On Divorce Bill

What will divorced Catholics do who are not granted by the Catholic Church through its matrimonial tribunal a declaration of nullity of their marriage? If couples are not granted a declaration of nullity of their marriage and even if they are prevented from remarrying by the Catholic Church, it does not mean, however, that they are already condemned to hell and therefore will no longer enter into the kingdom of heaven. Divorced Catholics are still members of the Church. They are welcome to the Church and can still participate in the life and ministries or activities of their parish even though some of their difficult situations will prevent them from receiving Holy Communion in public. However, if the divorced Catholic who is not granted a declaration of nullity of his/her marriage by the Church contracts a new marriage, “the remarried spouse is then in a situation of public and permanent adultery.” (CCC, no. 2384) What about the innocent victim of a divorce decreed by civil law? Is she at fault? Has she committed a sin? The Catechism has this to say: “It can happen that one of the spouses is the innocent victim of a divorce decreed by civil law; this spouse therefore has not contravened the moral law. There is a considerable difference between a spouse who has sincerely tried to be faithful to the sacrament of marriage and is unjustly abandoned, and one who through his own grave fault destroys a canonically valid marriage.” (CCC, no. 2386) Fr Joey Gonzaga Chair - Commission on Doctrine Archdiocese of Caceres