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DL82
Guest
OK, so this is my first Christmas at home with my dad and step-mum since I was received into the Church this Easter (technically last Easter now, since it’s a new liturgical year).
I’m not sure anything will be that different. The local Catholic Church in my village (a room in a military social club with about 20 chairs and an altar) only ever has vigil mass on Sundays & Holy Days because the priest serves 3 or 4 villages, and has to do morning & evening mass elsewhere. I guess that means there will be a Vigil for Christmas day. Thing is, we usually go to the protestant church where I was brought up, as a family, for the Watchnight service at midnight. If it’s a midnight mass at the Catholic Church, I guess I’ll have to go to that instead, which will be weird. I’ll try to drag my dad along too (step-mum is a committed atheist, so doubt there’s much chance there). I don’t see anything wrong with going to the protestant church with my dad, provided it doesn’t conflict with my mass obligation, particularly since it’s the only time he sets foot inside any kind of church all year, and I wouldn’t want to discourage that. If there is a mass on Christmas day, I should go, and I guess that might lead to some ‘interesting’ discussions, I can’t imagine they’ll really understand the idea of missing mass being a mortal sin.
Are there any other holy days of obligation in the Christmas season? I’ve heard some say 1st of Jan is one?
Anybody else have any experience of being the only Catholic in the family on Christmas?
I’m not sure anything will be that different. The local Catholic Church in my village (a room in a military social club with about 20 chairs and an altar) only ever has vigil mass on Sundays & Holy Days because the priest serves 3 or 4 villages, and has to do morning & evening mass elsewhere. I guess that means there will be a Vigil for Christmas day. Thing is, we usually go to the protestant church where I was brought up, as a family, for the Watchnight service at midnight. If it’s a midnight mass at the Catholic Church, I guess I’ll have to go to that instead, which will be weird. I’ll try to drag my dad along too (step-mum is a committed atheist, so doubt there’s much chance there). I don’t see anything wrong with going to the protestant church with my dad, provided it doesn’t conflict with my mass obligation, particularly since it’s the only time he sets foot inside any kind of church all year, and I wouldn’t want to discourage that. If there is a mass on Christmas day, I should go, and I guess that might lead to some ‘interesting’ discussions, I can’t imagine they’ll really understand the idea of missing mass being a mortal sin.
Are there any other holy days of obligation in the Christmas season? I’ve heard some say 1st of Jan is one?
Anybody else have any experience of being the only Catholic in the family on Christmas?
Other posts above seem to answer most of your questions, but I wanted to suggest not bringing up missing Mass as a mortal sin. You can go to the protestant church (but not participate in their communion), then go to Mass. If you get questions, I suggest saying you just like to go, rather than saying anything about mortal sin. All of my family is Catholic, but not really. So I get lots of questions about why I’m going to Mass. I have found that saying I like to go is acceptable to them. Saying it’s a mortal sin makes them think I’m being judgmental of them.