Going to Mass With a Cold?

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Melodeonist

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At the moment I got a cold with what I think is a small bit of bronchitis from sleeping on my back and the mucus dripping down there. I feel well enough to work, even with my chest hurting a bit when I take deep breaths and my nose being relatively stuffed.

So my question is this: If I sit in the unofficial “sick section” (i.e. the back rows of the pews) would it be okay if I went to Mass with my current condition? It seems wrong to miss Mass but go to work in the afternoon. 🤷

Besides, having a cold makes you kind of grumpy and that means confession after Mass. :o
 
We had a priest in our parish who once said if someone is sick they should not attend Mass and stay home and it is considered an act of charity to do so because one would not want to pass along their germs to other parishioners. However, the average cold lasts about 10 to 14 days but is not considered contagious after about 3 to 5 days so it would depend on what stage your cold is in. If you just got the cold, I would stay home, no sin there, but if you feel guilty about missing Mass, then go to confession as soon as you are feeling better. I’m sure the priest will tell you that you did not sin. The same thing happened to me as I missed Mass because I was coming down with a cold and went to confession and the priest told me not to worry about it and said I did not commit any sin by staying home.
 
I take precautionary measures upon going to Mass with a cold. I would bring a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and a face mask. Instead of receiving on the tongue and kneeling, I receive standing and on the hand so the parish priest (and he is the only priest in the parish) would not get sick.
 
If u are coughing, sneezing and spreading germs, stay home from mass and work.

If you are not doing this, go to mass and work.
 
Thanks for the replies! I did go to Mass, and I sat in the corner in the back row. That way I didn’t cough/sneeze in anyone’s direction.

I was unable to receive the Eucharist and I never receive on the tongue so no worries needed here.
mommy_k said:
If u are coughing, sneezing and spreading germs, stay home from mass and work.

If you are not doing this, go to mass and work.
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I am indeed coughing and sneezing, but I did take some DayQuil that made me feel about 50% better.

I called in sick yesterday for work because I felt very tired, but today I feel like I got lots of energy, so I should be able to work.
 
mommy_k said:
If u are coughing, sneezing and spreading germs, stay home from mass and work.

If you are not doing this, go to mass and work.
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That’s typically how I judge it, too.

If I go and am not feeling great, I try to sit away from others (and/or go to a less busy Mass and refrain from shaking hands at the sign of peace.) I might also elect not to receive communion.
 
Melodeonist said:
Thanks for the replies! I did go to Mass, and I sat in the corner in the back row. That way I didn’t cough/sneeze in anyone’s direction.

I was unable to receive the Eucharist and I never receive on the tongue so no worries needed here.

I am indeed coughing and sneezing, but I did take some DayQuil that made me feel about 50% better.

I called in sick yesterday for work because I felt very tired, but today I feel like I got lots of energy, so I should be able to work.
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Just take care of yourself Melodeonist. …I’m glad you are feeling better:)
 
I try to stay home when I am sick - especially sneezing and coughing. We have so many at our church with compromisex immuned systems and a common cold could really get them down or lead to a worse illness. So I think it is charitable to stay home.
Hope you feel better soon!
 
mommy_k said:
If u are coughing, sneezing and spreading germs, stay home from mass and work.

If you are not doing this, go to mass and work.
Click to expand...
Yes! I’m not impressed by people who tough it out. I have asthma (it was terrible in childhood but much improved) and for me even a little cold can knock me down quite a bit.
 
If the advice on the thread is any indication our family would never attend.
If you would go to the store, go to Mass.
 
Please stay home!

Many of us depend upon being able to work 40+ hours a week and contracting an illness makes our life difficult.

I perfectly understand the urge to attend and the disappointment in missing Mass but this does not consider others who may have weakened immune systems and and be more heavily impacted what you are able to walk about with.

Sorry to come off as less compassionate but recently there have been many inconsiderate people who wipe their nose and sneeze/cough in their hands and have not the courtesy to refrain from shaking hands.

Thanks,

El P
 
Is it unduly painful or uncomfortable too make it through mass? Will you be at risk for infecting others?

These are questions to consider. Use prudential judgement.
 
El_PAso said:
Please stay home!

Many of us depend upon being able to work 40+ hours a week and contracting an illness makes our life difficult.

I perfectly understand the urge to attend and the disappointment in missing Mass but this does not consider others who may have weakened immune systems and and be more heavily impacted what you are able to walk about with.

Sorry to come off as less compassionate but recently there have been many inconsiderate people who wipe their nose and sneeze/cough in their hands and have not the courtesy to refrain from shaking hands.

Thanks,

El P
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Yes, I personally think that sometimes people don’t seem to really think about others who may have compromised immunity, like those with asthma or other illnesses, or the elderly or young children, when they go out into public when they’re in the contagious stage of being sick, and they don’t bother to practice hygiene, like covering their coughs or sneezes.

I have asthma too and I can’t tell you–“you” meaning “anyone”–how many times I have gotten very ill from being around someone who had just a mild cold for them, that turned into a major illness for me. 😦
 
7_Sorrows said:
I try to stay home when I am sick - especially sneezing and coughing. We have so many at our church with compromisex immuned systems and a common cold could really get them down or lead to a worse illness. So I think it is charitable to stay home.
Hope you feel better soon!
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Oops! The word is supposed to be compromised immune system!!! Not compromisex!!! How did that happen???:eek:
 
Is this an OTC cold? Then it’s normal and most people will be exposed to it throughout the day. People have far more exposure going to the store or a restaraunt than in Mass.
perhaps keep your hands to yourself for the sign of peace and kindly avoid the precious blood if you usually have that option.

I hope other posters are aware of your scrupulocity Issues when they are posting.
 
I’m fascinated by the concept of the “unofficial sick area”. Do other people think of the last few pews this way too?
My kids are often sneezing / coughing during Mass. I think the air in the building is not that great, and I think that contributes to it. Anyway, I often wish there were a “sick” area, where people don’t shake hands for the Peace, because it’s just easier not to when you’ve been blowing your nose for the previous hour, or sitting next to the nose-blowing kid.
 
27lw said:
I’m fascinated by the concept of the “unofficial sick area”. Do other people think of the last few pews this way too?
My kids are often sneezing / coughing during Mass. I think the air in the building is not that great, and I think that contributes to it. Anyway, I often wish there were a “sick” area, where people don’t shake hands for the Peace, because it’s just easier not to when you’ve been blowing your nose for the previous hour, or sitting next to the nose-blowing kid.
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I never thought of the back pews as a sick area, either. 🤷
 
I’ve got a cold right now and had a coughing fit during Mass last night. Boy, the look of relief on the face of the man behind me when I didn’t reach out to shake his hand during the Sign of Peace was priceless, lol.
 
I think I spent most of mass in the bathroom being sick during pregnancies, or nursing the given baby. I missed a lot! Even if I was there…I felt not present.

But I was sick…months and months.

I can see how someone with a cold in one of the smaller, more enclosed churches near us could be a problem. 🙂 Feel better!

(I was not sure if there was some official policy regarding any of this. But we struggled during all the pregnancies and nursing…I did miss a lot of weeks, too). And with the last about 2 years ago, 15 kids had measles down the road(!! crazy, I know), and newborns were not supposed to be so exposed as a precaution, so I missed a lot, yes). The hospitals even banned siblings and I had trouble even getting to my OB appt. alone.
 
27lw said:
I’m fascinated by the concept of the “unofficial sick area”.
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Several years ago, I found that there’s an unofficial flu shot priority list, too.

As a professor at a small campus, I was chatting with the nurse (no physician; I told you it was small :)) and described what I’d had the week before.

“Richard, that’s the flu! Didn’t you get your shot?”

“They asked us to leave them for the high priority people this year.”

[rolls eyes] “You are the high priority people!” (due to the number of people we come into close contact with.)

As a professor, my standard for teaching instead of cancelling was whether I expected to be able to make it through class without having to bolt for the bathroom . . . drafted to teach fifth grade when I came back here, I found the standard a lot different: stay home sick over almost anything so as not to spread it to the kids . . .

AMDG

hawk
 
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