Expert: Tom Schott - 4/10/2004

Question
Tom,

A brief background me.  I am currently still deployed to the Middle East.  I am Catholic and have been married for 8 years, though not in the church.  After the recent war in Iraq (which I was part of), I have found that I am being drawn deeper into my faith.  However I have found out that my wife is actively practicing wicca (withcraft).  I have reflected and prayed long and deeply about all this.  I am finding it difficulty to accept her practice and spiritually a barrier to my ending goal (what ever God may have for me).

Deep, down, inside I feel that I need to divorce my wife in order to continue to grow spiritually and go down this road being placed in front of me.  I guess my question is this:
I know the general position of the Church regarding divorce.  However, my spouse openly disregards the Trinity.  How would the church view a divorce in this situation and would it be grounds for application of annulement if I were to marry in the future?

Thank you for any guidance that you might offer

Very Respectfully,
Jason

Answer
Jason,

 You are catching me at a bad time, but I would very much like to respond to you. I am going out of town tomorrow but will be reading my email from there. Kindly send me your question again to my personal mailbox: tschott1@tampabay.rr.com.

 I will be able to respond on Monday or Tuesday, if you don't mind the wait. In the meantime, may the blessings of the Risen Lord be with both you and your wife.

Pax, Deacon Tom

Jason,

  I would never counsel someone to divorce their spouse, even in such circumstances as these, although I'm also fairly certain that the Church would grant an annulment in this case. I strongly urge you to make every possible attempt to make your marriage work, especially if there are children involved. Many couples' marriages survive great differences in spirituality between the partners. You can be sure that God will be with you in this marriage, as he is in every other moment of your life. And the likelihood of his grace having a powerful effect on your wife is much greater, I would think, with you still in relationship with her. I'm hardly in a position to advise you fully because I don't know the people involved and all the details and nuances of this case. I strongly urge you to seek competent spiritual counseling from a priest or Catholic spiritual director before committing yourself to ending your marriage.

Deacon Tom