept His call and Grace our sins are forgiven. All will continue to sin until their days on this earth are no more. Such is the state of man and this cursed world we must be in till The Lord calls us home. Should we try and sin? No. It should convict our conscience. The only sin man can not be forgiven of is their final rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior without accepting GOD's free gift of salvation.
Christ taught on marriage and remarrying. Yes He called it sin. He said it was because of our hearts it had been allowed.
Matthew ch 19 1After Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went southward to the region of Judea and into the area east of the Jordan River. 2Vast crowds followed him there, and he healed their sick. 3Some Pharisees came and tried to trap him with this question: “Should a man be allowed to divorce his wife for any reason?” 4“Haven’t you read the Scriptures?” Jesus replied. “They record that from the beginning ‘God made them male and female.’£ 5And he said, ‘this explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.’£ 6Since they are no longer two but one, let no one separate them, for God has joined them together.” 7“Then why did Moses say a man could merely write an official letter of divorce and send her away?”£ they asked. 8Jesus replied, “Moses permitted divorce as a concession to your hard-hearted wickedness, but it was not what God had originally intended. 9And I tell you this, a man who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful.”£ 10Jesus’ disciples then said to him, “Then it is better not to marry!” 11“Not everyone can accept this statement,” Jesus said. “Only those whom God helps. 12Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made that way by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone who can, accept this statement.”
It boils down to this. The placing of burdens upon people laws which many including those counted as righteous could not live under. It is laws without mercy. The Catholic church as I understand it sees such a marriage as a constant state of adultery. Now by the laws then if that couple divorced they would be doing what? Committing it yet again. See where I'm coming from? Their divorce would not correct it rather it would cause additional sin. Biblically there has to be a means to ask forgiveness, repent, and the sin be put behind you. IOW Go and sin no more.
When you start getting into how this sin or that sin is worse than the other we are shown one clear and precise example of unacceptable sexual behaviors and that is homosexuality which is considered an abomination, also sin is fornication, and sex outside the marriage if married aka adultery.
Same sex marriage as such is not a Holy Union as no Bible Based church by GOD's Law can marry same sex before GOD. Now then can gays be forgiven in the church and recieve communion? Yes by simply asking forgiveness and repent. Meaning turn away from the act. Right? Yet married heterosexuals who divorced and remarried then remained faithful can't be forgiven? What is missing here? It's Dogma over Grace. It denies forgiveness if that is true.
Who marries who? Marriage is a man and a woman united before GOD the two become as one. It should be IMO till death do they part and that should be the focus to make the marriage work but that takes two persons being on the same page in life. Is Joe and Jill's marriage in a church where Joe or Jill next year cheats more sacred before The Lord than Bob and Jane obtaining a license and either having an Elder or even declaring before GOD themselves man and wife more valid a marriage? Joe and Jill may well stay together till death do they part and be faithful to one another. Bob may cheat the rest of his life.
I don't condone divorce. All too often it is too easy to obtain and for invalid reasons. I'm realistic enough though to understand in this imperfect world sometimes it is the wisest option available and also in some cases is remarrying afterward. Try to do better and not repeat it. Try we must but perfect we will never be on this earth. We will always be sinners in need of a savior and His salvation during our earthly journey.
You have OUTED yourself as being very ignorant of Church Law.
“. If you choose a non-Catholic wedding, you are not considered married by the Catholic church. If you are not Catholic, I do not see why this would bother you. If you are Catholic, you should be informed about the implications.”
WRONG! The Catholic Church honors and respects other marriages which take place in another Christian Church.