Question about attending weddings

[cathoichelp]

Is a Catholic allowed to attend weddings (or even civil unions) outside their own faith?
For example - I am a non catholic if I married someone who was Catholic could that person attend wedding ceremonies with me for my friends and family who were not Catholic?

 

[maryjk]

Is a Catholic allowed to attend weddings (or even civil unions) outside their own faith?
For example - I am a non catholic if I married someone who was Catholic could that person attend wedding ceremonies with me for my friends and family who were not Catholic?

So, can I as a Catholic attend a Methodist wedding? Of course.

The only question comes when I am invited to a non-Catholic wedding but the bride and/or the groom is/are Catholic. There are as many answers to that question as there are people in the world.

 

[The_Old_Medic]

As a general rule, a Catholic may attend any wedding ceremony, so long as they do not know that scandal is happening as a result (as an example, if a Catholic were getting married in a non-Catholic ceremony, after divorcing another Catholic, but without obtaining an annulment).

 

[cathoichelp]

Thanks! That makes more sense. I couldn’t figure out why anyone would not be allowed to attend a wedding if they were not participating in it just attending…

Thanks much!

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I think it is a personal decision.

My personal quandry- and I am glad this thread is in Trad Catholicism- my best friend is pagan. She has been seeing a young man for quite some time, and they are discussing marriage. If the two do marry, it will be a pagan handfasting- complete with god/goddess invocations and the calling of the quarters to create a sacred circle.

As she has seen me at my best and my worst (she came and visited me when I was in psych, bringing me a new bible and “story of a soul”), I would feel awkward not attending such an important event in her life. She has already said she wants me to be there, but will not be asking me to participate as it is against my beliefs, and she doesn’t want to endanger my soul (per her understanding of Catholicism and our discussions).

Would “you” (the pp) attend such a thing?

 

[cathoichelp]

I think it is a personal decision.

My personal quandry- and I am glad this thread is in Trad Catholicism- my best friend is pagan. She has been seeing a young man for quite some time, and they are discussing marriage. If the two do marry, it will be a pagan handfasting- complete with god/goddess invocations and the calling of the quarters to create a sacred circle.

As she has seen me at my best and my worst (she came and visited me when I was in psych, bringing me a new bible and “story of a soul”), I would feel awkward not attending such an important event in her life. She has already said she wants me to be there, but will not be asking me to participate as it is against my beliefs, and she doesn’t want to endanger my soul (per her understanding of Catholicism and our discussions).

Would “you” (the pp) attend such a thing?

the pp? previous post is that me haha?

yes I would - I view other peoples weddings as about them - not me - I mean if someone was offering up live animal sacrifices or something I may decline based on person beliefs.(to use a silly example - but I think there are lines to be drawn)

I definitely see it as a personal choice though. It came up between me and someone who is Catholic and he thought he could not attend certain weddings. It didn’t make sense to me - having lived my entire childhood not only Catholic but in Catholic school I had never heard of anyone not attending a wedding in a different faith.
I was just curious

 

[PatienceAndLove]

the pp? previous post is that me haha?

yes I would - I view other peoples weddings as about them - not me - I mean if someone was offering up live animal sacrifices or something I may decline based on person beliefs.(to use a silly example - but I think there are lines to be drawn)

I definitely see it as a personal choice though. It came up between me and someone who is Catholic and he thought he could not attend certain weddings. It didn’t make sense to me - having lived my entire childhood not only Catholic but in Catholic school I had never heard of anyone not attending a wedding in a different faith.
I was just curious

I have unfortunately found that the above statement does not always mean that one has received an adequate foundation in the Faith- I know it is that way for me, and for many others.
It is from this site that I found out that parents, other family members, and friends will not attend a wedding when they feel a mistake is being made, or if the child is not being married in the Church. Until this site, I never knew such a thing would or could happen.

 

[cathoichelp]

I see… its something to think about!
I am no longer w the church but seeing someone who is… it makes me sad to think he could not attend weddings w me.
I mean I guess he could its really up to him- but its something I had never really thought twice about!