Did I fulfill my Sunday obligation if I wasn't able to attend the whole mass?

[TempleofTheSoul]

I am in a situation where it is hard to get a ride to mass on Sundays for reasons I can’t get into right now. I took today this Saturday a van service to the church for the Saturday vigil mass. The van service operates on Saturdays only until 6pm and the vigil mass is at 4pm and runs for over an hour.

My problem with the van service is that it conflicts with the vigil mass runtime. The vigil mass runs past 5pm and the van service only runs until 6pm. And I asked them to pick me up around 6pm but the catch is the van service wants me to be ready for pick up an hour before the alotted pick up time, so I asked to be picked up at 6pm (the time the van service stops running). That means that I have to be ready by 5 pm… one hour before pick up by the van service.

I was able to get to church a half an hour early (3:30pm) before the vigil mass started at 4 and prayed the rosary but I could only attend the vigil mass up until after to Hosanna when you kneel and that was close to 5pm, the time I was suppose to be ready for pick up by the van service. I can’t tell you how upsetting it was to me to not be able to receive Our Lord and have to leave mass early.

My question is whether or not I fulfilled my Sunday obligation if I was only able to be at mass up until after the Hosanna when you kneel?

Thank you for your time and God bless

 

[benjamindt]

It sounds like there is a justifiable reason why you can’t make it, but I italicize “sounds like” because I’m no 100% sure. It must be very frustrating and the fact that you feel frustrated that you are missing the Eucharist sounds like you are not dashing out just because you don’t feel like being there.

Obviously we are obliged to attend mass and that would mean both liturgies, Word and Eucharist, and missing either of those would mean we did not fully attend the mass. However there are justifiable reasons that remove (?) or at least excuse us from the obligation of attending mass.

I would assume an actual inability to get to a mass would be quite sufficient to justify missing the mass, but I am no one with no authority. Perhaps you could call your priest and ask him what he thinks. He may even have a way to get you there and home so you don’t have to miss it.

Otherwise, perhaps you could put a request in to the priest for help. I have to believe there is some way, somebody who can pick you up on the way to church and drop you off. I have to believe that there are members in some close vicinity to your location and I would hope that as catholics there would be someone eager to help you attend.

 

[pianistclare]

Explain the situation to your pastor.
he may know someone who would be willing to give you a ride home. At any rate, HE is the one who should advise you as to what point it would be acceptable in this extreme circumstance to leave. Or, he may give you a temporary dispensation.
At any rate, he’s the one to ask.
Good luck!

 

[St_Francis]

Explain the situation to your pastor.
he may know someone who would be willing to give you a ride home. At any rate, HE is the one who should advise you as to what point it would be acceptable in this extreme circumstance to leave. Or, he may give you a temporary dispensation.
At any rate, he’s the one to ask.
Good luck!

Agree with this advice!! Also, if one *can’t *get to Mass, the obligation is lifted. *If *you were able to get a ride, then since you were only there for part of the Mass, you would still be under the obligation, but since you *can’t *get there, there is no obligation.

But do discuss with your pastor!

 

[Petersprincess1]

Wow what a coincidence that this question was posted. I searched the forum last week for this and I couldn’t find anything relating to this. Two weeks ago I attended Saturday 5pm mass with three of my boys, ages 4, 2, and 3 months. They are usually always well behaved. I wear the baby in a wrap, and the other two boys are in a double stroller. Well last Saturday, my two year old must not have been feeling well, and shortly after the gospel he started throwing a fit. I took them outside to try and calm him, but he started trying to get the straps off to escape the stroller and was screaming at the top of his lungs. I was worried about him escaping, because I was wearing the baby and wouldn’t be able to hold the two year old if he got out. So exasperated, I finally left. It was just before consecration. I told my husband when he got home from work what happened, and wondered if I had to go again the next day. He said no. So the next day he went to mass early with our two older children (8 yrs and 19 yrs old), then we went out for the day. Well this past Sunday, he went to his early mass and I went to the following mass, leaving the two year old home with him. During mass I wasn’t sure if I was in a state of sin considering what happened last week, so I refrained from receiving communion. I went to confession the next day because I wasn’t sure if I was in a state of sin, and when I explained to the priest what happened he said yes, it was a sin because I didn’t fulfill my obligation of going to mass and I should’ve tried to go again the next day. He said if there were no more opportunities to attend mass then it wouldn’t of been a sin, but since there were, I should’ve gone again. So I don’t know if it applies to you or not, whether or not you could’ve taken the bus the next day on Sunday.

 

[ProVobis]

If you’re not able, you’re not able. It may not fulfill your obligation (entirely), but it seems there are some mitigating circumstances. Definitely talk to your pastor.

 

[TempleofTheSoul]

Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate them. The suggestions to speak to my pastor about this is very wise and I will see if he knows any other parishioners who live close by who would be willing to pick me up and take me to mass or that I find some other transit service to take. Please pray for me that this happens as I miss receiving Our Lord very much.

Thanks again and God bless

 

[ProVobis]

Thank you all for your responses. I really appreciate them. The suggestions to speak to my pastor about this is very wise and I will see if he knows any other parishioners who live close by who would be willing to pick me up and take me to mass or that I find some other transit service to take.

FWIW, I’ve never taken transit to or from church (I either walk or drive) but I am impressed by those who do. I know Sunday service can be sparse, and one may end up waiting for hours for a train or a bus.