My wife and I were married December, 1986 infront of an official in Hong Kong. Before we left?

God is always with you and as long as you are doing his will he will bless you in it.

The Catholic church likes its rules and it likes people to follow those rules. So yes, it can be that conceited in thinking that God was not there if a priest was not there.

My question to you is how important is it that you remain Catholic. If you don't agree with the church find a different church that has beliefs similar to your own.

Don't change your beliefs to fit the church find a church that fits your beliefs.

According to my personal beliefs, a church is one way to commune with other like-minded people. It can be a good way to foster spiritual growth. You can receive teaching from church leaders and/or doctrine.

But the church is not God. The church does not decide your salvation. This can be found in teachings so basic as those found in John 3:16... "whoever believes in him (Christ) will not perish but have everlasting life."

It does not give any human the authority to decide a person's salvation.

Additionally, Matthew 18:20 says "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. " This tells me that when you and your wife came together in marriage asking for the Lord's presence and blessing, you had it.

I hope both you and your wife are able to find peace in this situation. It is an important one.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.