Have you ever had to say “no” to a wedding invitation because of your faith? It can be scary to be courageous, but it’s always worth it.
Fr. Richard Simon explores a pretty tricky topic—why Catholics shouldn’t attend weddings that aren’t considered valid by the Church. He doesn’t mince words, acknowledging that it’s tough, especially when it involves family. Yet, he says that love sometimes means making those hard decisions.
Al from Green Bay calls in about his grandson’s wedding, which wasn’t in a Catholic church. Fr. Simon says, honestly, he wouldn’t have attended the wedding, but maybe the reception—just not as a celebration of the marriage itself. The main point? If the marriage didn’t follow Catholic teaching, like getting permission from a bishop for a non-Catholic ceremony, it’s not seen as valid in the Church’s eyes. It’s not about being harsh or judgmental—it’s about standing for Jesus. It’s about respecting the Sacrament of Marriage, which Catholics know is a lifelong, unbreakable covenant. This was hard for Al to hear.
Fr. Simon really emphasizes that true love isn’t just going along to avoid conflict. It’s about wanting what’s best for the other person, even if that means making them uncomfortable. He compares it to parenting—sometimes saying “no” is the most loving thing you can do, even if it’s hard.
Then, Mary from Ohio calls in, sharing her experience of deciding not to attend her daughter’s same-sex “wedding”. She and her husband are one of the only ones in their Catholic family who aren’t going, and it’s been a rough day. Hearing this from Fr. Simon gave her a sense of peace, knowing that she was doing the right thing.
So, in a nutshell, Fr. Simon’s advice is that, while it’s super hard to not attend family weddings sometimes, you’re called to put their faith first. Real love means wanting what’s best for the people you care about, even if it means making hard choices that don’t always feel good in the moment.
Hang in there; you’re not alone in this.
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