Is it a mortal sin for a Catholic to attend a civil wedding when the bride or groom are Catholic and getting married outside the Church?

Answer 1

In Catholic moral theology, a mortal sin, as distinct from a venial sin, must meet all of the following conditions: == == # its subject must be a grave (or serious) matter; # it must be committed with full knowledge, both of the sin and of the gravity of the offense; # it must be committed with deliberate and complete consent.

Perhaps the couple acts in ignorance, not knowing that as Catholics they must be married in the Church. It would be your duty to educate them. If they do not listen to you nor to a priest then it would be a mortal sin for you to participate at their wedding. If they did not know better, you may attend if your priest counsels it for the sake of maintaining the family or the ties of friendship. If this rare permission is granted, you must remain an observer and not participate at all in the ceremony.

Answer 2

It's not even a mortal sin to be married in a non Catholic ceremony. The Church simply won't recognize the couple as husband and wife. (Or wife and wife, if that's the case.)

Roman Catholic AnswerYes, it is a sin, if the child is Catholic and disobeying the Church's marriage laws. If the child has a dispensation to be married outside the Church, that would be another matter. Whether it is a mortal sin or not is something that you would have to discuss with your confessor. The point is that one must stand up for what is right if one cares about one's child at all, and loves her. If they are doing wrong, you by attending, would be lending your support. You need to speak with your confessor or parish priest about this.

Answer 3

Not if you are just in attendance. Even for the bride and groom there are many levels of culpability that may or not make something "mortal."

Roman Catholic AnswerThat would depend. Under most circumstances, yes, it would be a sin, whether mortal or not, would depend on the extend of your participation, and the extent to which it would cause scandal. Under ordinary circumstances, a Catholic should never appear to support a sin, and attendance at the civil marriage of a Catholic would, at the least, be an occasion for scandal. You should discuss this with your confessor.