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ResoluteSheep
Guest
Is it ok to have a non-religious hobby on Sunday?
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RosyAnne
Guest
It depends what the hobby is. Gambling? Shopping? Binge watching movies? no, probably not a good idea 
Here’s some good info from the Catechism to read:
YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND
It doesn’t reference hobbies specifically, but…
Here’s some good info from the Catechism to read:
YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND
It doesn’t reference hobbies specifically, but…
If the time set aside for hobbies is not the majority part of the day, say a couple hours to do crafts, I don’t think this is an issue.
R
ResoluteSheep
Guest
Hmm how about studying for a history exam, playing video games for about 1-2 hours as break, and chatting with friends on skype? (they’re non-believers though)It depends what the hobby is. Gambling? Shopping? Binge watching movies? no, probably not a good idea
Here’s some good info from the Catechism to read:
YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND
It doesn’t reference hobbies specifically, but…
If the time set aside for hobbies is not the majority part of the day, say a couple hours to do crafts, I don’t think this is an issue.
R
RosyAnne
Guest
Well here’s how I can help you sort these things out for yourself…
–is this the only time of the week that I can talk to these friends? Is everyone’s schedule so busy during the week that Sunday is the only day to talk to them? If so, then spending time on the phone or on Skype nurturing friendships or relationships with family can be a good thing. For example, I would always call my grandmother and other relatives on Sundays because that was really the only day I could speak to them and have lengthy conversations with them, the rest of the days of the week I was busy working, running errands, etc. Whether they are believers or not, that is irrelevant.
–If I can talk to them without any problem on other days, would that time on Sunday be better spent talking to God in prayer or reading scripture or just sitting quietly resting and thinking about Him.
–are the video games violent? Or immodest in some way (half naked girls, that kind of thing)? Glamorize criminal behavior (say stealing cars)? Normalizing the occult (say casting spells?) Then I would say no, that’s not an activity that would be appropriate for Sundays.
–Did you make a real effort to do the majority of the studying on Friday & Saturday? Or did you leave it all for Sunday? I would say a couple hours review on Sunday night is reasonable as long as the rest of the day was devoted to rest and nurturing your relationship with God. If it’s too late for you tomorrow and you need to study most of the day so that you can do well on Monday’s exam, well I think God will understand that you made an error in judgement but for future reference, you need to do a better job of putting God first.
Does that help?
Keep in mind that Sundays are set aside for God because He demands it of us (it’s one of the commandments). It’s not for His benefit though, it’s for ours. Think of it this way: if you don’t plug in your smartphone on Sunday so it’s fully charged, you’ll run out of battery power mid-week. Sundays are the time we need to plug in to God, nurture our relationship with Him so that we will be strengthened for the upcoming week.
Whenever I have a big failing or do lousy or am lazy with my devotions, the first thing I look at is: How did the previous Sunday go? Did I sleep all day and watch tv? Or did I unplug from it all and focus on God and give myself some rest? Almost always, my big failings are from a tepid Sunday devotion.
Thanks for bringing this up btw, it was a good reminder to me how easy it is for me to slip back into bad habits
Ask yourself:
–is this the only time of the week that I can talk to these friends? Is everyone’s schedule so busy during the week that Sunday is the only day to talk to them? If so, then spending time on the phone or on Skype nurturing friendships or relationships with family can be a good thing. For example, I would always call my grandmother and other relatives on Sundays because that was really the only day I could speak to them and have lengthy conversations with them, the rest of the days of the week I was busy working, running errands, etc. Whether they are believers or not, that is irrelevant.
–If I can talk to them without any problem on other days, would that time on Sunday be better spent talking to God in prayer or reading scripture or just sitting quietly resting and thinking about Him.
Ask yourself:
–are the video games violent? Or immodest in some way (half naked girls, that kind of thing)? Glamorize criminal behavior (say stealing cars)? Normalizing the occult (say casting spells?) Then I would say no, that’s not an activity that would be appropriate for Sundays.
Well this one’s tricky. On the one hand it’s your obligation to prepare yourself to do well in your studies. But…
–Did you make a real effort to do the majority of the studying on Friday & Saturday? Or did you leave it all for Sunday? I would say a couple hours review on Sunday night is reasonable as long as the rest of the day was devoted to rest and nurturing your relationship with God. If it’s too late for you tomorrow and you need to study most of the day so that you can do well on Monday’s exam, well I think God will understand that you made an error in judgement but for future reference, you need to do a better job of putting God first.
Does that help?
Keep in mind that Sundays are set aside for God because He demands it of us (it’s one of the commandments). It’s not for His benefit though, it’s for ours. Think of it this way: if you don’t plug in your smartphone on Sunday so it’s fully charged, you’ll run out of battery power mid-week. Sundays are the time we need to plug in to God, nurture our relationship with Him so that we will be strengthened for the upcoming week.
Whenever I have a big failing or do lousy or am lazy with my devotions, the first thing I look at is: How did the previous Sunday go? Did I sleep all day and watch tv? Or did I unplug from it all and focus on God and give myself some rest? Almost always, my big failings are from a tepid Sunday devotion.
Thanks for bringing this up btw, it was a good reminder to me how easy it is for me to slip back into bad habits
R
ResoluteSheep
Guest
Regarding talking to friends:Well here’s how I can help you sort these things out for yourself…
Ask yourself:
–is this the only time of the week that I can talk to these friends? Is everyone’s schedule so busy during the week that Sunday is the only day to talk to them? If so, then spending time on the phone or on Skype nurturing friendships or relationships with family can be a good thing. For example, I would always call my grandmother and other relatives on Sundays because that was really the only day I could speak to them and have lengthy conversations with them, the rest of the days of the week I was busy working, running errands, etc. Whether they are believers or not, that is irrelevant.
–If I can talk to them without any problem on other days, would that time on Sunday be better spent talking to God in prayer or reading scripture or just sitting quietly resting and thinking about Him.
Ask yourself:
–are the video games violent? Or immodest in some way (half naked girls, that kind of thing)? Glamorize criminal behavior (say stealing cars)? Normalizing the occult (say casting spells?) Then I would say no, that’s not an activity that would be appropriate for Sundays.
Well this one’s tricky. On the one hand it’s your obligation to prepare yourself to do well in your studies. But…
–Did you make a real effort to do the majority of the studying on Friday & Saturday? Or did you leave it all for Sunday? I would say a couple hours review on Sunday night is reasonable as long as the rest of the day was devoted to rest and nurturing your relationship with God. If it’s too late for you tomorrow and you need to study most of the day so that you can do well on Monday’s exam, well I think God will understand that you made an error in judgement but for future reference, you need to do a better job of putting God first.
Does that help?
Keep in mind that Sundays are set aside for God because He demands it of us (it’s one of the commandments). It’s not for His benefit though, it’s for ours. Think of it this way: if you don’t plug in your smartphone on Sunday so it’s fully charged, you’ll run out of battery power mid-week. Sundays are the time we need to plug in to God, nurture our relationship with Him so that we will be strengthened for the upcoming week.
Whenever I have a big failing or do lousy or am lazy with my devotions, the first thing I look at is: How did the previous Sunday go? Did I sleep all day and watch tv? Or did I unplug from it all and focus on God and give myself some rest? Almost always, my big failings are from a tepid Sunday devotion.
Thanks for bringing this up btw, it was a good reminder to me how easy it is for me to slip back into bad habits
In my case, I usually Skype my friends when I am using the computer. Right now I’m still studying for my history exam so I sometimes call my friends up to hang so that it doesn’t get too bored studying
Regarding video games:
I do play some violent video games like CSGO, though not much bloodshed is involved but still qualifies for it I guess as it involves guns and Counter-terrorism. Will skip these on Sundays.
Regarding studying for history exam:
I did do loads of study on my history exam but one of my final History exams for the IGCSEs is on Monday, so I was planning to use part of my Sunday into revising. (Though it’s been like 3 hours now since I started)
Your response is very detailed, honest and helpful. Definitely answered most of my questions regarding the 3rd Commandment and love the analogy on the smartphone
Thanks a bunch RosyAnne!
C
Catholic1954
Guest
Yes, you can study for an exam, play video games and chat with friends on skype on Sunday; you can also play and watch sports. We are supposed to refrain from servile work on Sunday, you don’t have to sit in a corner for 24 hours and do nothing.
M
Monte_RCMS
Guest
Avoidance of servile work.
T
Tarpeian_Rock
Guest
Actually I don’t believe the term “servile work” is even in the current Code of Canon Law. Still, it keeps getting cited in responses.
P
PraiseChrist
Guest
Dear Resolute,
RosyAnne’s answer was very good. Tarpeian Rock is correct in that “servile work” is no longer mentioned in the new Canon law, “servile work” was used in the older one.
I recommend that you prepare for future sundays (including this Tuesday which is All Saints, which has the same effect as a sunday) by reading two short articles:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=15735
jimmyakin.org/2004/03/housework_on_su.html
If time permits, you can listen to this 1 hour long podcast to much more fully answer your question:
jimmyakin.com/2011/12/sunday-rest-special-what-can-you-do-on-sunday.html
While you’re at your Sunday prayers, you can keep me in those intentions, and I’ll keep you in mine.
Andrew
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ResoluteSheep
Guest
Exactly what I was looking for. ‘’(an attitude that treats Sunday as simply part of “the weekend” was criticized by John Paul II in Dies Domini).’’
So Sundays are not just a day where we can just relax, but a day of worship directing towards God. Thanks a bunch for the link PraiseChrist, and yes I’ll keep you in my prayers
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