Didn't go to Mass today...

[Musician]

I feel awful about not going to Mass today. But I have been working non-stop for days now, 10-12 hour days in my business and I just could NOT make myself get up and go to Mass this morning. I am so very tired.
Now I will have to go to confession, because for me it is a serious sin to miss Mass. (Well, I guess it is for everyone, right?)
Does it matter that I was so tired I felt ill? Or is it still a mortal sin?
Sometimes I can be a little scrupulous.

 

[LilyM]

I feel awful about not going to Mass today. But I have been working non-stop for days now, 10-12 hour days in my business and I just could NOT make myself get up and go to Mass this morning. I am so very tired.
Now I will have to go to confession, because for me it is a serious sin to miss Mass. (Well, I guess it is for everyone, right?)
Does it matter that I was so tired I felt ill? Or is it still a mortal sin?
Sometimes I can be a little scrupulous.

It’s worth talking to your priest about - if only because such a situation might arise again in future, and you’ll want to know whether it’s sinful or not. Perhaps go on Saturday evenings instead, if it’s possible? Or Sunday evenings?

Not having been inside your skin this morning, I certainly can’t judge how ill you might’ve felt and whether it was ill enough to justify your missing Mass. It’s really only something you can figure out with your priest’s help.

 

[1ke]

You should talk to your priest.

Working to excess to the point where you do not want to get up to go to church certainly is something you chose to do. If you are willing to put in 10-12 hours a day with work and run yourself into the ground, yet not find 1 hour for church-- certainly I think you bear responsibility for that. You had alternatives-- going to Mass on Saturday evening, working less hours, or going to bed sufficiently early on Saturday night.

You weren’t really sick. I think you are trying to stretch “tired” into “sick” and that’s a rationalization that may lead you to do it again.

So, talk to your priest.

 

[JimCalvin]

Greetings,

Our Father was indeed wise when He ordered the Israelis to stop working one day a week. He knows that we need our rest and that, left to our own devices, we won’t take it. As the others have said, it’s best to speak with your priest. Objectively, it’s a mortal sin and requires the sacrament of confession. Subjectively, it MIGHT be a different story, given your circumstances. Either way, if it were me, I’d go to confession for the graces and reconciliation - and speak with the priest outside the confessional (even through email) about what lead to your missing Mass and how rotten you feel about it. Abide in God’s love. It is in our weaknesses that God’s strength can shine most brightly.

Peace,
Jim

 

[LilyM]

You should talk to your priest.

Working to excess to the point where you do not want to get up to go to church certainly is something you chose to do. If you are willing to put in 10-12 hours a day with work and run yourself into the ground, yet not find 1 hour for church-- certainly I think you bear responsibility for that. You had alternatives-- going to Mass on Saturday evening, working less hours, or going to bed sufficiently early on Saturday night.

You weren’t really sick. I think you are trying to stretch “tired” into “sick” and that’s a rationalization that may lead you to do it again.

So, talk to your priest.

How do you know the poster ‘had alternatives’? Maybe the alternative is losing the roof over their heads and seeing their children starve.

Somehow I don’t think God would want them to have that happen for the sake of an hour at Mass. Wasn’t it Jesus, after all, who said ‘the sabbath is made for man, not man for the sabbath’? And criticised an overly legalistic, Pharisaical attitude towards the sabbath obligation?

For that matter how do you know that working long hours didn’t genuinely make them ill? Certainly long hours at work and the resultant stress can produce real physical illness. Not always, but sometimes.

Please note, I am not saying that the Sabbath is not a serious obligation. On the contrary it is very serious. I am just saying there often is a lot more to such stories than people being lazy or, having a genuine choice, choosing work over Mass.

 

[Califman831]

How do you know the poster ‘had alternatives’? Maybe the alternative is losing the roof over their heads and seeing their children starve.

Somehow I don’t think God would want them to have that happen for the sake of an hour at Mass. Wasn’t it Jesus, after all, who said ‘the sabbath is made for man, not man for the sabbath’? And criticised an overly legalistic, Pharisaical attitude towards the sabbath obligation?

For that matter how do you know that working long hours didn’t genuinely make them ill? Certainly long hours at work and the resultant stress can produce real physical illness. Not always, but sometimes.

Please note, I am not saying that the Sabbath is not a serious obligation. On the contrary it is very serious. I am just saying there often is a lot more to such stories than people being lazy or, having a genuine choice, choosing work over Mass.

If its novous order, you didnt miss much. I walked out of mass today cause of the brats that are allowed to run free without their parents taking action to correct them. The old saying is very true, spare the rod and you spoil the child.

 

[kage_ar]

If its novous order, you didnt miss much. I walked out of mass today cause of the brats that are allowed to run free without their parents taking action to correct them. The old saying is very true, spare the rod and you spoil the child.

To walk out of mass because of children, on this - pro life Sunday of all days - how very very sad.

 

[johns58w]

SSPX - Society of St. Pius X. Oh yes! Archbishop Lefebvre and the schism for about 20 years away from the Catholic Church and appointment of priests while in schism. Well I can say welcome back to the Roman Catholic Church as His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI has authorized them back in. I pray for SSPX on present and future obedience to the Supreme Pontiff.
Term for type mass is NOVUS ORDO used in this present Second Vatican Council as mass is spoken in the vernacular or language understood by the local diocese/parish. I have attended a TLM-Tridentine Latin Mass and loved it very much first time for me and very proud to say these Masses are being preserved as the Roman Catholic Church never did away with this Mass. The problem is not the sixteen documents of the Second Vatican Council or the council in particular, but the" Vatican twoish" attitude of many parishoners and priests who still want to “Protestantize” the Church parishes with unfortunately lack of chatechesis of their faith. I sympathize with you on your dissapointment of Novus Ordo but at the same token this was deemed neccessary due to the fact we live in a society which needs a language understanding of the holy sacrifice of the Mass. Don’t get met wrong I don’t have a problem going to either Mass being I have been studying the faith for eight years and learned some Latin to acquire Tridentine Mass. But a person must be very devoted in Novus Ordo Mass in order to understand Tridentine Mass unless a special God given grace has the person there. Kids will always run and make noise at Church. I’ve gotten over it and paid more attention to Father at Mass. The parent needs to take care of the kids on that matter. I assume you are on time for Mass and don’t run out of Mass after receiving communion. I know a man every Sunday at my pew does that runs out the side door. But the Mass goes on and I have a mission call after Mass is done. We ask God for our mission call daily. Not busy throwing Jesus in the closet until next Sunday

 

[yellowbird]

If its novous order, you didnt miss much. I walked out of mass today cause of the brats that are allowed to run free without their parents taking action to correct them. The old saying is very true, spare the rod and you spoil the child.

Couldn’t you offer up your “suffering” for someone less fortunate than you?

 

[mwscott]

If its novous order, you didnt miss much. I walked out of mass today cause of the brats that are allowed to run free without their parents taking action to correct them. The old saying is very true, spare the rod and you spoil the child.

So the question now is: Which is worse, letting your children and running around loudly at Mass or being so concerned with the distraction and with the disrespect of someone else that you forget you are in the Presence of Christ and that you, yourself, are a sinner?

 

[yellowbird]

So the question now is: Which is worse, letting your children and running around loudly at Mass or being so concerned with the distraction and with the disrespect of someone else that you forget you are in the Presence of Christ and that you, yourself, are a sinner?

 

[Califman831]

No, I did not receive communion today. It would have been an offense to receive the body of our lord in an angry state. I walked out just before hand, while they were giving the altar servers the blood and body of Christ. Recently I have avoided going to mass because of all the abuses that take place. The problems with the children are just one example out of many that go on in the local parish. To be fair to the majority of the children in attendance, its just a few brats that call attention to themselves and ruin the mass.

I’m not sure if I can fulfill my Sunday obligation by watching the mass on ewtn, or some other form of media, where the mass is shown with a high degree of respect. I could then attend the parish during the periods when there are few or none in the building.

 

[yellowbird]

No, I did not receive communion today. It would have been an offense to receive the body of our lord in an angry state. I walked out just before hand, while they were giving the altar servers the blood and body of Christ. Recently I have avoided going to mass because of all the abuses that take place. The problems with the children are just one example out of many that go on in the local parish. To be fair to the majority of the children in attendance, its just a few brats that call attention to themselves and ruin the mass.

I’m not sure if I can fulfill my Sunday obligation by watching the mass on ewtn, or some other form of media, where the mass is shown with a high degree of respect. I could then attend the parish during the periods when there are few or none in the building.

We had a Priest speak at our parish recently. He was from Africa. He said people in his parish walk, literally 3 hours to attend mass. When it’s over they turn around and walk 3 hours home. Can you even imagine what they would say if they heard that you allowed yourself to become so angry over a few children that you walked out without receiving the Eucharist? Or that you refuse to go because you feel there are abuses taking place? It’s still Jesus - it’s Him you’re walking away from. Lucky for you it’s not a 3 hour walk?

 

[ELROD]

Well, I did go to mass Saturday evening. The people right behind me were coughing, the people in front of me were blowing their noses. I am aware of how easy it is to catch a bug from someone else. Then there was the sign of peace. Oh brother! What a deal. What do you guys and gals think. Is a runny nose and cough a good reason to stay home from mass. It is if your sitting anywhere near me!

 

[mommyof4]

Wow, didn’t take long for this thread to go astray! OP, I would talk to a priest about this, and get his advice. I hope things calm down for you, one way or another!

 

[LilyM]

Well, I did go to mass Saturday evening. The people right behind me were coughing, the people in front of me were blowing their noses. I am aware of how easy it is to catch a bug from someone else. Then there was the sign of peace. Oh brother! What a deal. What do you guys and gals think. Is a runny nose and cough a good reason to stay home from mass. It is if your sitting anywhere near me!

Most people who are ill and go to Mass (in my experience) have sense enough to refrain from shaking hands at the Sign of Peace and don’t, for example, receive from the chalice.

With those simple precautions, it probably isn’t a big deal to go with a slight cough or cold.

 

[yellowbird]

Well, I did go to mass Saturday evening. The people right behind me were coughing, the people in front of me were blowing their noses. I am aware of how easy it is to catch a bug from someone else. Then there was the sign of peace. Oh brother! What a deal. What do you guys and gals think. Is a runny nose and cough a good reason to stay home from mass. It is if your sitting anywhere near me!

Well, a runny nose could be allergies. My nose runs like crazy if I catch a wiff of someone’s perfume… or even lingering smoke on their clothing. And a cough can last for weeks, even if someone is feeling much better. But if someone has a fever or is just gettting sick I certainly think they should stay home for their sake and ours.

You should probably carry hand sanitizer if you’re worried. That’s what I do.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

If its novous order, you didnt miss much. I walked out of mass today cause of the brats that are allowed to run free without their parents taking action to correct them. The old saying is very true, spare the rod and you spoil the child.

The form of the Mass had nothing to do with the parent’s ability to control their children. If you walked out of Mass because of a few kids in the aisle than if I were you, I would also be going to see my priest. You should be concerned about sins of intolerance, pride, lack of seriousness about the sacrifice of the Mass if you are walking out because of a simple distraction!

 

[ac_claire]

No, I did not receive communion today. It would have been an offense to receive the body of our lord in an angry state. I walked out just before hand, while they were giving the altar servers the blood and body of Christ. Recently I have avoided going to mass because of all the abuses that take place. The problems with the children are just one example out of many that go on in the local parish. To be fair to the majority of the children in attendance, its just a few brats that call attention to themselves and ruin the mass.

My fiance is similar to you. He has the strongest faith in the Real Presence that I’ve ever come across, and there are certain Eucharist-related liturgical abuses that he can’t take. If it happens in his presence he just closes his eyes and prays and doesn’t feel that he’s properly disposed at that point to receive Communion.

Missing Mass entirely though, because of liturgical abuses, is not a valid reason to miss Mass. Watching on EWTN or listening on the radio doesn’t fulfil the obligation either. (That one I know for sure, I asked the same thing awhile back. )

The thing with the kids you mention, I’ve experienced that a couple times, where a family has been so ill-behaved and distracting that I got up and moved clear to the other side of the sanctuary. You could try that sometime, or you can endure it and offer it up. Do what you have to do, but don’t actually leave Mass because of it. You do that and you’re risking putting yourself in sin. You didn’t ask for it, but there’s my advice.

 

[Musician]

I am going to go to confession this week and confess missing Mass. But I am going to ask my priest about this matter. Right now I have no choice about working 6 days a week; we are trying to keep a business afloat in seriously bad economic times, and I have over 20 teachers and 275 students counting on me to pay the bills and keep this studio open. I really was tired nearly to death! but I know that is no excuse.