May a divorced Catholic serve as an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist?

[Kathie123]

This happened at our school Mass Friday -- among the Eucharistic Ministers was a teacher who is divorced.
She has told her class she "had" to file for divorce.She received Communion on the altar, then was one of the ministers for the congregation.
My understanding is that she should not even receive Communion as a divorced person.
(I am also worried that I am becoming so rigid and intolerant that this incident infuriated me!)
Question: Is there a situation when she is OK to serve as Euch. Minister, receive and distribute the Eucharist?
If not, what do I do as a member of the parish?
Thank you!

[Fr. Vincent Serpa]

Hi Kathie,

This is obviously news to you, but the Church allows Catholics to divorce for the equitable division of goods that have been held in common. Of course a civil divorce cannot dissolve a valid marraige. What the Church does not allow is divorce and re-marriage—unless the marriage has been proven to be null by a diocesan marriage tribunal.

So a divorced Catholic can be a Catholic in good standing.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.