O
otjm
Guest
You are confusing two issues. The issue of an irregular marriage is one issue; whether or not you may attend the wedding is another issue. The teaching on the first matter has not changed; the Church’s position on the other matter is that you may make a prudential judgment as to whether or not you attend.I am implying nothing. I said the teaching of the Church has not changed. It is solid as a “Rock”. The reletivism is not from the Magisterium.
And the teaching of the Church is that if a Catholic engages in a non sacramental marriage, he/she ends up living in adultery. I am sure you will find many who will use their “prudential judgement” to not rock the boat and attend being a witness and throw truth aside as a consequence. This is the relativism I mean.
You seem to be presuming that attendance de fact means you approve of the irregular form. Factually that may or may not be the case. That is why you may exercise a prudential judgment as to whether or not to attend. You certainly could tell your brother that he is erring, and doing so seriously. Your position then has been made clear to him; you could say that you choose to attend in support of the family and for love of him, but that your attendance does not mean that you approve of his attempting to marry in front of a minister. That makes clear that you do not approve of the ceremony; (and actually, this is not adultery - it is fornication, as adultery is intercourse, when one is properly married, with a third party).
You appear to be confused even to the correct term of his status after the ceremony. Perhaps you should not set yourself up as an authority on the other matter?
Since the matter of prudential judgment is from the Church, your charge of relativism is flat out wrong.