Wedding Situation

[reiserclan]

I attended a wedding this past weekend that somewhat unsettled me. At the wedding, non-Catholic persons were asked to do the readings and bring up the gifts. At least one of these persons is decidedly anti-Catholic (she brought up the gifts and read one of the readings). Was this wrong? I felt uncomfortable about this, because there were plenty of non-wedding party Catholic friends present who could have done these two things. Is there something in the GIRM about who is eligible to do the readings and bring up the gifts?

Secondly, when we went to the reception, there was a homosexual couple who went out on the dance floor with everyone else and proceeded to caress and embrace each other in front of everyone. I wanted to say something, given that my children were present and I have taught them that acting on homosexual tendencies is wrong. But I didn’t in order to maintain peace. I thought it should have come from the people who were paying for the wedding, since they are also Catholic, but nothing was said. I felt the homosexual couple were very selfish to have done this since they knew the wedding was a sacramental one and there were all sorts of toasts turned prayers being said througout the reception. Why couldn’t they have refrained from this display?

 

[RichT]

My non-catholic mother did one of the readings at my wedding, and I have read where this is permissable in this situation. I am not sure about the gifts, but I know the rules are a little different in regards to weddings.

As far as the gay couple, I will keep my comments to my self.

 

[renee1258]

If you are a parishioner at that parish, you should informed the pastor that engaged couples need to be more informed of who can particiapte. It is common to make sure everyone is somehow involved. My family hasn’t spoke in years because my cousin didn’t ask me to be a bridesmaid in her wedding when I was 15, in my entire life Id on’t think we had spoken 10 words to each other BUT I had to be involved. With our Mass it was easy, the priest did all the readings and we brought up the gifts.

 

[Finella]

reiserclan:

I attended a wedding this past weekend that somewhat unsettled me. At the wedding, non-Catholic persons were asked to do the readings and bring up the gifts. At least one of these persons is decidedly anti-Catholic (she brought up the gifts and read one of the readings). Was this wrong? I felt uncomfortable about this, because there were plenty of non-wedding party Catholic friends present who could have done these two things. Is there something in the GIRM about who is eligible to do the readings and bring up the gifts?

Secondly, when we went to the reception, there was a homosexual couple who went out on the dance floor with everyone else and proceeded to caress and embrace each other in front of everyone. I wanted to say something, given that my children were present and I have taught them that acting on homosexual tendencies is wrong. But I didn’t in order to maintain peace. I thought it should have come from the people who were paying for the wedding, since they are also Catholic, but nothing was said. I felt the homosexual couple were very selfish to have done this since they knew the wedding was a sacramental one and there were all sorts of toasts turned prayers being said througout the reception. Why couldn’t they have refrained from this display?

There are two seperate issues here. I was baptized Ukrainian Orthodox, the same as my parents. I married a Catholic man in a Catholic ceremony. But, since it was technically a mixed marriage, things were a bit different.

My mom did one of the readings…my maid of honor/witness was not of any religion. I figure if the Church was accepting me as a non-Catholic then they were accepting my family and see nothing wrong with my mom’s participation in the ceremony.

Now, for the inappropriate behavior of the homosexuals… were they really groping eachother? If so, then that would be disgusting no matter who it was. It seems very disrespectful to the newly married couple.

I assume that when they were invited that it was known that they were gay? It should have been up to the bride/groom or family to address the inappropriate behavior right then (as it would be for any person behaving like that at a wedding).

I appreciate your shock and not knowing how to address this with your children. I would assume you would address it like any other bad behavior (excessive drinking…crude behavior etc).

“Why couldn’t they have refrained from this display?”…

who knows why anyone does what they do? It may have been purely to get a reaction from people…it may have been to thumb their noses at the people who disagree with their lifestyle…it may be that they didn’t think they were being inappropriate…either way, it is over now.

That’s my 2cents

Finella