Posted on 03/30/2019 8:12:59 AM PDT by Salvation
Question: I had reason to hope my niece was going to convert to the Catholic faith. But there were so many obstacles the Church set up that discouraged her. She was asked to go to classes, and they told her that her marriage was not valid and she would need an annulment. Further, it was necessary to wait until Easter, etc. The nearby evangelical church set up no such obstacles, and she was able to join at once and be considered a member. I hear so much talk of evangelization today, but I share my niece’s frustration. Can we not streamline this process?
— Name withheld
Answer: There is a kind of appealing simplicity that you describe in many Protestant denominations. But there are problems with the approach that should give us pause. Ultimately evangelization is more about conversion than mere membership. We are summoned to embrace the saving teaching of the Lord and to walk according to it.
Because adults make informed decisions, the Church considers it important to teach them the fundamentals of the Faith so that they can know what it is they are agreeing to when they enter the Church. Although some of the Scriptures portray an almost instant, on-the-spot baptism, the consensus in the early Church shifted to a lengthy, three-year period of instruction (called the catechumenate) prior to baptism. This likely was because of the insight that quick conversions often led to quick departures or a falling away when the true demands of discipleship became known.
Instructions are most insisted upon for those who are unbaptized. In the case of those who are baptized and come from different Protestant denominations, the length and content of instructions will depend on their background. It is up to the discretion of the pastor who discerns with each individual what is needed. It is certainly not required for those already baptized to “wait until next Easter.”
The concerns about a person’s marital status are rooted in the very words and teachings of Jesus himself. He teaches without ambiguity that for a person to marry, then divorce and enter another marriage, puts them in an ongoing state of adultery in the “new” marriage (cf. Mt 5:32; Mt 19:1-9; Mk 10:11-12; Lk 16:18, etc). He adds rather firmly, “What God has joined together, let no one divide” (Mt 19:9).
It will be further noted that when the Lord was evangelizing the woman at the well, he brought her to a moment of conversion, and she asked for the gift of faith. But the Lord Jesus saw fit to first raise with her the fact that she had been married five times and was now living with a man outside of marriage. Her conversion would not be complete or adequate until she was willing to live chastely. Then the graces could flow.
For reasons of their own, many Protestant denominations have decided to practically overlook such passages. But the Catholic Church takes the Lord’s teaching on these matters rather seriously, as he clearly intended that we should. In some cases, after an investigation based on evidence, the Church may use its power to bind and loose, to indicate that the previous marriage was not “what God has joined,” and it recognizes the first marriage as null. A person’s current marriage then can be blessed and recognized. But we simply cannot set the Lord’s words aside as if they were of little importance.
Thus some conversions to the Catholic faith will take some time to be faithful to the teachings of the Lord and the nature of true conversion. It is worth the diligence required.
So how do you know whether God is within any one? You can not possibly know what only God knows.
The Catholic Church has the Mass and the Sacrament of the Eucharist - the Real Presence of Jesus Body and Blood - that Catholics can receive and Christ dwells within us. This is one of the seven sacraments that Jesus left us through His Apostles and Catholic Church.
Yes there are sinners in the Catholic Church, even priests and Bishops. We also have the Sacrament of Reconciliation where we can receive complete forgiveness of our sins.
I hope all will seek the Truth and receive the benefits of the Catholic Church’s mission to lead us to eternal life with God.
Not all follow the path that Jesus taught us. Many follow the false preaching of man. Yes many follow the ways of the world and ignore some of the teachings of Jesus. We need to continue to learn about God and understand what Jesus taught us. Salvation is a continuing process where we learn to love God and our neighbor.
Your comment in another post about the Catholic faith: “Only the false teachings the propagate.” You should be very specific and back it up with authority, not just your opinion. Seek all of the Truth.
We continue to pray that all will love God and neighbor and will join God in Heaven.
Like the annulment Henry VIII got?
I will listen to what Jesus Christ says. After all he was the founder of the first Church — the Catholic Church.
If getting an annulment is easy then it is no different from divorce. It is rank hypocrisy to say divorces sanctioned by the church are not really divorce and are ok but other divorce is not. Particularly when annulments can be bought and paid for. Divorce is a tragedy but we live in a sinful world and tragedy happens. I know many faithful Christians who end up with divorces they never sought or wanted. Punishing them further by denying them membership in your club or access to the altar is capricious and cruel.
Prayers that your husband will be a true convert. The RCIA program is only one year.
When did you get the erroneous “three year” thing?
With all due respect --- and seeing, I think, your good intent in saying this --- I would caution you against setting up a false dichotomy.
The Church is identified in Scripture as Christ's Body, and (to use another image) His Bride. You simply cannot be converted to Christ but refuse to be vitally joined to the other members of His Body: and I mean vitally joined, joined on the basis of real need ("The eye cannot say to the ear, I don't need you") and real efficacy. Nor can you be joined to Christ and remain aloof from His Bride: for you are His Bride together with His Bridal Church,
The Church we "see" does not always look Bridal, because we are so marred by sin; but still, of all the objects of Faith mentioned in the Creed (One God the Father Almighty; the Forgiveness of Sins; the Resurrection of the Body) the Church is the one thing you can see.
I was thinking of that just today, while waiting n a long live for Confession. "Right now," I thought, "before my eyes right now, this is the Church: repenting, confessing our sins, turning toward Him and being thankful to God 'for His mercy endures forever.'" St.John said (1 John 4:20):
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar; for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.You think the Church is an invisible thing, it can't be this sinful visible thing? Yes, the Church is perfect; yes, She is indefectible. And yet --- you fool! The Church you can see, like the brother you can see, is right in front of your eyes in the Confession line: sinners all! Like the joke (kinda) says, "Ain't nobody here but us sinners."
And yet...
"O Lord Jesus Christ...regard not my sins but the faith of Your Church."
That’s just it. Anullmemts are dealt to those who can pay or who are connected. If Henry the VIII had a good relationship with the pope you can bet he would have had his anullment. Since he didn’t no anullment. Divorce is divorce whether blessed by the Catholics or not
An annulment simply states that the original wedding was invalid. It states nothing about children. Your ideas are mistaken.
The Catholic Church is wrong about the papacy and this current pope proves it. The pope does not speak with authority when he is clearly making it up to suit his own earthly political views. He is a fraud.
The Bible also clearly says that no one comes to the Father but by me eliminates the falsity of praying to Mary and saints.
It's good to have fellowship. We don't have to agree on everything. Jesus and the Disciples didn't back down from controversy. If you truly believe in your denomination, you should be proud to defend your beliefs. There is a time coming when the Adversary will have a Tribulation in which we all be tested unto death.
He is the founder of the ONLY church. The Church made up of all those who have washed their robes in His Blood shed for their salvation. Some of those belong to the Roman sect as well.
Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Covenant.
Read your Bible — many times he talks about the old law and how it is being replaced by a New Covenant.
Welcome ebb. Your late to the party! Always nice to see a fellow fly
I’m sure you know all about it, lol! For starters, you don’t have to pay. It requires a complete history of the relationship starting in childhood, with half a dozen references from friends and relatives about their observations on the relationship and marriage. I had a covil marriage and divorce before becoming Catholic. I certainly don’t need you to tell me how simple and easy it us!
If a marriage never happened then the childr3n of that union were produced out of wedlock. You can’t have it both ways.
Good post.
It’s not about becoming Catholic or one of the many Protestant denominations. It’s about becoming righteous. Many of the various beliefs can help one become so, but none can insure it; only the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
And here you are.
it recognizes the first marriage as null.
enough money and you can get an annulment...….
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