Q: Is it OK if I leave the Catholic Church for a Christian denomination to save my relationship with my fiancée since she won’t see a Christian therapist? — Caden

Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC:

A: From the limited information you provide, it’s not at all clear why you think joining a non-Catholic Christian denomination would be a helpful step.

On the spiritual level, Jesus has to come first in your life, and the Catholic Church was founded by Our Lord to help us reach heaven. Turning your back on his Church is not going to help you in the deepest sense, and therefore ultimately it will not be of help to your fiancée.

On a practical level, if you leave the Church, you wouldn’t be able to marry validly outside the Church. This in itself could lead to more complications and unwanted consequences for the future.

On the level of relationships, it is not clear why a therapist, Christian or not, comes into the picture.

If your fiancée is struggling with personal issues, then of course it’s good that she seeks help with those issues.

Having said that, it is not clear how this relates to your having to leave the Church. You won’t fix her problems by producing a problem for yourself.

Without knowing more details, I’d suggest that you speak with your confessor or pastor.

In the meantime, you might want to intensify your prayers for your fiancée and for yourself.