Going to mass with a cold?

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Xandria

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Since last night I have been sick with a cold. In a few hours I would have to go to mass at 6 pm. Now I don’t know if I should go or not. Ususally my colds become very bad, I don’t know a single person who gets them as bad as I do. But since this is just the beginning I don’t suffer that much yet. I do have a running nose and slight temperature. I have googled the topic and have found different opinions. Some say that a cold is not an excuse to miss mass and therefore a sin, others say that not only can stay home but should do so as not to infect others, which would also be a sin. What should I do? I really don’t want infect anyone else but I also want to make sure that staying home is alright.
 
I don’t really know what you should do.

Is there a part where you can sit where no one would be near you? My church has a tiny transept and the seats are about two feet wide in those places, so many people who sit by themselves sit there because only one person can sit.

If your church is usually super packed with nowhere for you to sit relatively alone, I wouldn’t go.
 
Well, you’ve heard both sides of the opinions; I think you should follow your conscience and do the right thing. If that fails, then call a priest and take his advice.
 
I will pray that you get better. But if you think you cannot concertrate on the mass, I would stay home, I think there is mass on Tv and on line. It’s not the same. The choice is yours.
 
Xandria said:
Since last night I have been sick with a cold. .
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if you are spreading droplet infection by sneezing etc. please stay home, I think it is one of the biggest breaches of charity in modern society to go to work, store, church etc. in cold and flu season when you are actively displaying symptoms. If you do go and manage to sit away from other people, please keep your hands in your pockets during the sign of peace. Thank you from all us immune compromised folks.

your question is a matter of ordinary prudential judgement, you don’t need to ask third parties.
 
If you do go, try to stay away from those most vulnerable (elderly, young children etc.)

Refrain from physical touch during the sign of peace, and refrain from receiving from the chalice if that is an option in your parish.

Hope you feel better soon.
 
Coughs & Sneezes spread diseases!

Please remember that the laws of Charity should take presidence. If there is a genuine risk of spreading your illness, please don’t go.
 
puzzleannie said:
I think it is one of the biggest breaches of charity in modern society to go to work, store, church etc. in cold and flu season when you are actively displaying symptoms.
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Not really relevant but this is not an opinion I find shared by managers.
 
Xandria said:
Since last night I have been sick with a cold. In a few hours I would have to go to mass at 6 pm. Now I don’t know if I should go or not. Ususally my colds become very bad, I don’t know a single person who gets them as bad as I do. But since this is just the beginning I don’t suffer that much yet. I do have a running nose and slight temperature. I have googled the topic and have found different opinions. Some say that a cold is not an excuse to miss mass and therefore a sin, others say that not only can stay home but should do so as not to infect others, which would also be a sin. What should I do? I really don’t want infect anyone else but I also want to make sure that staying home is alright.
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If you would consider going out anywhere else, you should go to Mass. If you can get there safely and sit up for an hour and get yourself home, you should go.

You don’t need to shake hands during the sign of peace. Take a pack of tissues to cover sneezing and coughs, and take your used tissues home with you! :eek:

You don’t even have to go up for communion, but you need to be at Mass. Unless you have a high fever or are taking medications that will make driving dangerous.
 
If it’s really bad, you shouldn’t but if you want to go my advice is to not take the wine so you wouldn’t spread anything.

And if you feel REALLY guilty about it just confess it when you get the chance.

God bless :byzsoc:

David
 
If you have a fever, stay home.
If you do go, most people will understand if you refrain from the sign of peace. I like how the sign of peace is offered in my current overseas parish. Most parishioners and priests are Indian. We merely bow to one another. Namaste.
I remember being sick my sophomore year of college, sick enough to be sent home early. I still went to Mass with my family, but sat on a folding chair in the vestibule rather than a pew.
 
If you feel well enough to go, then you should not miss Mass. However, please wash your hands in the restroom before you go in, sit as away as possible from the others and receive Communion in your hand. I got sick from a lady last month at daily Mass (and then gave it to my husband), she sat behind me and coughed all over my shoulder most of the time. I have a job where I work at night and cannot call in sick; a little common sense and good manners on her part would have been nice.:cool:
 
If you have a fever (you said you had a low-grade one), you are contagious. I hope you stayed home. Sometimes we cough and sneeze without warning and spread our germs. We also touch doorknobs, backs of pews, etc., and can spread our colds this way. Many people, even though they are careful and wash their hands, touch their face and mouth and nose without being aware of it, and then spread their illness.

My Pastor specifically wrote in the bulletin last year that if one is sick, one should stay home, period, and not risk infecting others, esp. the very young and the elderly. This is the charitable thing to do, and there is no sin involved.
 
Agreed on staying home if there’s a real risk of infecting others.

However, I don’t know at which point the risk of infecting others starts or ends. For example, I know that a flu can be transferred, as can be a serious cold. But I don’t know if a person with a mild sneezing problem obviously attributable to an open window at night or a cold evening yesterday is at risk of infecting others (unlike a regular flu or a serious cold, as far as I’m not mistaken). This is where I’ve been having a problem myself this autumn because I have a pretty much permanent mild cold to the point I rarely go out. I tend to go to church but not receive communion, shake hands or take the holy water, and to stay away (which I do anyway because I like to sing but I’m not good at it ;)).

Umm… does anybody have reliable medical knowledge about the extent of the risk or when it starts or ends?
 
chevalier said:
Agreed on staying home if there’s a real risk of infecting others.

However, I don’t know at which point the risk of infecting others starts or ends. For example, I know that a flu can be transferred, as can be a serious cold. But I don’t know if a person with a mild sneezing problem obviously attributable to an open window at night or a cold evening yesterday is at risk of infecting others (unlike a regular flu or a serious cold, as far as I’m not mistaken). This is where I’ve been having a problem myself this autumn because I have a pretty much permanent mild cold to the point I rarely go out. I tend to go to church but not receive communion, shake hands or take the holy water, and to stay away (which I do anyway because I like to sing but I’m not good at it ;)).

Umm… does anybody have reliable medical knowledge about the extent of the risk or when it starts or ends?
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With a cold you are contagious from two to three days before you develop symptoms and remain contagious until all your symptoms have cleared up. Even if you want to avoid passing a cold on it’s extremely difficult especially when accounting for those first days before you start with symptoms.
 
followingtheway said:
If And if you feel REALLY guilty about it just confess it when you get the chance.

David
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if you stay home from Mass because you are sick, there is nothing to confess, don’t get into the bad habit of confessing actions that are not sinful.
 
Enth on staying home if you feel really cruddy/have a fever: God would rather have you stay home and take care of yourself than have you go out and tire yourself even further.

I generally stay home from Mass if I’m running a fever, and I also avoid giving a handshake during the Sign of Peace, during cold/flu season whether I’m sick or not. I just bow to people instead.
 
Thank you for the advice, everyone. I am already much better, I have had worse colds. I did go to mass on Sunday evening but only because I remembered that there is an opportunity for me to be away from the others. There is a little chapel that is seperated from the church itself by a glass wall where I was completely alone and not in the same room with the others. Only a door was halfway opened. With this opportunity in mind I couldn’t not go in good conscience. I also refrained from receiving communion as it was a Latin Mass and receiving is done kneeling on the tongue. I did not want to spread my germs this way and since I didn’t really come in contact with the other worshippers I think it was okay. 🙂
 
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