Why is this the only “sin” that casts one out forever?
I could murder someone and be forgiven and still receive communion, but if I divorce I instantly become a second class Catholic.
While I understand the reasoning, I don’t agreed with implementation.
Yes, I am affected by this. I go to Communion anyway. This is between God and me.
Do you believe Jesus when he said “Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.” ?
Do you pray the Creed at every Sunday Mass?
Your divorce is not the issue, remarriage is the issue, Our Lord expressly forbade it. If we are His people, we must follow Him.
What's a sin is the subsequent remarriage, i.e. having sexual relations with a person you're not married to (in the eyes of God, who does not recognize civil divorce) while your first (and only) spouse is still living. This constitutes not the "one-time" act of civil divorce, but the ongoing sin of bigamy.
This can of course be forgiven, like any sin, but only if you stop doing it. Which would mean living with spouse #2 without sexual relations.
And this second marriage, sexual relations and all, is not a sin if marriage #1 was invalid. Or if spouse #1 dies.
So the alternative are:
The point I wanted you to see, is that civil divorce is not the sin. Civil divorce doesn't even exist in the eyes of God. The sin is sleeping with partner #2 while your spouse (what you'd call your "ex") is still alive.
If you think marriage #1 was null from Day One, you have to take the case to the Tribunal and get a ruling of nullity. Annulment. Because in that case, you've proved that there was no sacramental bond with your Ex from the git-go.
If you can explain that to a reasonable person --- and the Marriage Tribunal judges are reasonable persons --- why wouldn't you get an annulment?
If you think Communion is just "between God and you," I'm afraid you don't understand Communion. Communion is union with Christ, and with the whole Body of Christ, which is the Church, everywhere around the world and back through the ages. It means you are "in Communion with" all the saints, all the members of the Catholic Church, including the pope, your pastor, the person next to you in the pew.
If you receive Communion invalidly, this is what the Apostle Paul says:
I Corinthians 11:27-29
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves.
I sympathize with your situation. Were you turned down for an annulment?
(You needn't discuss private things on this forum, and actually I have no business asking you such a question. You can Private Message me if you wish. I'm just trying to explain things for other FReepers who may be reading this.)
Your situation may be remediable. I certainly hope so. God bless you.
It’s not the civil divorce... It’s the remarriage.