Had Cw participated in mass would that have been tantamount to the church sanctioning their carnal relationship?
Generally she could have participated in the mass, if it wouldn't have been public knowledge that they have a realtion. She simply would have sat with the other notorities. But since their relationship is known and it is also known what they are doing together, which is frowned upon by the church, her attendance, especially in that particular dress, would have been outrageous. Nobody would have thought then that he was going to marry her, but on the contrary would have asked him to leave her immediately and he would have been criticized as well for knowing better. While Stephane Valeri was not married, but already having a relationship with his now wife, she never sat with him during official services. It wasn't her place to be there and he knew that as a public figure in Monaco it would have been dispicable for him to do so. He might have a lot of faults, but at least he knew that it would have been inappropriate for her to be at his side.