Can't Go To Mass

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CountrySinger

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I just moved to a new area for employment (4 hours away), and the nearest Catholic Churches are at least 10 miles away, and unable to be reached by bus lines on Sunday mornings until 11 am (I don’t have a car at this moment). I also work on Saturdays nights and 12-9 Sunday (new job). So it looks like I won’t be going to mass until my schedule changes, which according to work policy, it won’t change for at least 6 months. So will I be sinning if I don’t go to Church? I would feel weird calling the churches and seeing if they offer shuttles, since I haven’t even visited them yet. And cabs are not viable due to the cost. A single trip would be around $30, and money is too tight for that right now (I’ve called different cab companies).
 
I would definately call the closest parish and ask about transportation options. They will not be at all concerned about the fact that you haven’t attended there yet. Chances are good that there is someone living close to you that attends the same church that you could get a ride with. Or, they may have people that are more than happy to give rides to people who need them.
Do a little homework and I am sure you can find a solution. I would not want to deny myself the sacraments for 6 months!
 
Perhaps you could call one of the closest churches (or even call more), and ask them if they could put an announcement in the next bulletin about your situation. There may be someone in your immediate area that would be glad to give you a ride to Mass.

You could even post a note on the bulletin boards of grocery stores, laundromat,etc. to see if anyone could help you get to Mass.

There was a request for transportation in last Sunday’s bulletin at the parish where I went to Mass.
 
By all means, call the church and explain your situation. Ask if they know of parish members who live near and might drive you to Mass with them. If you can’t call, email the priest. I would go ahead and join a parish.

When my mom can’t make it to Mass, she watches a televised Mass. She misses communion, but gets to see and hear the rest of the Mass. You could ask the priest about that.

Good luck with your new job, and in your new home. It takes courage to relocate as far away as you have.
 
Honestly, I would ride my bicycle. Ten miles isn’t too far- but then again, I am a cyclist.

Edit: wanna-be cyclist.
 
KostyaJMJ said:
10 miles is really close. What about buying a bicycle?
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Washington’s weather is really wet, in fact, it is pouring right now. So if I was dressed for mass, I would be a disaster. But it is a good idea for a less damp area.
 
If you work all weekend, consider daily Masses. Most parishes have one. I used to travel alot for work, and the 1st thing i did when i got to my hotel room in a strange town was drag out the yellow pages and start calling the churches in town. Most had a nite answering machine with the weekly Mass schedule.
I was amazed at how many early morning or evening Masses I was able to get to in these places. Much of my travel was in the PNW, including the sound area where you live.

Also , for anyone who travels, I discovered this amazing website where you can look up Mass times anywhere on the PLANET : Check this out everyone !!! ::​

masstimes.org/dotnet/default.aspx​

I put in Federal Way and came up with Mass Schedules for many RCChurches under 10 miles:: Here you go ::>>

148 visits St. Theresa (253) 838-5924 Web Map Updated: 7/29/2009
Sat: 5 PM Sun: 8:45, 11:15 AM ; 6 PM Sun: 8:30, 10:30 AM (summer) ; (Times Vary Call Parish To Confirm) ; Holy Day: 9 AM ; 7 PM ; Address: 3939 S.W. 331st Federal Way WA 98023 US

183 visits St. Vincent de Paul (253) 839-2320 Web Map Updated: 7/29/2009
Sat: 5 PM Sun: 8, 9:30, 11:30 AM ; 5 PM ; Mon, Tue, Thursday thru Sat: 9 AM Wed: 7 PM ; Holy Day: 7, 9 AM ; 7 PM ; Adoration: (1st.) Fri: 9 AM to 1 PM ; Devotion: Monday thru Fri: 8:30 AM (Rosary); Address: 30525 8th Ave S. Federal Way WA 98003 US
3 miles
101 visits Holy Family (253) 833-5130 Web Map Updated: 7/29/2009
Sat: 5 PM Sun: 8:30, 10:30 AM ; 6 PM (1st, 2nd, 3rd) Sun: 3 PM [Vietnamese] ; Monday thru Fri: 7:55 AM Wed: 8 AM (Communion Service) ; Holy Day: 9 AM ; 7 PM ; Adoration: (1st) Fri: 9 AM to 9 PM ; Devotion: Monday thru Fri: 7:30 AM (Rosary); Address: 505 17th Street S.E. Auburn WA 98002 US
6 miles
167 visits Holy Spirit (253) 859-0444 Web Map Updated: 7/29/2009
Sat: 5 PM Sun: 8:30, 10:45 AM ; 12:30 PM [Spanish] ; Address: 327 2nd Ave S. Kent WA 98032 US
6 miles
103 visits St. Martin of Tours (253) 922-7882 Web Map Updated: 7/29/2009
Sat: 5 PM Sun: 8:30, 10 AM ; Monday thru Fri: 8 AM ; Address: 2303 54th Ave E. Fife WA 98424-1918 US
7 miles
249 visits St. Philomena (206) 878-8709 Web Map Updated: 7/29/2009
Sat: 5:30 PM Sun: 8:30, 10:30 AM ; 12:30 PM [Spanish], 5:30 PM ; Monday thru Fri: 8 AM Wed: 7 PM [Spanish] Fri, Sat: 9 AM ; Holy Day: (Times vary Call Parish To Confirm) ; Address: 1790 S. 222nd Street Des Moines WA 98198 US
8 miles
261 visits Saints Peter and Paul (253) 507-5861 Web Map Updated: 7/30/2009
Sat: 5, 7 PM [Polish] Sun: 9, 11 AM [Polish] ; Mon, Wed: 8 AM Tue: 11 AM ; Holy Day: (Times Vary Call parish To Confirm) ; Address: 3422 E. Portland Ave Tacoma WA 98404-4827 US
8 miles
124 visits St. Andrew (253) 863-2253 Web Map Updated: 7/29/2009
Sat: 5, 7 PM [Spanish] Sun: 8, 10:30 AM ; 5:30, 7 PM [Spanish] ; Holy Day: (Times Vary Call Parish To Confirm) ; Address: 1401 Valley Ave Sumner WA 98390 US
8 miles
107 visits St. Leo (253) 272-5136 Web Map Updated: 7/29/2009
Sat: 5 PM Sun: 8, 10:30 AM ; Monday thru Fri: 12:10 PM ; Holy Day: 12:10 PM ; Address: 710 13th Street Tacoma WA
 
Also, I was able to many tmes find a church within WALKING distance for a AM or PM Mass. Sometimes I took an umbrella, but I was able to walk to many of them. Of course God had a plan all along, He was just waiting for me to make an effort…:o
 
Thank you so much for the information! I’ve heard of St. Vincent’s and St. Theresa’s. I was thinking of going to one daily mass a week, since I will only be off during the week. My main worry is if it is a sin. I can’t change my schedule without risking my job (I would love to find another job with a better schedule, but in this economy, it is unlikely).
For me, walking distance is 2 miles (my knee injury hurts too much and swells if I walk more than that at one time).
 
:eek:Goodness, missing mass for six months sounds awful!

Definitely call and make an effort to find out about others in your area who can give you a ride. I mean there’s got to be at least one carful of good Catholics around:D
 
Please call the parish you are interested in attending and tell them your situation. I am sure they will be more than happy to match you up with someone. In fact, my parish bulletin this weekend had a request for someone needing help with transportation.

I hope you can work something out
 
It is in just such a situation, -where there is no Catholic Church close enough to attend that we have permission to attend an Orthodox Church should one be nearby. You must however get permission from the Orthodox Church to receive communion. Unfortunately, many Orthodox Churhces are not keen to receive Catholics for communion, but that you could still attend the Liturgy without receiving communion.

Also, you could attend ANY Eastern Rite Catholic Church, and since it is Catholic, you would most certainly receive communion.
 
CountrySinger, hear me out. 😉

If I were in your shoes, I would FIRST contact the local churches (as others have already suggested) and let them know of your situation. If they can’t suggest a solution then maybe they could even have the priest come visit you for confession and communion a couple times a month or something. I don’t know if they will do that, usually it’s reserved for people who are ill. But I would definitely explain the ENTIRE situation to them- that you could be missing Mass for a period of months otherwise. Someone there will try to help you, I’m sure of it.

And by all means, make an appointment with the priest for sometime during the week when you can get to thje church. He’ll be able to tell you about the sin aspect. But I can tell you now that if you’re in a situation where getting to Mass is a true hardship or an impossibility, then it would not be a sin to miss Mass. BUT I don’t think that your situation is an impossible one.

Leave a flyer on the bulletin board at a couple of these churches explaining your situation and that you’d be willing to chip in a few dollars for gas if you could get a ride on Sundays, etc. Then cut little strips on the bottom of the flyer with your name and contact phone number.

Then, if for some reason that doesn’t pan out, or if you’re only able to arrange a ride to Mass *some *of the time, then I would just try to cobble together a plan for the other weeks using the options and resources you *do *have.

Example: I lived up in Bellevue and Renton for several years so I know it *does *rain a lot there. But it doesn’t rain ALL the time. So maybe you could get a bike and ride to Mass once or twice a month say, depending on the weather and your health, etc.

Then as for the bus schedule and the price of cab fare…First, Is the $30 for one way or round-trip? Either way I can see that being too expensive if you did it every week, but maybe you could budget in a cab trip once a month? That shouldn’t be too hard. On those Sundays once a month you can maybe get a bus to Mass and a cab back. That takes care of one week. The next week you ride your bike, the week after that you can hopefully arrange a ride with someone, etc.

I do understand where you’re coming from because I don’t have a car either and the bus line is a 20 minute walk from my house. Plus I’m almost 8 weeks pregnant now so I’m exhausted all the time. Getting to Mass on my own requires a 30-40 minute walk (round trip) and anywhere from a 1 hour to a 2 and a half hour bus ride, depending on the parish I go to. This past summer was the hottest summer on record in Central Texas, so for a person without a car it was absolute hell. I don’t spend a lot of money on clothes or books or personal things for myself-- instead I spend almost all of my extra “fun money” on cab fare, frequently to Mass. So I do empathize with you. It can be very, very hard. But it’s not impossible. Offer up the inconvenience and think of how God will bless you for making these sacrifices. 🙂
 
Take the money you are spending for cosmetic surgery and buy a car instead. This way, you can avoid the sin of vanity and make it to mass.
 
kage_ar said:
Take the money you are spending for cosmetic surgery and buy a car instead. This way, you can avoid the sin of vanity and make it to mass.
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It’s not my money that is being spent. My aunt is the one who is paying for it, I won’t see any of the money myself. And I’ve alrrady asked her if she could help with a car, and she said nope.
 
If the new job is kind enough to let you off to recoup from major surgery, they would surely fix your schedule to let you go to Mass.
 
CountrySinger said:
It’s not my money that is being spent. My aunt is the one who is paying for it, I won’t see any of the money myself. And I’ve alrrady asked her if she could help with a car, and she said nope.
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Don’t even need a car, espeically if money is an issue. Just do the bus/cab thing a couple times a months. Cabs are expensive but if it’s only infrequently and one-way only, you should be able to budget it in. That’s what I have to do and I am about as poor as they come. 😊

And then, weather permitting, you could try to walk/bike it some of the other times.
 
I called the 2 churches in town. They both don’t have anyone who is doing transportation for mass. They said they would ask around. Oh well. Maybe it is good for me not to go. All the families at mass depress me even more. 😦 When I was at my old church, I would have to leave mass mid-way through because I would be bawling (not a good thing when you are in the choir). And I was a youth minister and CCD teacher, so I was involved, but it didn’t help.
 
CountrySinger said:
I called the 2 churches in town. They both don’t have anyone who is doing transportation for mass. They said they would ask around. Oh well. Maybe it is good for me not to go. All the families at mass depress me even more. 😦 When I was at my old church, I would have to leave mass mid-way through because I would be bawling (not a good thing when you are in the choir). And I was a youth minister and CCD teacher, so I was involved, but it didn’t help.
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Just out of curiosity…

Is it that you can’t go to Mass or is it more like you do not want to go to Mass? From all the excuses and then you saying maybe it is good for you not to go, I get the impression it is more the latter than the former.

And for me personally, I would not want a man that I had to alter my body to attract. My body is the way God intended it to be and any man that doesn’t like me the way I am isn’t worth my time. But that’s just me and I am truly sorry you feel that you have to put yourself through that to get a man to want to be with you. I will be praying for you that you find someone who will love you for you and treat you with respect and dignity and I will also pray that you find a way to make it to Mass.

Hugs((()))
 
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