Thank you for taking so much time to respond. About 45 years ago, my husband and I tried to join the Catholic church. We attended 4 or 5 of the classes for converts. After the last one we attended, I asked the priest about the specific procedures and what we should expect. He asked if we'd been divorced and baptized. We are both divorced. I was told we could attend but we couldn't receive the Eucharist unless we both got an annulment @ $3000 each, which for both of us was almost a year's salary at that time.
If I thought $6000 was the price for our souls, I would have paid it. But, as with the Mormons I'd left over 10 years before, I just couldn't believe God was that unjust and petty and money grubbing. It was sad because I loved the service and litergy. I wanted to worship. I wasn't inclined toward the judgmentalist churches because of mormonism, so we gave up. When my daughter died. I had her baptized on her death bed. When we needed a clergy, I called the Catholics first. We were again turned away. My husband is a Civil War buff and walks through many old cemeteries. He wanted to bury her in one at a very old Episcopal church close to our home. We were told by the funeral director that you had to be members for generations to get into that grave yard. Word got out and 100's of calls went to the church. They let us in. She was there so we attended and miracles of all miracles, the litergy was the one I loved.
I discovered that as a mormon, I had never been taught about Christianity and began to pray and read. If I had a serious question about the history of the church (we are an apostolic church) or theology i went to a Catholic site for answers. I read everything, including the Hamadi gospels. I became a Christian and the irony is that I was baptized because Episcopals didn't always accept the mormon baptism and the greater irony is that Catholics don't at all. I at least could have become Catholic because I hadn't been baptized.
I know what you are saying. I did not mean to imply that I reject Christ's church. It's run by men and men screw up. I went through a hurtful reconciliation with the Episcopal church because its bishops are also corrupt, but I concluded that I needed the Mass and this 350 year old church was worth it.
God bless you for caring for a stranger. I do not know if my decisions are right. I depend on Christ's mercy.
I could write a million things but I'm going to try and focus on a couple solutions(?) real quick:
I went and found some more info on annulments -
How much does it cost?
Pope Francis has asked dioceses whenever possible to provide their tribunal services free of charge. Depending upon how much your diocese is able to subsidize the work of its tribunal, you may be asked to pay a nominal fee. You may also be asked to make a donation following the completion of your case. Fees are typically payable over time and may be reduced or even waived in cases of financial difficulty. Other expenses may be incurred when consultation with medical, psychological, or other experts is needed, or if you obtain the services of a private canon lawyer to represent you.
My in-laws are going through this process now. My MIL was also told no Eucharist until the annulment is done...but this comes after 20 years of her receiving the Eucharist.
A priest at a Novus Ordo parish told her it was okay to take the Eucharist 20 years ago! So she did. She had been taking the Eucharist for yeeeeeears when she shouldn't have been based off bad information from a poorly formed priest.
Dr. Bella Dodd, the famous one-time Communist lawyer who reverted to the Catholic Faith, exposed the step by step plan to infiltrate the seminaries and warp priests so they give bad information to the laity. It leads to things like people taking the Eucharist when they shouldn't. The Satanist LOOOOOOOVE messing with the Eucharist and the minds of the laity.
What is my point?
Well now that she has been told (by a properly formed priest and according to Cannon law) after 20 years that she cannot take the Eucharist anymore until she has her divorce annulled, stops having sex with her current husband until they get properly married, she's hurt. She is letting that hurt get in the way of her being in full communion with the Church that Jesus Christ established. She is letting her ego get in the way.
Now if they were trying to get 6k out of her, I'd be upset, too. But they aren't. If her and her husband remain chaste, get the annulment, get a proper Catholic marriage- then she can receive the body and blood of our Lord. She still has to attend on Sundays because that is an obligation (based on the 10 Commandments) whether or not you can take the sacrament.
My husband and I were not Catholic when we got "married" through the courts. This means we were told to stop having marriage relations until we were properly married. I could have said "THIS IS STUPID!" and quit right there but I knew God was calling me to chastity while I finished the process of entering the Church. The Church is huge on chastity! If we cannot even nail down this basic behavior, we're damned!
I am not sure how my thinking would have been effected if they had asked for $6k though.
That really would have messed with my decision making process as a non-Catholic.
I don't think I would even be able to see past it.
However, I would want someone to tell me, "hey, you can still go to Mass. Your obligation is to attend mass. God wants you at Mass! He doesn't care that you cannot take the Eucharist yet. Go and worship Him and love him and trust the process."
Thank you for sharing your experience with me and I hope I was able to help in some way. I will try to help more if you have questions.
I'm wondering if you visited a FSSP parish, would they give you different information from the last parish? I think its worth a shot!
If you are interested, here is a locator for the FSSP, the parishes that serve the Traditional Latin Mass.
I knew very little about the formal language of the church so can't answer your question. When the priest outlined what we needed to do, I just thought he was telling us the cost was like a fee. Please keep in mind I was raised in the mormon church and it was only through attending an Apostolic church that I came to realize I called myself Christian without any true understanding and thus my quest began. I am sure there are lots of holes in my understanding and knowledge and that I learned the most from Roman Catholic sources. Btw, I have prayed the Rosary and treasure my Crusifix blessed by John Paul. I believe and study the mysticism within the faith, but at my age will continue at my little country parish where I am very sure there are angels all around.
Bless you, and I feel your hug and would hug you back.
Thank you for taking so much time to respond. About 45 years ago, my husband and I tried to join the Catholic church. We attended 4 or 5 of the classes for converts. After the last one we attended, I asked the priest about the specific procedures and what we should expect. He asked if we'd been divorced and baptized. We are both divorced. I was told we could attend but we couldn't receive the Eucharist unless we both got an annulment @ $3000 each, which for both of us was almost a year's salary at that time.
If I thought $6000 was the price for our souls, I would have paid it. But, as with the Mormons I'd left over 10 years before, I just couldn't believe God was that unjust and petty and money grubbing. It was sad because I loved the service and litergy. I wanted to worship. I wasn't inclined toward the judgmentalist churches because of mormonism, so we gave up. When my daughter died. I had her baptized on her death bed. When we needed a clergy, I called the Catholics first. We were again turned away. My husband is a Civil War buff and walks through many old cemeteries. He wanted to bury her in one at a very old Episcopal church close to our home. We were told by the funeral director that you had to be members for generations to get into that grave yard. Word got out and 100's of calls went to the church. They let us in. She was there so we attended and miracles of all miracles, the litergy was the one I loved.
I discovered that as a mormon, I had never been taught about Christianity and began to pray and read. If I had a serious question about the history of the church (we are an apostolic church) or theology i went to a Catholic site for answers. I read everything, including the Hamadi gospels. I became a Christian and the irony is that I was baptized because Episcopals didn't always accept the mormon baptism and the greater irony is that Catholics don't at all. I at least could have become Catholic because I hadn't been baptized.
I know what you are saying. I did not mean to imply that I reject Christ's church. It's run by men and men screw up. I went through a hurtful reconciliation with the Episcopal church because its bishops are also corrupt, but I concluded that I needed the Mass and this 350 year old church was worth it.
God bless you for caring for a stranger. I do not know if my decisions are right. I depend on Christ's mercy.
I wish I could give you a hug!
I could write a million things but I'm going to try and focus on a couple solutions(?) real quick:
I went and found some more info on annulments -
$6000? Woah! Did you need a lawyer?
My in-laws are going through this process now. My MIL was also told no Eucharist until the annulment is done...but this comes after 20 years of her receiving the Eucharist.
A priest at a Novus Ordo parish told her it was okay to take the Eucharist 20 years ago! So she did. She had been taking the Eucharist for yeeeeeears when she shouldn't have been based off bad information from a poorly formed priest.
Dr. Bella Dodd, the famous one-time Communist lawyer who reverted to the Catholic Faith, exposed the step by step plan to infiltrate the seminaries and warp priests so they give bad information to the laity. It leads to things like people taking the Eucharist when they shouldn't. The Satanist LOOOOOOOVE messing with the Eucharist and the minds of the laity.
What is my point?
Well now that she has been told (by a properly formed priest and according to Cannon law) after 20 years that she cannot take the Eucharist anymore until she has her divorce annulled, stops having sex with her current husband until they get properly married, she's hurt. She is letting that hurt get in the way of her being in full communion with the Church that Jesus Christ established. She is letting her ego get in the way.
Now if they were trying to get 6k out of her, I'd be upset, too. But they aren't. If her and her husband remain chaste, get the annulment, get a proper Catholic marriage- then she can receive the body and blood of our Lord. She still has to attend on Sundays because that is an obligation (based on the 10 Commandments) whether or not you can take the sacrament.
My husband and I were not Catholic when we got "married" through the courts. This means we were told to stop having marriage relations until we were properly married. I could have said "THIS IS STUPID!" and quit right there but I knew God was calling me to chastity while I finished the process of entering the Church. The Church is huge on chastity! If we cannot even nail down this basic behavior, we're damned!
I am not sure how my thinking would have been effected if they had asked for $6k though.
That really would have messed with my decision making process as a non-Catholic.
I don't think I would even be able to see past it.
However, I would want someone to tell me, "hey, you can still go to Mass. Your obligation is to attend mass. God wants you at Mass! He doesn't care that you cannot take the Eucharist yet. Go and worship Him and love him and trust the process."
Thank you for sharing your experience with me and I hope I was able to help in some way. I will try to help more if you have questions.
I'm wondering if you visited a FSSP parish, would they give you different information from the last parish? I think its worth a shot!
If you are interested, here is a locator for the FSSP, the parishes that serve the Traditional Latin Mass.
https://fssp.com/locations/
These priests are well formed. They will give you good information!
God bless you and thank you again for engaging with me!
I knew very little about the formal language of the church so can't answer your question. When the priest outlined what we needed to do, I just thought he was telling us the cost was like a fee. Please keep in mind I was raised in the mormon church and it was only through attending an Apostolic church that I came to realize I called myself Christian without any true understanding and thus my quest began. I am sure there are lots of holes in my understanding and knowledge and that I learned the most from Roman Catholic sources. Btw, I have prayed the Rosary and treasure my Crusifix blessed by John Paul. I believe and study the mysticism within the faith, but at my age will continue at my little country parish where I am very sure there are angels all around.
Bless you, and I feel your hug and would hug you back.
Hey I was raised Mormon too! Did I mention that?
Is your parish in Communion with the Holy Catholic church?
No. Episcopal, the reformation.
Oh, and how coincidental is both of us out of mormonism. I have met very few since moving East and none who are ex. This is really extraordinary.