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Tayeb Javadi wrote:

Hi, guys —

I have been married 33 years to my Catholic wife but we were not married by the Church.

  • Is my wife able to receive Holy Communion and, if not, what do either of us have to do for her to partake in Holy Communion?
  • Do I have to convert and become a Catholic in order for my wife to receive Communion?
  • Is there any other way for her to receive the Eucharist?

Thank you very much for your kind respond and help.

Tayeb

  { Do I have to convert to the Catholic faith for my Catholic wife to receive Holy Communion? }

Fr. Jonathan replied:

Tayeb,

It is good of you to care.

It depends on whether or not either of you were married before you were married to each other.

  • If one or both of you were married prior then there would need to be an investigation of sorts on that first marriage to see if it was valid. In this case, your wife cannot receive Holy Communion until this is done.

  • If, however, this is the first marriage for both of you, then you can go to the priest and have your marriage validated. This would mean you would get married to each other in the Church. If you cannot do that than your wife could ask the bishop to sanate your marriage and no ceremony would have to happen.

If you are willing to help her, she could be going to Holy Communion soon.

As for your receiving Holy Communion — you need to look into becoming a Catholic; however, you do not have to convert for her to receive Holy Communion.

You should both go and explore these issues with a priest. If none of these things seem possible then there is another way for her to receive Holy Communion but explore this first.

I wish you both all the best.

Fr. Jonathan

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