A Catholic can attend any wedding held in a Catholic Church, but they may face more difficult choices. Protestant weddings are typically invalid if the Catholic party to the wedding received the proper dispensation from their Bishop. If the Catholic party has requested and received a dispensation from their Bishop, they can attend. However, if a dispensation has not been obtained, they should avoid such a wedding, even if the Catholic is their mother, father, grandparent, brother or sister, aunt or uncle, or a non-baptized relative.
A Catholic can attend a marriage of two Protestants if it is the first marriage for both and if neither of them is ex-Catholic. If a Catholic cannot attend a wedding due to moral objections, they may not honor it in any way. However, it is common for Protestant friends or family to invite them to their services.
The Church does not explicitly forbid Catholics from attending presumptively invalid marriages. Catholics must use their own prudential judgment in making the decision, keeping in mind the necessity to uphold the Catholic understanding of the sanctity of marriage. If either the groom or the bride is Catholic, the answer becomes more complex. The Code of Canon Law is silent as to whether a Catholic can/should attend the invalid wedding of another Catholic, celebrated outside the Catholic Church.
In contrast, Protestants believe that the bread and wine are symbolic, and attending a Catholic wedding entails participation in the Eucharist, which may be uncomfortable for non-Catholics who do not believe in transubstantiation. The Catholic Church recognizes valid sacramental marriages in Protestant denominations because man and woman, not a priest or deacon, make the marriage.
📹 Can I Attend a Non-Catholic Wedding? | Karlo Broussard
Catholic Answers apologist, Karlo Broussard, explains to a catholic caller why it would not be a good idea to attend the wedding of …
Can Catholics attend a wedding outside the church?
Catholics shouldn’t attend weddings outside the Church or weddings where one or both spouses have been married before and don’t have a decree of nullity. Attending a wedding shows you’re happy about the union. But in some cases, Catholics cannot celebrate. They shouldn’t attend. This could confuse others and make them think the wedding is okay when it’s not. Sometimes, it’s better to go to a wedding even if it might hurt family relationships. The goal is to witness to the Catholic faith and help fallen-away Catholics return to the sacraments. One may decide to attend, but explain later why the marriage needs to be validated. While it is not usually a good idea to attend, Catholics can decide what is best for them. Your situation is different. Your sister-in-law needs your wife’s help. Your wife’s presence may be necessary for charity and medical reasons. You made the right decision.
Judgment and natural disasters. Question: Abraham asked God to save Sodom even if there were only 10 good people there. Sodom was destroyed, so there were less than 10 good people there. What about areas destroyed by earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.? They often happen in poor countries. Does God allow the poor to suffer? I have trouble seeing a just and merciful God then.
Can a divorced Protestant marry a Catholic?
Yes. At Catholic Annulment – Second Chance, we are often asked if a Catholic can marry a divorced non-Catholic. A Catholic may want to marry someone whose first marriage was outside the Church or in a non-Catholic church. Yes. To marry in the Catholic Church, the first marriage must be annulled. In today’s post, we’ll discuss this question in more detail. Read on for more. If you or your spouse need annulment preparation, contact Catholic Annulment – Second Chance today. All legal marriages are recognized by the Church. The Church recognizes all legal marriages. The Catholic Church views all legal marriages as valid, regardless of where they take place.
Can you have a Catholic wedding if one person isn’t Catholic?
Can we get married in the church if one of us isn’t Catholic? Yes, you can. It’s very common. The Catholic partner must agree that any children will be raised Catholic. The non-Catholic partner must also agree. Then the parish fills out some paperwork. That’s all there is to it. Two important notes: You can marry a Catholic even if you’re not Catholic. Many places will discourage non-Catholics from converting right before their wedding. A relationship with God develops naturally. If people are forced to convert, it harms their faith and marriage.
Is it a problem if one of us is not Christian or doesn’t believe in God?
What are the rules for Protestant marriage?
Requirements for Episcopal Church weddings. Christian marriage is a promise between a man and a woman in front of God. One party must be a baptized Christian, the ceremony must be witnessed by two people, and the marriage must follow state and church laws. The Episcopal canon requires that notice be given at least 30 days before the scheduled service. An Episcopal priest must get the bishop’s permission to marry a divorced person. The first step is… The bride or groom should talk to the Rector about the wedding before making other plans. Contact the priest as soon as possible to avoid scheduling conflicts. You should give the priest several months’ notice.
Pre-marital counseling. In the Episcopal Church, all couples must receive counseling before getting married.
Can Catholics take Communion at Protestant services?
The Eucharist is a gift from Christ to his Church. Protestants believe differently, so we can’t share Communion.
Is it a sin to go to a non-Catholic wedding?
Sometimes a Catholic falls in love with someone who isn’t Catholic. They want to get married in a non-Catholic church because the spouse’s father is a minister at a local Protestant church. The Catholic asks their bishop for permission to marry. If the bishop says yes, the couple can marry, but they still need to get married in a Catholic church. The Catholic party must also tell the non-Catholic spouse that they want to raise the children as Catholics. If the Catholic spouse has the bishop’s permission to marry in a non-Catholic ceremony and both spouses can marry, anyone can attend the wedding. However, if there is a communion at the ceremony, Catholics can’t receive communion in a non-Catholic ceremony. Catholics can also attend weddings of any non-Catholic in any non-Catholic ceremony. Catholics can attend if the spouses are not already married.
Case 3: A Catholic marrying outside the Church. This could be valid. Catholics will have serious reservations about attending. It follows natural law, but not canon law. This is a hard case to judge. It’s becoming more common. This is about two people who can marry (no problems), one or both baptized Catholic and not formally left the Catholic Church. One or both are Catholic but don’t practice the faith. They decide to get married, but not in a Catholic Church. These are weddings in Protestant churches, before a justice of the peace, in a meadow, in a rose garden, or anywhere else. Such weddings are valid if both parties are free to marry and intend to marry in a Catholic ceremony. If they weren’t Catholic, the marriage would be valid. But since they are Catholic, they must follow Catholic marriage rules.
Does the Catholic Church accept Protestants?
The Catholic Church has become more open to Christian unity with Protestants and Eastern Orthodoxy. However, many Protestants remain distrustful of the Catholic Church. It seems unlikely that the Church will work with these groups. In 2015, Pope Francis said that the devil is the cause of division among Christians. Francis said that the devil knows that all Christians are disciples of Christ. They are one and brothers! The devil doesn’t care if they are Evangelicals, Orthodox, Lutherans, Catholics, or Apostolic. They are Christians! In 2016, Pope Francis went to Sweden to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. The next year, the Vatican released a stamp to commemorate the anniversary. The stamp shows Luther and Melanchton kneeling before a crucified Jesus.
📹 Can Traditional Catholics Attend Non-Catholic Weddings?
Clip taken from the episode on 7/6/2021. Watch the full episode on our website: https://www.wcbohio.com/articles/7-6-2021 Our …
My daughter converted to Mormonism which ripped my heart in two. She’s dating a Catholic. Now they’re talking about one day getting married. My daughter and I already have a very strained relationship. If they do decide to get married I know I cannot go and I know she will not understand why I can’t go. This will deepen the strain between us even more. It hasn’t happened yet. I pray every day that she comes home to the Catholic Faith among other things as a Faith Believing Catholic should do and as a parent. I ask for prayers for my daughter, Karlie. God Bless✝️🙏📿♥️
Why can the Church recognize a baptism from another denomination but they can’t recognize a marriage? What happens if the husband and wife join the Catholic church five years after they’re married? Have they been living in sin all that time? Will they have to have a new marriage ceremony? What if they’ve had children in that time?
Protestant marriages are invalid? Maybe to the Catholic Church, but not to God. Marriages can be validated in the Church like mine was when I became Catholic after 35 years of marriage. Go to the wedding and be a positive influence so that one day they might come to the church. Not coming to the wedding creates negativity and may drive the couple further from the church.
What if we don’t presume that mere attendance and respect implies full approval in the same way as being friendly doesn’t? That might be the unnecessary assumption that creates a conflict between this advice and the conscience of many. Paul said he did not forbid associating with sinners in the world because then we would have to come out of the world. He also allowed eating meat sacrificed to idols unless it offended weaker Christians.
Interesting. I just watched last night a Catholic interview where it was explained that ALL marriages are considered valid and as long as you don’t participates in activities against Catholic believes (Like praying to a pagan God during the ceremony for example) being a guest is just fine. Let me try to find the source of this.
I would not attend a non-catholic wedding not because of the prejudice for it is a common-law marriage but because: 1) If it is a non-catholic religious ceremony, I don’t want to participate in prayers that are violation of the 1st commandment. 2) If it is a civil ceremony, I don’t want to participate in recitations where there is no recognition of the 1st commandment. It is not about the couple it is about the ceremony where there is a high chance, I would be obliged to violate the 1st commandment knowingly or unknowingly. Again, no hatred or animosity against the couple getting married for it is a common-law marriage and not sacramental marriage. I believe it is a valid marriage but without the sacramental graces. That is why I am against divorce (except separation in severe cases) even for common-law marriage. If you have friends or family who are in common-law marriage, where even one in the couple is catholic, it is charitable for you to gently and patiently encourage them to regularize their marriage in the catholic rite, so that they receive the graces of the sacrament of holy matrimony for themselves and their future generation.
My sister is planning to get married sometime before the end of this year and we’re very close so I’m certain I would’ve been asked to be the maid of honor. However, she’s a lapsed Catholic and her fiancé is nominally Protestant and they don’t believe much of anything that God revealed about marriage. They’re planning a non-Catholic wedding and I had the very difficult conversation with her as to why I couldn’t in good conscience attend. It didn’t go well at all and I’m heartbroken. Please pray firstly for them and if you would, please pray for me too that we would all follow God’s will.
Been married 25 years next week! Hitched in the basement of marriage court (Cook County illinois) … big reason is that i knew i’d have to deal with the mindset in this article (I was forced into Catholicism as a child). Weddings are stupid. No catholic had to embrass sin by attending my wedding … you’re welcome!
I think that Mr Brussard view on this issue is too “legalistic” and rigid. We as Catholic know the truth and we,can and ought to share it. We also meet people where they are ; perhaps the caller’s relative and her future husband are not celebrating marriage in its fullness, yet they are getting together out of love for each other . This is something to be celebrated
Please disregard this article as it has no substance to the answer. I came to this to learn and it provided nothing but his own view. From all that I’ve seen, it is still a real marriage. Becoming a catholic and having a marriage in the church is much harder than it ever needs to be. Been rejected by churches though being a catholic, only for the reason that they didn’t think we would attend that church regularly. To be a parishioner. To be a donor to the church. This is 2019 RCC. For my wife to become catholic it would have taken 9 months of RCA to be “proposed to by the church” as a union with the church to even be a Catholic! All the while all any of us had to do was declare in our hearts, minds, and souls that Jesus is our lord and savior and begin the relationship with God at the center. Generally speaking that didn’t take much time to be a Christian. Catholics need to work on bringing people into the church in a more accepting way. I was lucky to be born into it.
This is where the underlying Protestantism that is at Catholic Answers shows. Catholics do not shun family members because they might do something we disagree with. You go to the wedding and be supportive. If the ultimate goal is to bring them into full communion with the Church, this kind of condescending behavior will not be fruitful. You will push them further away from the Church and you will look like a fool.
I’m Catholic and not only have I attended Non Catholic weddings, I’ve also been a bridesmaid in Non Catholic weddings, including my brother’s. And the brides of these weddings were also in my wedding. These are people I love and care about and who have been there for me through everything. And attending or standing up there with them to celebrate their most special day, is the most wonderful thing you can do for them. It doesn’t matter to me what religion they are.
This is such a shame and one of the reasons why young people such as myself are not at all persuaded by old religions like Catholicism. It’s about love at the end of the day. Love for each other and our differences. If I were on my death bed, I would not be please about missing a family wedding because of a religious rule like this. I hope others read this and really see all the manipulation that religion is using to control your lives all for the “assurance” that you are saved, proven by nothing except the “change in one’s nature.”