If I Become a Catholic, What Happens to My Marriage? (Part II)

Posted on July 18, 2019 by Cathy Caridi

Q: I was married in a civil marriage, and we are still happily married.  At the time, my husband was a baptized protestant (Baptist), and I was not baptized.

Recently I became a Catholic.  When I converted, it was my understanding that our marriage is considered valid by the Church. I was told that my marriage was “elevated to sacramental status” when I was baptized, in an automatic way.  This info was supposedly via the expert in Canon Law at the Archdiocese…. If that’s the case, that’s great!! As long as God is happy and that’s the final word, I’ll let the matter be.

But when I repeated this to my parish priest, he gave me a strange look and said he’d re-inquire, as that sounded confusing to him and he’d never heard of such a thing.

Adult baptisms in this country are fairly rare, and no one seems to know of precedent cases: already civilly married, then one party converts and is baptized. What is the status of our marriage? –Nora Continue reading →

Posted in Canonical Issues Involving Non-Catholics, Marriage, Sacraments | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on If I Become a Catholic, What Happens to My Marriage? (Part II)

How Does an Excommunicated Catholic Have the Sanction Lifted? (Part II)

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Cathy Caridi

Q: A man at our parish took the Eucharist home and [desecrated It], and now refuses to hand the Host over to the priest or even admit that what he did is wrong.  We know that our clergy are actively involved, they have informed him that this is an excommunicable crime … we parishioners are praying for a positive resolution.

We don’t want to pester our priest with questions.  We know his discussions with the man are private, but we are just curious about the law.  Could you explain what, procedurally, the man and/or our priest will need to do to get the excommunication formally removed? … Does the excommunication automatically disappear once he repents and returns the Host, or is there more to it? –Meredith Continue reading →

Posted in Crimes and Sanctions | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on How Does an Excommunicated Catholic Have the Sanction Lifted? (Part II)

How Does an Excommunicated Catholic Have the Sanction Lifted? (Part I)

Posted on June 20, 2019 by Cathy Caridi

Q: What does an excommunicated Catholic need to do, to return to full communion with the Catholic Church? –Lauren Continue reading →

Posted in Crimes and Sanctions | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on How Does an Excommunicated Catholic Have the Sanction Lifted? (Part I)

Can a Priest Ever Reveal What is Said in Confession? (Part II)

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Cathy Caridi

Q1: I would like to put before you a question with regards to revealing of confessional substance under the permission granted by the penitent.  My question is “Whether by the penitent’s permission, a priest may reveal to another a sin which he knows under the seal of confession?”  Thank you! –Father R.

Q2: I am studying Canon Law as part of my basic theological studies (I am a religious seminarian). I am reading a Commentary on Canon Law [in another language] about sacraments. In the part speaking about the seal of confession, the author goes into great lengths with regard to everything the priest cannot do with the confession information. He even tells an imaginary story, when a penitent tells the priest that the Mass wine he is about to use for Mass is poisoned and according to the author, the priest cannot change the Mass wine, for that would reveal the evil intent of the penitent! He can only escape or celebrate the Mass nonetheless. I found that example extremely strange and exaggerated…. Can you help me to understand this issue? –Pat Continue reading →

Posted in Clergy Issues, Confession, Crimes and Sanctions, Parish Life, Sacraments | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Can a Priest Ever Reveal What is Said in Confession? (Part II)

Are Catholics Supposed to Avoid Contact With Excommunicated Persons?

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Cathy Caridi

Q1: A friend of mine who was raised evangelical, but has recently decided to join the Church, asked me about the Church’s rules (or potential lack thereof) regarding social interaction with excommunicated people. He was raised in a church which, after removing someone from their own community through a vote of the registered church members, would not permit their members to engage in normal social interaction with that person apart from perhaps a casual, polite greeting if a member were to pass that person on the street. They cite Matthew 18:15-17 where Jesus ends by saying, “let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector,” someone with whom the original audience of that saying was not even permitted to share a meal. What does the Church say about how to interact with those who have been excommunicated? –Thomas

Q2: My husband is a non-Catholic Christian, and he and I have been having some difficult discussions lately regarding the teachings of the Church.  He claims that, since he is a “schismatic,” he is not only automatically excommunicated from the Church, but that the consequences of that excommunication would include a loss of the following:
“the sacraments, public services and prayers of the Church, ecclesiastical burial, jurisdiction, benefices, canonical rights, and social intercourse.”  Our main point of contention rests on the final penalty listed, the loss of social intercourse.
My question has two parts:
1) Assuming my husband is excommunicated from the Church (or, rather, has effectively excommunicated himself by being a non-Catholic), what are the consequences according to Canon Law?
2) Clearly, in practice, the Church does not expect me to actually shun my husband, and clearly non-Catholics (even hopeless schismatics) are allowed to attend Mass, but does this mean there is a discrepancy between the content of the law and its application? –Marianne Continue reading →

Posted in Crimes and Sanctions | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Are Catholics Supposed to Avoid Contact With Excommunicated Persons?