Can Catholics work out on Sunday?

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Hawkeye916

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Is it permissible for Catholics to attend a gym/recreation center and exercise on Sundays? Or is that considered work? My husband and I plan on going to the gym today to work out, swim and maybe play some racquetball! I’m looking forward to it, however I got the thought of maybe it’s considered work? What do y’all think?
 
It is perfectly fine to engage in recreational activity on Sundays. Why would you think it isn’t?

-Fr ACEGC
 
I dunno. :woman_shrugging:t3:😂 “Day of rest” and we will be doing quite the opposite of resting. Haha just wanted to make sure! :+1:t2:
 
The Archdiocese of Detroit stopped scheduling youth sports on Sundays. Perhaps that is why some might wonder?
 
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Probably so people wouldn’t miss Mass to go to sporting events, which in my experience was the number one reason why teenagers told me they didn’t go to Mass every Sunday, when I did interviews to assess readiness for Confirmation.

Not because there’s something wrong with exercise on Sundays, I would imagine.
 

Archdiocese of Detroit eliminates sports on Sundays for more family worship​


“(Christians) are obliged in conscience to arrange their Sunday rest in a way which allows them to take part in the Eucharist, refraining from work and activities which are incompatible with the sanctification of the Lord’s Day, with its characteristic joy and necessary rest for spirit and body.”

I don’t know. Seems more in line with the whole day even outside of Mass.

I’m not disputing either way Father. I’m just giving a reason for why some would think about it.
 
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Yeah I’m not sure I agree with this statement from Detroit, to be quite honest. I don’t think going to a sporting event, youth or otherwise, is incompatible with the spirit in which we’re supposed to engage Sunday.

But that said, there is a difference between working out on Sunday and going to a sporting event, and while I could see some argument to be made for foregoing the latter, the former doesn’t at all seem contrary to the spirit of the day.
 
I listened to an interview about the Detroit decision the other day. Apparently, it was more about making sure people didn’t miss mass for sporting events and making sure families could actually spend the day together doing other perhaps more spiritually beneficial family activities. There was never any mention of physical exertion being the issue.
 
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mrsdizzyd said:
There was never any mention of physical exertion being the issue.
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That might be the case but the directive seems to indicate otherwise.
yankeesouth said:
refraining from work and activities which are incompatible with the sanctification of the Lord’s Day
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If little mikey shouldn’t be playing sports on Sunday then mom & dad probably shouldn’t be going off to work out?

Either way, it’s an interesting discussion and I do applaud the Diocese to have the courage to address it. I’m sure they must have gotten a lot of blowback.
 
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yankeesouth said:
If little mikey shouldn’t be playing sports on Sunday then mom & dad probably shouldn’t be going off to work out?
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As Father said, there is a big difference between a sporting event and going to the gym. Taking the kids to their games often takes up the better part of your day especially if it is an away game. So, your Sunday is arranged around the game rather than arranging your day around God.

I think the diocese made a great choice to end Sunday games. However, I don’t think it is not at all comparable to dad going for a run on Sunday or mom going to the gym for 45 minutes before dinner.
 
You don’t see the teaching contradiction? The child shouldn’t be playing sports but the parents can go work out?
 
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yankeesouth said:
You don’t see the teaching contradiction? The child shouldn’t be playing sports but the parents can go work out?
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No, because the problem isn’t the playing itself. The problem is changing the orientation of the day from one that is focused on God to one that is focused on sport. Working out for an hour or going to play at the park for an hour does not reorient the day.

In fact, one could argue that that kind of leisure and recreation is exactly in the spirit of the day. It simply should not be the focus of your day.

Have you ever played team sports or had children in team sports?
 
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Yes when I was working I had this question as well but mine pertained to having to work on sundays and having to miss mass thank goodness that it wasn’t/isn’t a sin to miss mass as long as you can participate in the mass on Saturdays after 4 pm it counts toward your Sunday obligation so I go on Saturdays after 4:30pm
 
Well if that was the case then why did they cancel the ‘playing’ part? All they had to do was warn the children and parents not to make sports the focus of the day.
 
yankeesouth said:
Well if that was the case then why did they cancel the ‘playing’ part? All they had to do was warn the children and parents not to make sports the focus of the day.
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I take it you have never played team sports or had children in team sports?
 
Oh yes played and had children in sports. But what does that have to do with the discussion?
 
Well, if you’ve played team sports then you should know that having a game on Sunday means having half your day devoted to travel, warm ups, practice, play, meetings, and other commitments. It’s never been as simple as show up and play and go home in an hour, for me. And if you do track and field (as I did) you can basically kiss most of your day goodbye.

Surely you can see how different an imposition on Sunday that is versus going to the gym?
 
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yankeesouth said:
You don’t see the teaching contradiction? The child shouldn’t be playing sports but the parents can go work out?
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The child can play basketball in the driveway, take a bike ride, engage in a neighborhood baseball game. The directive applies to league sports sponsored by the Church.
 
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