Should Catholic parents attend gay child's nuptials?

[still_looking]

Another thread on this particular forum got me wondering about gay marriage.

Hypothetical: Your son or daughter wanted to marry their significant other in a state which allows such marriages. Would you attend? Why or why not?

Would it make a difference if by not attending the marriage ceremony it may put a strain your relationship with your child?

Recently my daughter went through a civil union (same-sex union). Although it caused me great distress, her union to a same sex person, and the fact that I refused to attend the ceremony, I found that after much reflection it would be wrong to attend this event as it would be seen as me giving my blessing. How can one talk of her being happy, when at the end of her life, her ‘happiness’ is finished! How can I attend a ceremony where God not only has no part, but is also rejected?

 

[kidderdoc]

Recently my daughter went through a civil union (same-sex union). Although it caused me great distress, her union to a same sex person, and the fact that I refused to attend the ceremony, I found that after much reflection it would be wrong to attend this event as it would be seen as me giving my blessing. How can one talk of her being happy, when at the end of her life, her ‘happiness’ is finished! How can I attend a ceremony where God not only has no part, but is also rejected?

Tenderly put! I am sorry for your suffering. I hope you have been in touch with the Courage group…I know they have help for families too couragerc.net/

You have my prayers…

 

[Arwen037]

I’m not actually a parent, as I’m too young, but I would probably go. I would make sure that it is clear I don’t approve of the choice. I wouldn’t pay for any of the costs of the wedding or reception. I would also refuse to have an active part in the wedding. However, he/she is my child, they have a right to make their own decisions, and I would want to show I will always love them.

 

[Apryl]

I’m not actually a parent, as I’m too young, but I would probably go. I would make sure that it is clear I don’t approve of the choice. I wouldn’t pay for any of the costs of the wedding or reception. I would also refuse to have an active part in the wedding. However, he/she is my child, they have a right to make their own decisions, and I would want to show I will always love them.

So why go?

How do you ‘make it clear’ that you don’t approve of the choice if you are standing there, with a glass of champagne in your hand, clapping?

I would much rather not have you there, than to look over and see you sour dough faced, faking smiles and the whole time, I know that you are not ‘happy’ with what is going on.

I don’t think I feel one iota of love with someone forcing themselves to be some where they would rather not be, just to say they were there.

You don’t approve, you don’t want to pay for it, you don’t want to help… STAY HOME!

We can go out for coffee and ice cream later!

 

[fire_and_ice]

I sat around listening to family during a wedding reception talk about the other wedding, the (gay one). They talked about how nice and normal it was. How the gay people were there, and just how nice they blended in with the heterosexual people. We didnt go. We said my wife was sick etc. She had to say she was sick because her family was pressuring her. But doesn’t God come first.God first, then family, then friends. We cant go to a gay wedding (give our support) then have an attitude of " oh well God will forgive us". I know in my heart that Jesus would not attend a gay wedding… God comes first. We have mortal minds. Gods mind is immortal. We may not be able to understand Gods rules but we must abide by them. Are we God’s intimate friends? I suspect my wifes family members are not intimate friends of God. An intimate friend of God shows loyalty and obedience.

 

[po18guy]

“An intimate friend of God shows loyalty and obedience.”

Amen! Well said. Why do we worry about offending humans that we can see, and not about offending God, whom we cannot see? How are we to be holy (set apart) if you cannot tell us from those with no faith?

 

[Julian_Peters]

Thank you to all who have participated. This thread is now closed.