Can you help: Mass or conference?

[Hidden_One]

For the past couple years, I have been attending an May-long-weekend youth conference, and both of my experiences there have helped substantially my walk with God. Last school year year, during the course of fall, I made a theological conversion to Catholicism. I am currently going through RCIA (a ****** one, sadly), and by the time this (Protestant, pan-denominational-leaning-Pentecostal) conference comes around, I will obviously have been Confirmed, and thus obligated to attend Sunday Mass (which I have been doing without fail.) Ideally, I would be able to attend a local Mass. However, due to the fact that it is too far away to reasonably walk, and I would be attending with my old Protestant youth group, getting a ride to the remotely convenient one, the Saturday Mass, may be impossible. (Incidentally, I am not the least concerned as to what the conference will do to the orthodox Catholic-ness of my faith, particularly in light of my experience last time.)

So I have two questions.

1. Given the above, what am I allowed to do by the Church, and at what point does missing Mass constitute or not a sin?
2. Given the overabundant graces of the Mass, what actually ought I to do, if I have any options as dictated by your answer(s) to my first question? (This may be best answered in a what-would-you-do-if-you-were-me fashion, or not.)

In (really) short, I just want to do what God wants, and if you could kindly tell me what that might be, I’d greatly appreciate it.

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Friend,

For me there would be no contest. Nothing on the face of the earth can take the place of Christ’s sacrifical prayer to the Father which at Mass we recognize and celebrate as our own! I pray that for you the Mass holds the same such place. In that case, your question is moot. If not–I would not understand why you want to become a Catholic.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.