I still don’t see why this same couple wouldn’t need to seek and receive a valid annulment for the first marriage before receiving communion. Regardless of what they or others think of the first marriage (and their current Christian love) it can not be considered null and void until it is declared such by the Catholic Church. Of course, we still have the added issue that there are way too many annulments granted, but I digress.
piusv:
I am not actually disagreeing with you. I understand partially with that Francis is doing in the case I described above. Someone is showing signs of seeing marriage in the Catholic sense and rather than turn them away, allowing the person to partake Holy Communion could be what finally gets the person to get a valid annulment.
It is a merciful gesture by the Church. So rather than turning that person away and causing him and her to move further away from getting their marriage valid sacramentally, they move to finally get it done.
As for why some people don’t go get a valid annulment, to be quite honest, given the state of catechesis the last 40 years, I am not sure most understand what an annulment says. There are still people who think it means that any children are illegitimate, that is nonsense, the terms “bastard” come out English common law and have to do with legal rights inheritance, or in the case of kings and princes, who could succeed in the order political leadership. Regardless of what common law says or does not says, if a couple had a child together, that child is theirs. Period.
Now the question I have with Pope Francis apostolic letter is how does this get implemented from diocese to diocese. Can some priests and bishops use this letter to justify and let everyone receive communion, then that would be a problem.
Sort of like only Nixon could go to China, Reagan could enter détente with Gorbachev, I would have much rather the pastoral letter be issued the late John Paul II or Benedict, because I would trust them to ensure that the implementation of it did not become a reason to allow all Catholics in irregular marriages to receive communion
btw, good questions and discussion, really got me thinking.