A Catholic person must celebrate their marriage in the Church. They must be married in the Church, if they are not married in the Church and have not received permission or a dispensation from the local bishop, then the marriage is invalid, and they are living in adultery. As a result, they cannot receive Holy Communion.
If there are valid reasons preventing a canonical wedding in the Church, the person should seek permission from their bishop. In serious cases, the bishop may grant a dispensation and recognize a marriage that was performed civilly. Alternatively, the bishop can also perform a "sanation in the root" through a decree, recognizing the civil marriage.
However, this must always be done with the permission of the Church.
Dear visitors of Gloria Dei and all who have already written or who will write a personal message to me. I am grateful for your attention, your kindness, for your spiritual support and especially for your sacrifices and prayers for me. God may reward you!
