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1. Catholics who were not married by a priest or deacon or without a Dispensation of Form, are not allowed to receive Holy Communion. They must be married in the Church before they can again receive Holy Communion.
2. Divorced Catholics who were validly married in the Catholic Church or with a Dispensation from Form, who have not remarried, and who are trying to live out their Baptismal commitment, are allowed to receive Holy Communion.
3. Divorced Catholics who are seriously dating are not allowed, however, to receive Holy Communion.
4. Divorced Catholics who are re-married outside of the Catholic Church, also are not allowed to receive Holy Communion.
5. In addition, the Council reminded us: For divorced or remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion is a "serious scandal" that "prompts others toward wrongdoing" and affects both the Sacrament of Eucharist and the Catholic belief in the indissolubility of marriage. It is also a most serious sin of sacrilege.
Catholics who have been divorced are encouraged to look into the possibility of having a Church Proceeding to see whether their former marriage might be "Invalid".
Reasons for "Invalidity" are: intentions contrary to fidelity or permanence, intention contrary to children, being forced into a marriage, being immature at the time of marrying, being deceived by the other party regarding who the person is, marrying someone with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, marrying someone who becomes abusive whether physically or verbally and emotionally, etc.
If this might be your case, please see Father Bill as he has been working in the Church Office since 1969 on these matters.
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