Attending Mass while ill

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DrCat

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Not too long ago, after going to confession, I mentioned to my spiritual director that I had missed Mass because I was recovering from a case of viral conjunctivitis. (I was not confessing it, since I have always been told that a person who is contagious is excused from Mass) (For those who don’t know, viral conjuntivitis is a contagious infection of the conjunctive glands at the corner of the eye. It is spread by shaking hands after touching your face.)

He told me that if I had gone to Mass, it would have been a sin (a lack of charity) since I would have put others at risk of being infected.

Has anybody else heard that going to Mass while contagious is a sin?

I would especially like to hear an answer from some of the priests on the forum.

John
 
Going to Mass would not have been the sin but placing others at risk would have been. Assumming that you took great care not to expose others there would be no sin in that. To act carelessly and expose others then I could see why he would have said that.
 
Thank you for clarifying this. I had been wondering ever since he had told me that. So, as long as I make sure that I am not near enough to another person to make him sick, I can go to Mass. Good. I hate the idea of missing for any reason.

John
 
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