"For example, many (I do not know how to put this delicately) left the Church when they wanted to remarry after a divorce, and the conjunction of their remarriage and their enlightenment is too convenient for me to accept the latter at face value."
How true this is. I've seen friends and family members fall away precisely for this reason. In some cases, the people who have fallen away have astonished and saddened me.
sitetest
But they can come back. Point them toward a deacon or pastor who will help them with an annulment, and then invite them back to the Sacraments.
We just had a series entitled, "Catholics Can Come Home Again" book is by Carrie Kemp. We had 15 former Catholics come the first night. Out of that, over half of the people said they were there because of their former marriage, divorce, lack of an annulment, civil marriage, not having their marriage blessed. ALL of them missed the Sacraments!
From those original 15, we had 9 finish and come back to the Church........................Alleluia! So it can happen!
There are several other programs:
Landings
Welcome Home, Catholics, and others.
Evangelicals and fundamentalists often brag that 50% or more of their congregations are former Catholics.
Of course, the dirty little secret is that a majority of those "former Catholics" fall into this or similar categories.
Mom- goes to Mass
Oldest sister - goes to Mass
Next oldest sister - remarried. never goes to Mass
Me - goes to Mass
Younger sister - remarried. never goes to Mass
Younger brother - remarried. Never went to Mass
Yongest sister - never goes to Mass
Impressive, huh?