[sinkspur]

Regardless of the formal position of the church of abandoned spouses who are not yet divorced, MANY, MANY separated non-yet-divorced people were told they could not receive the sacrament.

I have no doubt this is true, given some of the goofy stuff priests told Catholic laymen before Catholic laymen learned the difference for themselves.

"Divorce is a sin" was drummed into the head of every good little Catholic kid.

[AmishDude]

What's funny is that there is a clear Biblical exception to the sinfulness of divorce for the victim of infidelity. Presumably, if the husband "walks out", there's big-time infidelity.

[ninenot]

Well, Sink, there is that little quote: "Whosoever God joins together, let no man put asunder.."

Civil divorce is not a good thing, period, as you well know. The phrase 'for better or worse' has meaning.

Obviously, there are reasons to split--physical abuse of spouse or children comes to mind. But "I don't love you any more" doesn't cut it.