advice please....

[jacfalle20]

Here’s my situation. I am disabled and unable to transport myself to mass. I know missing mass is a grave matter. My family is my only mode of transportation (if there was reliable public transportation, I would use it). Unfortunately, we were raised believing attending mass was not serious. It wasn’t until I moved away from the island for a time that I learned otherwise. I started regularly attending mass, and my relationship with God grew stronger. After becoming disabled, I moved back in with my family. They don’t make time for holy days of obligation, and they tell me they can take me to mass “if they have time.” I’ve tried explaining, unsuccessfully, that Sunday mass is a holy day of obligation, but it always comes around to "if we’re not doing anything and are awake. My family routine plans stuff to do on Sundays, and my brother usually works on Saturdays, so I can’t go to either vigil mass. I would appreciate some advice on how to get through to them the importance of the mass, and I would also like to know if I’m in mortal sin because of my situation. I desperately would like to go to confession, but the same problem arises with confession. Help, please?

 

[agnes_therese]

For something to be mortal sin, it must be committed with full consent. You are not consenting to miss Mass, you’re doing all you can to attend. It’s not your fault.

Perhaps you could contact the parish office, and ask if there’s a parishioner who could give you a ride?

 

[accesscatholic]

I agree with the response above. Yet, it is advisable to try and find a ride from someone at the parish. If you exhaust all possibilities you’ve done what you can do.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Here’s my situation. I am disabled and unable to transport myself to mass. I know missing mass is a grave matter. My family is my only mode of transportation (if there was reliable public transportation, I would use it). Unfortunately, we were raised believing attending mass was not serious. It wasn’t until I moved away from the island for a time that I learned otherwise. I started regularly attending mass, and my relationship with God grew stronger. After becoming disabled, I moved back in with my family. They don’t make time for holy days of obligation, and they tell me they can take me to mass “if they have time.” I’ve tried explaining, unsuccessfully, that Sunday mass is a holy day of obligation, but it always comes around to "if we’re not doing anything and are awake. My family routine plans stuff to do on Sundays, and my brother usually works on Saturdays, so I can’t go to either vigil mass. I would appreciate some advice on how to get through to them the importance of the mass, and I would also like to know if I’m in mortal sin because of my situation. I desperately would like to go to confession, but the same problem arises with confession. Help, please?

Call your parish and explain the situation to your pastor. If you say you live on an island, I would venture to guess that others will be going to church and could give you a ride. (I don’t know how disabled you are, perhaps you require special transportation.) You could also call social service agencies and Catholic Charities for help with getting to confession and Mass.

 

[LilyM]

Call your parish and explain the situation to your pastor. If you say you live on an island, I would venture to guess that others will be going to church and could give you a ride. (I don’t know how disabled you are, perhaps you require special transportation.) You could also call social service agencies and Catholic Charities for help with getting to confession and Mass.

And if a lift isn’t possible, perhaps the priest and/or another minister can arrange to visit you from time to time for confession and communion.

 

[Iron_Donkey]

Here’s my situation. I am disabled and unable to transport myself to mass. I know missing mass is a grave matter. My family is my only mode of transportation (if there was reliable public transportation, I would use it). Unfortunately, we were raised believing attending mass was not serious. It wasn’t until I moved away from the island for a time that I learned otherwise. I started regularly attending mass, and my relationship with God grew stronger. After becoming disabled, I moved back in with my family. They don’t make time for holy days of obligation, and they tell me they can take me to mass “if they have time.” I’ve tried explaining, unsuccessfully, that Sunday mass is a holy day of obligation, but it always comes around to "if we’re not doing anything and are awake. My family routine plans stuff to do on Sundays, and my brother usually works on Saturdays, so I can’t go to either vigil mass. I would appreciate some advice on how to get through to them the importance of the mass, and I would also like to know if I’m in mortal sin because of my situation. I desperately would like to go to confession, but the same problem arises with confession. Help, please?

You certainly are not in mortal sin because you are not purposefully choosing to miss Mass. You cannot be in mortal sin for reasons outside of your control.

I also would recommend calling your parish and trying to arrange a regular ride. It may be that there is another Catholic who lives near you who could help out. Your family may come around in time, or they may not, but it doesn’t sound like more argument will change their minds any time soon. (Although seeing you get a ride from someone you don’t really know every week may at least show them that getting to Mass is important to you, and they may eventually make the jump from “important to you” to “important” after it happens for a while).

 

[triumphguy]

Your parish might have volunteers (often the Knights do) to pick people up for mass.

And as others have said you are not sinning if you are unable to get to mass by yourself.

 

[SMHW]

You certainly are not in mortal sin because you are not purposefully choosing to miss Mass. You cannot be in mortal sin for reasons outside of your control.

I also would recommend calling your parish and trying to arrange a regular ride. It may be that there is another Catholic who lives near you who could help out. Your family may come around in time, or they may not, but it doesn’t sound like more argument will change their minds any time soon. (Although seeing you get a ride from someone you don’t really know every week may at least show them that getting to Mass is important to you, and they may eventually make the jump from “important to you” to “important” after it happens for a while).

Like others have said… See if you can arrange a ride from someone at the parish office. Or at least arrange for someone to come and give you communion.

Don’t underestimate the effect your *desire *to get to Mass and receive the sacraments will have on your family members.