Going to a protestant wedding, obligations?

[BornAgain2010]

My sister is getting married today. dont get too excited.

She was a Cradle-Catholic like me (our whole family is Catholic). Then about 6 or so years ago, she went Fellowship (non-denom I guess). Anyway she’s marrying a guy that has MD and he’s paralyzed from the neck down. He has full range of motion with his head/neck, and he can move his figners a little bit, but other than that he’s paralyzed. My sister isn’t really well-equipped to handle that sort of responsibility. She thinks that she is, but it’s really wishful thinking on her part. I think she’ll be in for a rude awakening.

Anyway, her Fellwoship doesn’t do Weddings (apparently they dont have Sacraments). So she is getting married in a Baptist Church. It’s not a Mass though, just the Wedding Ceremony part. I of course am attending. Since it’s in a Baptist Church, (and only the Ceremony part), would it still cover my Sunday obligation? or do I need to go again tommorow (which I dont mind doing), but just so I know. and for future reference (I have a few Protestant friends).

also do I take the Eucharist since it is supposed to be the Lord? or do stay back instead (since it really wouldnt be the true Lord as only a Priest Ordained by His Magisterium can Consecrate it)?

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

It doesn’t fulfill your obligation so you should go to Mass on sunday. And definitely no communion at the baptist church. Participating would mean that you accept their doctrine. Just stay back and explain that you are not allowed to participate, if anyone asks.

 

[Dsivanish]

It’s unlikely that they will be celebrating the Eucharist anyway. So you’ll need to go to Mass.

 

[1ke]

It’s not a Mass though, just the Wedding Ceremony part.

It’s not a Mass because Baptists don’t have a Mass.

Since it’s in a Baptist Church, (and only the Ceremony part), would it still cover my Sunday obligation?

Your obligation is to attend Mass in a Catholic Rite. Going to a Baptist church for a wedding or for any other reason does not fulfill your obligation to assist at Mass.

or do I need to go again tommorow (which I dont mind doing), but just so I know. and for future reference (I have a few Protestant friends).

For future reference no protsetant service fulfills your Sunday obligation.

also do I take the Eucharist since it is supposed to be the Lord?

You may not receive communion in a non-Catholic Church. And, do not call it the Eucharist, because it is not the Eucharist.

or do stay back instead (since it really wouldnt be the true Lord as only a Priest Ordained by His Magisterium can Consecrate it)?

If offered communion, you would not receive it.

 

[Elizium23]

Your sister, being a Catholic, is obligated to marry in the Catholic form, unless she has obtained permission from her bishop to marry a non-Catholic and marry outside the Church. If she does not have both of those permissions, then she is contracting an invalid marriage.

You need to ask yourself whether it is right for you to attend this wedding and give the impression of endorsing your sister’s invalid marriage and her rejection of Catholic authority. While it is OK to attend as an observer at Protestant weddings when two Protestants are involved, your sister remains a Catholic, and this is a whole different story.

 

[Spirithound]

My sister is getting married today. dont get too excited.

She was a Cradle-Catholic like me (our whole family is Catholic). Then about 6 or so years ago, she went Fellowship (non-denom I guess). Anyway she’s marrying a guy that has MD and he’s paralyzed from the neck down. He has full range of motion with his head/neck, and he can move his figners a little bit, but other than that he’s paralyzed. My sister isn’t really well-equipped to handle that sort of responsibility. She thinks that she is, but it’s really wishful thinking on her part. I think she’ll be in for a rude awakening.

Anyway, her Fellwoship doesn’t do Weddings (apparently they dont have Sacraments). So she is getting married in a Baptist Church. It’s not a Mass though, just the Wedding Ceremony part. I of course am attending. Since it’s in a Baptist Church, (and only the Ceremony part), would it still cover my Sunday obligation? or do I need to go again tommorow (which I dont mind doing), but just so I know. and for future reference (I have a few Protestant friends).

also do I take the Eucharist since it is supposed to be the Lord? or do stay back instead (since it really wouldnt be the true Lord as only a Priest Ordained by His Magisterium can Consecrate it)?

Yes, you still need to go to Mass. Protestant celebrations never fulfill a Catholic’s obligation. You may not receive their communion because you are not in communion with them.

 

[Spirithound]

It’s unlikely that they will be celebrating the Eucharist anyway. So you’ll need to go to Mass.

To be clear, these sentences do not logically flow from each other. Regardless of whether they pass around bread at this service, a Catholic must attend Sunday Mass.

 

[1ke]

Your sister, being a Catholic, is obligated to marry in the Catholic form, unless she has obtained permission from her bishop to marry a non-Catholic and marry outside the Church. If she does not have both of those permissions, then she is contracting an invalid marriage.

You need to ask yourself whether it is right for you to attend this wedding and give the impression of endorsing your sister’s invalid marriage and her rejection of Catholic authority. While it is OK to attend as an observer at Protestant weddings when two Protestants are involved, your sister remains a Catholic, and this is a whole different story.

While this is certainly something the OP should consider and discuss with his priest, in light of the fact that the wedding is today it is unlikely that he will be able to change his plans-- such an abrupt about-face on the day of the wedding would be very detrimental to the family. .

You will find that this is an area of prudence. Search the Ask An Apologist and you fill find numerous variations of this situation. There is no Church law forbidding attendance, again it’s an area of prudential judgment.

 

[puzzleannie]

MyIt’s not a Mass though, just the Wedding Ceremony part. I of course am attending. Since it’s in a Baptist Church, (and only the Ceremony part), would it still cover my Sunday obligation? or do I need to go again tommorow (which I dont mind doing), but just so I know. and for future reference (I have a few Protestant friends).

also do I take the Eucharist since it is supposed to be the Lord? or do stay back instead (since it really wouldnt be the true Lord as only a Priest Ordained by His Magisterium can Consecrate it)?

of course it does not fill your Sunday obligation, which is to participate at Mass in any Catholic Church. No other service of any kind in any non-Catholic denomination (except Orthodox if no Catholic Church is available) fills this obligation. No you may not every attempt to participate in any communion service at a non-Catholic Church. they do not have valid consecration since they do not have priests, and in fact reject our understanding of Eucharist. It is a grave matter to receive communion in those churches. The Orthodox to have valid orders and valid sacraments, but they will almost never allow a CAtholic to receive communion with them.

Your sister is still Catholic unless she has formally defected (not an easy thing to do) so may be entering into an invalid union, but that is a matter between her and her priest, and at least at present she is unlikely to consult him.

 

[1ke]

(except Orthodox if no Catholic Church is available) fills this obligation.

Divine Liturgy in an Orthodox Church does not fullfil the Catholic obligation. Only Mass or Divine Litrgy in a Catholic Rite does, per canon law. If a Catholic Church is not available, then there is no obligation.

 

[Dsivanish]

To be clear, these sentences do not logically flow from each other. Regardless of whether they pass around bread at this service, a Catholic must attend Sunday Mass.

It made sense to me.

 

[BornAgain2010]

To clarify, both my sister and her new husband are both Fellowship.

My sister WAS a cradle-Catholic, but then converted to Fellowship. So she isnt really Catholic anymore. Im not sure if its documented, but I think its more de facto rather than officially declared.

Anyway, it was just a little ceremony yesterday. The Pastor (who is a Baptist), said a few little prayers that God may watch over and guide their marriage, etc, yadda yadda yadda.

That was it, there wasnt any Eucharist or the Wine, or anything like that. So there was no danger of that.

Also Im not sure about this business of my attendance being a sin. I was there because the family wanted me to go, but I myself think the whole idea of them getting married is kinda…ugh. I think they should have stayed boyfriend and girlfriend, or common law. They’re Protestant so for them, there isnt anything wrong with common law.

to clarify:

my sister is fellowship
her new husband is fellwoship
I merely attended as an observer

^
based on the above mentioned, I didnt do anything wrong did I?
or do I need to go to Confession?

 

[BornAgain2010]

Oh, Im also going to Mass today anyway at 12:15. Im an Usher, so I kinda have to go for that too.

My parnets arent going with me. They’re having to return the tuxedos, the dresses, pay the organizers and planners, etc. So they are just dropping me at the Church so I can still be there to Usher (and to participate of course ). And then when my parents finish their errands and what have you, they are going to the 5:30 Mass.

But even though my sister is fellowship, my parents and I are still Catholic and always will be. So at least the rest of still are Catholic.

 

[Corki]

To clarify, both my sister and her new husband are both Fellowship.

My sister WAS a cradle-Catholic, but then converted to Fellowship. So she isnt really Catholic anymore. Im not sure if its documented, but I think its more de facto rather than officially declared.

Anyway, it was just a little ceremony yesterday. The Pastor (who is a Baptist), said a few little prayers that God may watch over and guide their marriage, etc, yadda yadda yadda.

That was it, there wasnt any Eucharist or the Wine, or anything like that. So there was no danger of that.

Also Im not sure about this business of my attendance being a sin. I was there because the family wanted me to go, but I myself think the whole idea of them getting married is kinda…ugh. I think they should have stayed boyfriend and girlfriend, or common law. They’re Protestant so for them, there isnt anything wrong with common law.

to clarify:

my sister is fellowship
her new husband is fellwoship
I merely attended as an observer

^
based on the above mentioned, I didnt do anything wrong did I?
or do I need to go to Confession?

Based on what you described, your sister is a Catholic who has fallen away from the practice of her faith and is not attending a non-Catholic church. Since she was Baptized Catholic, she is obligated to marry in the Church or to get a dispensation from the Church. She didn’t, but there’s nothing you can do about that.

Attending such a marriage could be a problem if by doing so you are understood to be giving your approval to an invalid marriage. It doesn’t sound like you were doing that. You just went as part of the family. Some people would take a much stricter view of that, I suppose. But since you didn’t know, there is no serious sin. If it bothers you or you are have lingering doubts, mention it at your next Confession.

 

[1ke]

My sister WAS a cradle-Catholic, but then converted to Fellowship. So she isnt really Catholic anymore. Im not sure if its documented, but I think its more de facto rather than officially declared.

What others are trying to point out to you is that the Church does not view things this way. Your sister is always a Catholic by virtue of her baptism and is always obligated to follow Church law. She entered an invalid marriage by failing to do so.

Also Im not sure about this business of my attendance being a sin. I was there because the family wanted me to go, but I myself think the whole idea of them getting married is kinda…ugh. I think they should have stayed boyfriend and girlfriend, or common law. They’re Protestant so for them, there isnt anything wrong with common law.

You are not correct. Non-Catholics are also bound by the moral law. Non-Catholics should not live together in sin.

But, your sister isn’t a non-Catholic. Your sister is a Catholic. Therefore, for you-- also a Catholic-- to witness her invalid attempt at marriage is imprudent and could in some circusmtances be sinful.

to clarify:

my sister is fellowship
her new husband is fellwoship
I merely attended as an observer

^
based on the above mentioned, I didnt do anything wrong did I?
or do I need to go to Confession?

To clarify, your sister is NOT “fellowship” she is Catholic. You should mention it in confession.

 

[puzzleannie]

T
^
based on the above mentioned, I didnt do anything wrong did I?
or do I need to go to Confession?

not unless your attendance at the wedding caused you to miss Mass on Sunday

your sister is an adult and she makes her own decisions. what she does cannot possibly put you in a state of sin.