Returning Catholics FAQs: Marriage While “Away”

On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics , a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.

I got married while I was away from the Church. Do I have to dump my non-Catholic spouse?

If you were married outside the Church, you and your spouse can receive the sacrament of...