T
The_Old_Medic
Guest
Having been a single parent, who had two young daughters to clothe and feed, I DO know the problem. I also had to do this while attending College on a full time basis. Thank God for my mother, who helped watch them while I was in class, and took them to and from school every day.
I however made their breakfast, made their dinner, did their laundry, played with them every day, read them a bedtime story, etc. The ONLY days I could not put them to bed was Friday and Saturday, 4-12, when I worked in an emergency room. I worked my tail off, taking an average of 21 semester units at a time, working those weekend nights AND taking care of my girls while trying to get homework/studying done.
I also took them to Mass with me each and every Sunday, without fail. I got them involved in parish activities, and saw to it that they remained active all through their teen years.
The result of that was being at their weddings, in a Catholic Church. Being able to be present during the Baptism of my grandsons, their first communions and their confirmations. And, having my daughters raise their children with the same values, and essentially the same methods that I did.
Don’t try to tell me I don’t understand the problems. I darn well do. I lived them myself. I was a single parent for 9 years, till my daughters were 12 and 10… (My daughters introduced me to my 2nd wife, who was one of their teachers. They also asked her to adopt them a year after we married. Both of them were in our wedding party.)
I can hardly believe that there is only one job available, and that one job requires that you work all day and evening on both Saturday and Sunday.
If that is the case, if that is the ONLY job available to you, then fine, you are validly excused from attending Mass. If it is NOT the only job available that would meet the need, then you are not.
I however made their breakfast, made their dinner, did their laundry, played with them every day, read them a bedtime story, etc. The ONLY days I could not put them to bed was Friday and Saturday, 4-12, when I worked in an emergency room. I worked my tail off, taking an average of 21 semester units at a time, working those weekend nights AND taking care of my girls while trying to get homework/studying done.
I also took them to Mass with me each and every Sunday, without fail. I got them involved in parish activities, and saw to it that they remained active all through their teen years.
The result of that was being at their weddings, in a Catholic Church. Being able to be present during the Baptism of my grandsons, their first communions and their confirmations. And, having my daughters raise their children with the same values, and essentially the same methods that I did.
Don’t try to tell me I don’t understand the problems. I darn well do. I lived them myself. I was a single parent for 9 years, till my daughters were 12 and 10… (My daughters introduced me to my 2nd wife, who was one of their teachers. They also asked her to adopt them a year after we married. Both of them were in our wedding party.)
I can hardly believe that there is only one job available, and that one job requires that you work all day and evening on both Saturday and Sunday.
If that is the case, if that is the ONLY job available to you, then fine, you are validly excused from attending Mass. If it is NOT the only job available that would meet the need, then you are not.