Canceling Mass, Sunday Obligation - Part Deux

[WillyAL]

As a non-Catholic married to a Catholic, I find many Church “rules” puzzling and interesting and the same time. With that in mind…there is another thread on this forum concerning the cancellation of Mass due to severe weather and opinions regarding the obligation to attend another Mass on that day. My wife and I found ourselves in a similar, yet different situation a several weeks ago.

The church where we attend Mass has no pastor. Consequently, this parish is served by a rotating schedule of substitute priests. There is only one Mass scheduled for Sunday, and it begins at noon. On the Sunday in question, as the congregation was sitting there waiting for Mass to begin, a gentleman got up and announced that due to a scheduling glitch, there was no priest, and therefore no Mass. As we were all filing out, there seemed to be some confusion about whether or not the “Sunday obligation” had been met. There are other churches in the area, but I believe the noon Mass at this parish was the last one of the day, other than the late afternoon Mass at the cathedral, which is about 15 miles away. My wife expressed an interest in going to the cathedral Mass and, knowing that it was important to her, I agreed to go. I have to admit, however, that I was a bit peeved about having to cancel my appointment with the Green Bay Packers and having to spend a huge part of my day trying to get to Mass.

My question: What would a Catholic’s obligation be under this set of circumstances?

 

[SuperLuigi]

As a non-Catholic married to a Catholic, I find many Church “rules” puzzling and interesting and the same time. With that in mind…there is another thread on this forum concerning the cancellation of Mass due to severe weather and opinions regarding the obligation to attend another Mass on that day. My wife and I found ourselves in a similar, yet different situation a several weeks ago.

The church where we attend Mass has no pastor. Consequently, this parish is served by a rotating schedule of substitute priests. There is only one Mass scheduled for Sunday, and it begins at noon. On the Sunday in question, as the congregation was sitting there waiting for Mass to begin, a gentleman got up and announced that due to a scheduling glitch, there was no priest, and therefore no Mass. As we were all filing out, there seemed to be some confusion about whether or not the “Sunday obligation” had been met. There are other churches in the area, but I believe the noon Mass at this parish was the last one of the day, other than the late afternoon Mass at the cathedral, which is about 15 miles away. My wife expressed an interest in going to the cathedral Mass and, knowing that it was important to her, I agreed to go. I have to admit, however, that I was a bit peeved about having to cancel my appointment with the Green Bay Packers and having to spend a huge part of my day trying to get to Mass.

My question: What would a Catholic’s obligation be under this set of circumstances?

Let me just say that I appreciate your sacrifice to put God and the wishes of your wife ahead of Aaron Rodgers and company. I imagine that situation was neither fun nor easy for you.

Your question is a good one and has to do with the proper formation of conscience. :tiphat:

Ultimately, only a spiritual director could tell you for certain. In your wife’s place I would have done the same thing, but I like to go Communion whenever I can.

All I can tell you is that there is something to be said about planning your day in advance to go to Mass and showing up in good faith versus sleeping late and just not wanting to go.

What I can confidently say is neither of you would have been expected to WALK 15 miles to the cathedral under pain of mortal sin, especially since you made the good faith effort.

While you’re not Catholic and may not care about this as much, I will still say, this being a Catholic Forum, that short of a priest called away on emergency or being sick, there is absolutely no excuse for a mistake like that. I suppose mistakes happen, but it may go to show Catholics somewhere not doing due diligence. I mean, can you imagine someone letting this happen at their place of work or school?

What I would do in any case is discuss this with your wife and talk to a priest to find out if that does happen what the obligation is. I’d also ask what to do about the weather should ever come up while you have his ear, but I’ve never heard of any obligation to attend Sunday Mass if the weather is bad.

My guess is you’ll find that God doesn’t want people to be lazy and skip Mass, but that you shouldn’t risk your safety to attend Sunday Mass.

You are both in my prayers.

 

[St_Francis]

To be grateful that there is another church so close which has a later Mass

It is wonderful of you to join your wife at Mass!

 

[PaulfromIowa]

For Catholics, Sunday Mass is not just an obligation, it is a joy, the high point of our week. If your wife could not have made it to the Cathedral for the later Mass, I don’t think that there would have been any sin. She made the attempt to go to her regular parish. I think that most pastors would agree. For some, a 15 mile drive to the Cathedral is a minor thing; for others, not so easy, so not a binding obligation. It was certainly good of you to go with her.

 

[WillyAL]

Let me just say that I appreciate your sacrifice to put God and the wishes of your wife ahead of Aaron Rodgers and company.

It is wonderful of you to join your wife at Mass!

It was certainly good of you to go with her.

Before we got married my wife mentioned how sad it was to see so many married women go to Mass alone. I suspected at that time that I was going to be spending most Sunday mornings in church. I hit the jackpot when I found this woman. Accompanying her to Sunday Mass is really a very small sacrifice.

 

[tafan]

As a non-Catholic married to a Catholic, I find many Church “rules” puzzling and interesting and the same time. With that in mind…there is another thread on this forum concerning the cancellation of Mass due to severe weather and opinions regarding the obligation to attend another Mass on that day. My wife and I found ourselves in a similar, yet different situation a several weeks ago.

The church where we attend Mass has no pastor. Consequently, this parish is served by a rotating schedule of substitute priests. There is only one Mass scheduled for Sunday, and it begins at noon. On the Sunday in question, as the congregation was sitting there waiting for Mass to begin, a gentleman got up and announced that due to a scheduling glitch, there was no priest, and therefore no Mass. As we were all filing out, there seemed to be some confusion about whether or not the “Sunday obligation” had been met. There are other churches in the area, but I believe the noon Mass at this parish was the last one of the day, other than the late afternoon Mass at the cathedral, which is about 15 miles away. My wife expressed an interest in going to the cathedral Mass and, knowing that it was important to her, I agreed to go. I have to admit, however, that I was a bit peeved about having to cancel my appointment with the Green Bay Packers and having to spend a huge part of my day trying to get to Mass.

My question: What would a Catholic’s obligation be under this set of circumstances?

15 miles away: I would say the obligation would still apply for most of the people. Now, if someone had to work during that evening mass, then they would be excused. But in general, mass becomes unavailable in the morning but there is a readily available mass in the evening: certainly you have to go.

And why would you not want to?

 

[WillyAL]

*And why would you not want to?
*

Are you asking why I, personally, would not want to? Because I had other plans for my day.

That said, please note that I DID attend Mass with my wife on this occasion - as I do almost every Sunday.