Dear Teresa:

If your marriage is invalid, I presume that means that with you or your husband were married before. That means that you are living in the sin of adultery. It is that sin, not the irregular marriage per se that bars you from the Sacraments.

You can begin receiving the Sacraments this next weekend by agreeing with your husband to live as brother and sister (no sex) until the annulment is approved. Go to confession to confess living in sin then receive the Eucharist.

I am sorry but your Acts of Contrition are not effective unless you make a firm purpose of amendment to not have sex with your husband until the annulment is approved. Just because you have been legally married in the eyes of the state does not excuse the sin.

God does see your heart. If your heart is one that chooses to continue to sin, then that is what God will see. If you freely choose to sin then you do run the risk of your soul. This does not have to be and can be remedied immediately.

Talk to your husband and explain to him that you two are living in sin that risks your souls. Explain that to be in God's grace that you guys must live as brother and sister until the annulment is approved, no matter how long that takes. If you love each other, this will not be a problem, a struggle of course, but not a problem. Love rejoices in righteousness 1 Corinthians 13 teaches us. If you love each other, you will behave righteously toward each other and not facilitate mortal sin.

I realize this sounds harsh, but truth is often harsh. If either your husband or yourself refuse to live as brother and sister then you are not loving each other. Love does not encourage others to sin. If you choose to sin, then you will be held accountable for that sin.

God tells us in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

But, for confession to be a good one it must have a contrition for sin (sorrow for your sin of adultery), repentance from the sin (turning away from the sin) and a firm purpose of amendment (a promise to do whatever is necessary to avoid the sin in the future).

Thus, you must promise to not sin again with your husband until the annulment is approved. If you fall from this promise then go to confession as you would with any other sin, but this must be a firm and genuine promise to remain chaste during this time.

Once making this promise and receiving confession, then you can enjoy the grace of the Eucharist, which will help to give you the strength to avoid any further sin.

God always gives us the grace to do what we must do. He does not abandon you. He is giving you and your husband the grace to live chastely right at this moment. You must merely accept that gift from God, live chastely for now, and then if the annulment is approved, you may return to the marriage bed in the full holiness that it is meant to be.

This is possible. We are not animals. We can choose to not have sex even with our spouse when it is needed, and in this case it is need. Neither you or your spouse will die by living as brother and sister for a while.

But, your soul dies when commiting mortal sin.

We will be praying for you and your husband.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary