Attend a Mormon Wedding?

[dcochran]

A family member has recently left the Catholic Church and been “baptized” into the Mormon Church. This coming after dating a Mormon for a year who he now intends to marry in a ceremony conducted by a Mormon minister but not in a Mormon (or any other) Church. He has since been having second thoughts about leaving the Church, but is certain about wanting to marry her. We have not been able to convince him to postpone the wedding in order to sort out his religious affiliation and participate in wedding preparations such as Engaged Encounter.

My question is what does the Catholic Church teach us about attending a wedding of someone who leaves the Catholic Church for the primary purpose of pleasing a non-Catholic fiancee?

Thank you

 

[adamhovey1988]

A family member has recently left the Catholic Church and been “baptized” into the Mormon Church. This coming after dating a Mormon for a year who he now intends to marry in a ceremony conducted by a Mormon minister but not in a Mormon (or any other) Church. He has since been having second thoughts about leaving the Church, but is certain about wanting to marry her. We have not been able to convince him to postpone the wedding in order to sort out his religious affiliation and participate in wedding preparations such as Engaged Encounter.

My question is what does the Catholic Church teach us about attending a wedding of someone who leaves the Catholic Church for the primary purpose of pleasing a non-Catholic fiancee?

Thank you

I wouldn’t go because they left the Church, it’s not like they were raised Mormon. If you attend this wedding, it could look like you approve of his sin, and thereby causing scandal.

 

[Strydersroom]

It’s family. I would attend the wedding of any family member to share in their happiness. It’s their special day, it would mean much to be there. How close are you to this family member? Immediate family?

 

[Vico]

A family member has recently left the Catholic Church and been “baptized” into the Mormon Church. This coming after dating a Mormon for a year who he now intends to marry in a ceremony conducted by a Mormon minister but not in a Mormon (or any other) Church. He has since been having second thoughts about leaving the Church, but is certain about wanting to marry her. We have not been able to convince him to postpone the wedding in order to sort out his religious affiliation and participate in wedding preparations such as Engaged Encounter.

My question is what does the Catholic Church teach us about attending a wedding of someone who leaves the Catholic Church for the primary purpose of pleasing a non-Catholic fiancee?

Thank you

catholic.com/blog/michelle-arnold/to-attend-or-not-to-attend

 

[Rosebud77]

We have the solution to that in Ireland where weddings are huge family affairs… There is the wedding mass etc then the “afters” ie the meal and other formalities. So they can go to the “afters”; not approved of in all circles but there we re. No I would not attend the actual wedding but support at any reception etc. That in itself may well open the door for him to talk … far more than if you were seen to approve … far more at stake here as I know you are aware than pleasing family

 

[ConfusedLucy]

I would worry that by not going to this persons wedding you will damage the relationship permanently and that will close down any conversation about this person’s faith. It’s a difficult situation.

 

[eatpraylove11]

I know Mormons have a secret wedding ceremony and non-Mormons are not allowed inside the temple. Any Catholic relatives would only be invited to the reception, I think. Whether or not you want to go to a Mormon party is up to you.

 

[Peaceful_One]

I would worry that by not going to this persons wedding you will damage the relationship permanently and that will close down any conversation about this person’s faith. It’s a difficult situation.

Agreed. It might push him away completely.

 

[Truth_Faith13]

A family member has recently left the Catholic Church and been “baptized” into the Mormon Church. This coming after dating a Mormon for a year who he now intends to marry in a ceremony conducted by a Mormon minister but not in a Mormon (or any other) Church. He has since been having second thoughts about leaving the Church, but is certain about wanting to marry her. We have not been able to convince him to postpone the wedding in order to sort out his religious affiliation and participate in wedding preparations such as Engaged Encounter.

My question is what does the Catholic Church teach us about attending a wedding of someone who leaves the Catholic Church for the primary purpose of pleasing a non-Catholic fiancee?

Thank you

Just to check, they are not getting married in a Mormon Temple? Only mormons with full endowment can attend those ceremonies (even some mormons cant!).

 

[Blessedwithfive]

I would go. You might even learn something. While I believe that Catholicism is the “right” way (for me) I do not believe it is the only way to salvation.

I try to remember that more unites us then divides us.

 

[Paganus]

A family member has recently left the Catholic Church and been “baptized” into the Mormon Church. This coming after dating a Mormon for a year who he now intends to marry in a ceremony conducted by a Mormon minister but not in a Mormon (or any other) Church. He has since been having second thoughts about leaving the Church, but is certain about wanting to marry her. We have not been able to convince him to postpone the wedding in order to sort out his religious affiliation and participate in wedding preparations such as Engaged Encounter.

My question is what does the Catholic Church teach us about attending a wedding of someone who leaves the Catholic Church for the primary purpose of pleasing a non-Catholic fiancee?

Thank you

Don’t go. Go to a Catholic Church and pray for their souls instead. To attend the non-Catholic wedding of an apostate would be a scandal and a grave sin. I have lost count of how many times I have endured this situation, but I’m not going to Hell for anybody.

 

[twf]

Don’t go. Go to a Catholic Church and pray for their souls instead. To attend the non-Catholic wedding of an apostate would be a scandal and a grave sin. I have lost count of how many times I have endured this situation, but I’m not going to Hell for anybody.

The Church doesn’t teach this. It is objectively grave matter for the ex-Catholic, but not necessarily for those simply attending. This is a matter of prudential judgment.

 

[Paganus]

The Church doesn’t teach this. It is objectively grave matter for the ex-Catholic, but not necessarily for those simply attending. This is a matter of prudential judgment.

My prudential judgement is that I am never going to attend a celebration of objectively grave matter. Is that wrong?

 

[Legend]

This is not, in the strict sense, an “answer”, but it may come up in pre-ceremony preparations. All Mormons, at least if they haven’t been married before, are supposed to strive to marry in the temple, with the ceremony that is to bind them for “time and eternity” . Mormons believe that such marriages are to last forever…that is, in the afterlife, as well as for the lifetimes of the couple. Marriages for time alone are generally for those who have already been sealed to someone else, most often for the widowed.

A non-temple wedding, if the Mormon party is not a widow(er) is seen by many Mormons as a “second class” wedding and marriage. What are the bride’s family members saying? In short, if such things are not all worked out, there may be no wedding. And, if there is some kind of ceremony, it may not be acceptable to Mormons OR Catholics,!

So, if you really want to go, try to find out, discreetly, whether it is a real marriage, at all. If not, or if you can’t get an answer, you may go to the reception for the sake of the family, but I would stay away from a wedding that is not really a wedding at all!

Now I’m not an expert in Mormon theology, but have taken an interest in it for the past few years. And I do know that a temple wedding is by far, the most acceptable to their leaders.

Just hope I haven’t confused you more than necessary.

 

[Lea101]

I don’t know about Mormons and their beliefs, but why didn’t he remain Catholic and marry her? Mixed marriages are allowed if the church accepts it right?

 

[SilverLight]

I would worry that by not going to this persons wedding you will damage the relationship permanently and that will close down any conversation about this person’s faith. It’s a difficult situation.

That is a vary valid and important point.

 

[RebeccaJ]

This is not, in the strict sense, an “answer”, but it may come up in pre-ceremony preparations. All Mormons, at least if they haven’t been married before, are supposed to strive to marry in the temple, with the ceremony that is to bind them for “time and eternity” . Mormons believe that such marriages are to last forever…that is, in the afterlife, as well as for the lifetimes of the couple. Marriages for time alone are generally for those who have already been sealed to someone else, most often for the widowed.

A non-temple wedding, if the Mormon party is not a widow(er) is seen by many Mormons as a “second class” wedding and marriage. What are the bride’s family members saying? In short, if such things are not all worked out, there may be no wedding. And, if there is some kind of ceremony, it may not be acceptable to Mormons OR Catholics,!

So, if you really want to go, try to find out, discreetly, whether it is a real marriage, at all. If not, or if you can’t get an answer, you may go to the reception for the sake of the family, but I would stay away from a wedding that is not really a wedding at all!

Now I’m not an expert in Mormon theology, but have taken an interest in it for the past few years. And I do know that a temple wedding is by far, the most acceptable to their leaders.

Just hope I haven’t confused you more than necessary.

The Mormon church requires that a convert wait a year before going through their temple. So in this case, it isn’t a second class wedding type of situation, but a wedding that will be sealed in a Mormon temple a year later.

 

[RebeccaJ]

I don’t know about Mormons and their beliefs, but why didn’t he remain Catholic and marry her? Mixed marriages are allowed if the church accepts it right?

Mormons don’t allow mixed marriages. You have to be a baptized, tithe paying, church going, Mormon in order to enter their temples. And a temple marriage is required in Mormon beliefs, in order to attain their highest heaven, so marrying a non-Mormon is a serious soul-jeopardizing type of thing.