Attending SSPX Masses

[AllSeasons]

As you may know from my previous posts, I’m dating a girl in SSPX. She has asked and I’ve agreed to attend an SSPX Sunday Mass and maybe some daily Masses. I’m feeling a little uneasy about this, as you might guess. Since I’ll be visiting/meeting her family, I won’t really have transportation to other Catholic churches in the area, and I don’t want to disrespect her family, either. As far as I know, SSPX Masses are valid but illicit. Is it okay for me to attend, as long as I don’t make a habit of it? Also, would it fulfill the Sunday obligation? Thank you in advance for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[ProVobis]

Is it okay for me to attend, as long as I don’t make a habit of it?

What do you mean by “is it okay”? How are posters here going to make that judgement for you?

Also, would it fulfill the Sunday obligation?

By strict interpretation of canon law, any valid Catholic Mass fulfills your obligation. But Rome has the final say on whether a particular Mass counts. They’ve already ruled against “friends of the SSPX” Masses counting for Sunday.

All that said, however, you would be on the safe side if you were to attend your own Mass before or after you attend one with your girlfriend.

 

[sscott]

How important is your Catholicism to you? It seems clear to me that your girlfriend likes to go to the SSPX mass and you are uneasy because your church considers it illicit. You cannot fulfill your Sunday obligation at her church and she is not likely to take you to yours. This is a problem which will never end until you break up with this girlfriend. I think it is more likely that she would lead you away from your church than you would lead her away from hers. If your religion is important to you, find a girlfriend who is likeminded in religion.

 

[ChurchSoldier]

I recall reading in the Traditional forum (sorry I don’t have the link to the post) that a Roman Catholic may attend an SSPX Mass as long as their intent is not to be “against” or “in protest” of the regular Roman Catholic church by doing so. It looks like that would not be your intent…take that for what it’s worth.

 

[pianistclare]

It sounds like you really want to please this girl.
My question is this:
If it were a “dealbreaker” for you to attend her church, would she make a choice to attend with you a Roman Catholic church?
I’d think about that for a while, perhaps you should ask her. Relationships are give and take, but if you are the only one giving, you won’t have much of a life.

 

[adawgj]

Maybe you two could possibly go to an FSSP Mass.

 

[VanSensei]

I recall reading in the Traditional forum (sorry I don’t have the link to the post) that a Roman Catholic may attend an SSPX Mass as long as their intent is not to be “against” or “in protest” of the regular Roman Catholic church by doing so. It looks like that would not be your intent…take that for what it’s worth.

This would make sense. From what I know, and I may be wrong, they don’t oppose any actual Church teaching. They annoyed the Vatican by ordaining bishops without a mandate, but that’s really it.

 

[AllSeasons]

Maybe you two could possibly go to an FSSP Mass.

Well, from what I know, SSPX does not like FSSP too much, for reasons I’m not really privy to. I may have the option of going to an FSSP Mass before the SSPX Mass on Sunday, but that would entail walking 50 minutes each way in frigid temperatures in a town I’ve never been to before.

 

[LoveGod102]

Well, from what I know, SSPX does not like FSSP too much, for reasons I’m not really privy to. I may have the option of going to an FSSP Mass before the SSPX Mass on Sunday, but that would entail walking 50 minutes each way in frigid temperatures in a town I’ve never been to before.

Ask her if she will bring you to mass at a Catholic parish as well. If she refuses, then I don’t think you should be dating her. But take my advice with a grain of salt, as I’m only 16, and I’ve never dated anyone. What I said just seems like common sense.

 

[VanSensei]

Ask her if she will bring you to mass at a Catholic parish as well. If she refuses, then I don’t think you should be dating her. But take my advice with a grain of salt, as I’m only 16, and I’ve never dated anyone. What I said just seems like common sense.

Don’t you mean a diocesan parish? All the acronyms are just different Catholic offshoots and theoretically, would fulfill one’s Mass obligation. One offers only Tridentine Masses and is in line with the Vatican (FSSP), but one does the same and is kind of in line with the Vatican. Long story.

 

[AllSeasons]

Ask her if she will bring you to mass at a Catholic parish as well. If she refuses, then I don’t think you should be dating her. But take my advice with a grain of salt, as I’m only 16, and I’ve never dated anyone. What I said just seems like common sense.

No worries. I judge posts by their content, not by the age of the poster. She’s open to attending non-SSPX Latin Masses, but it’s her home turf, and those are the Masses that she usually goes to. She also wanted to show me her old stomping grounds, so to speak. I’m just not ready to have the SSPX conversation with her yet, but I will have to at some point, probably some time soon.

I have a couple of other related questions for the larger audience. As I mentioned, there’s an FSSP chapel about 50 minutes away by foot, and they have a Mass at 7:30AM, which is the only one I can make and still finish in time for the SSPX Mass that she wants to go to. I suppose I could take a cab there, since like I said, it’s a strange town with frigid temperatures in the early morning. There’s also another Catholic church roughly the same distance away, but they offer NO Masses, and out of respect for her and her family, I’d think I’d prefer to attend a Latin Mass.

Attending the FSSP Mass would fulfill my Sunday obligation. In that case, would going to the SSPX Mass afterwards be considered okay? Also, could I just go up for a blessing with my arms crossed at the SSPX Mass? Would it be okay to receive Communion there? Personally, I’d be more comfortable with just a blessing, but I’ve read that since the congregation is blessed at the end of Mass, it’s not really recommended to do that?

Anyway, any (name removed by moderator)ut/help would be appreciated.

 

[LoveGod102]

Don’t you mean a diocesan parish? All the acronyms are just different Catholic offshoots and theoretically, would fulfill one’s Mass obligation. One offers only Tridentine Masses and is in line with the Vatican (FSSP), but one does the same and is kind of in line with the Vatican. Long story.

I just mean one that is in line with the Vatican, by a priest who has permission to say mass, which I don’t believe SSPX priests do.

 

[LoveGod102]

No worries. I judge posts by their content, not by the age of the poster. She’s open to attending non-SSPX Latin Masses, but it’s her home turf, and those are the Masses that she usually goes to. She also wanted to show me her old stomping grounds, so to speak. I’m just not ready to have the SSPX conversation with her yet, but I will have to at some point, probably some time soon.

I have a couple of other related questions for the larger audience. As I mentioned, there’s an FSSP chapel about 50 minutes away by foot, and they have a Mass at 7:30AM, which is the only one I can make and still finish in time for the SSPX Mass that she wants to go to. I suppose I could take a cab there, since like I said, it’s a strange town with frigid temperatures in the early morning. There’s also another Catholic church roughly the same distance away, but they offer NO Masses, and out of respect for her and her family, I’d think I’d prefer to attend a Latin Mass.

Attending the FSSP Mass would fulfill my Sunday obligation. In that case, would going to the SSPX Mass afterwards be considered okay? Also, could I just go up for a blessing with my arms crossed at the SSPX Mass? Would it be okay to receive Communion there? Personally, I’d be more comfortable with just a blessing, but I’ve read that since the congregation is blessed at the end of Mass, it’s not really recommended to do that?

Anyway, any (name removed by moderator)ut/help would be appreciated.

You might want to call in to Catholic answers live and ask what the rules are of attending SSPX masses and whether they fulfill your obligation. Another poster said they didn’t fulfill your obligation according to the Vatican, but I don’t know if that’s true or not. If they don’t, then you need to go to another mass if you are able, which may mean having that conversation with her earlier than you’d like.

 

[AllSeasons]

Here’s a blog article by Fr. Zuhlsdorf that seems to suggest that an SSPX Mass does fulfill the Sunday obligation, but is obviously not recommended:

wdtprs.com/blog/2011/10/quaeritur-sspx-and-fulfilling-sunday-mass-obligation/

 

[1ke]

You are doing an awful lot of work to not offend her or her family.

Frankly, IMHO this relationship is a big waste of your time. Those who attend SSPX do so for a reason, and I would suggest they are willing to fall on their sword rather than cease attending SSPX chapels.

Your attendance at SSPX masses can only lead her to believe you are willing to compromise on this issue. Or it will lead to you actually compromising on and starting to attend SSPX.

Seriously, attending the NO mass that doesn’t require walking an hour is “offensive”? It is the ordinary Mass of the Church. It is 100% acceptable to attend this Mass. You are jumping through a lot of hoops to impress this girl. The problem is, sooner or later reality will have to take over. And why not just rent a car so that you are under your own power. Are you afraid to ask her parents to take you to Mass at a Catholic parish?

WHY are you running around trying to impress her parents with SSPX attendance if you do not intend to continue going and are going to bring up attending regular Catholic parishes with her?

Just do it now and see what she says.

 

[AllSeasons]

Just a quick update. I finally broached the topic with her, and she’s offered to take me to an FSSP Mass in the area. The overall conversation is continuing and actually going a lot better than I was expecting. I’m glad that I brought it up. I guess communication is key in a relationship, huh??

 

[ProVobis]

Just a quick update. I finally broached the topic with her, and she’s offered to take me to an FSSP Mass in the area. The overall conversation is continuing and actually going a lot better than I was expecting. I’m glad that I brought it up. I guess communication is key in a relationship, huh??

Well played, young man.