I have friends- both Catholic- they seem to think that becuase he was not married in a church ( I presume that it was a justice of the peace ceremony) that he doesn't need to have a decree of nullity for his first marriage. The wife was married in a Catholic church to a non Catholic and she needs a decree of nullilty before she can have communion. Now amidst other things her husband agreed to have their kids raised Catholic before the marriage but when the kids came along it was not just no but hell no they won;t be raised Catholic. I have a feeling that the husband is taking communion but I thought that even if he doesn't need a decree of nullity (which I am not sure about) the fact that he is married to a divorce means that he is living in sin( assuming that they are not living celibate lives) and therefore also in eligible for commuion too. Am I right? I haven't said anything since it isn't my business but I am wondering.
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Your Catholic friend who was previously married outside the Church will find his decree of nullity quick and easy if he wants it. But it is required, along with his current wife’s decree of nullity for her previous union, as is also a convalidation of their current marriage. None of these is impossible, but there can be no question of receiving the sacraments before they are complete. And, of course, this is assuming they have a desire to return to the proper practice of their religion and save their souls from the fires of hell.
The matter of the children is just another sad episode of our times. They too probably have inherited a prejudice against Christianity.
Finally, seeing this family’s attitude, I’m not sure I would care to intervene. It sounds like they don’t even want to hear the truth, let alone live it.
