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mbrothersrn
Guest
It is going to be practically impossible to go to Mass tomorrow because of an ice storm. Is this a sin? What if I watch mass on TV?
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Kielbasi
Guest
If you can’t make it , you can’t make it and its not a sin.
The rule of thumb is that if it would take more than an hour to get to mass, you don’t have to attend. Not that far, if you can’t drive and walking is very slow going due to treacherous conditions.
Watching mass on TV don’t count for anything as far as obligation, if there is no obligation because you can’t make it due to illness, impassable roads or other good cause, you don’t have to watch it on TV either.
The rule of thumb is that if it would take more than an hour to get to mass, you don’t have to attend. Not that far, if you can’t drive and walking is very slow going due to treacherous conditions.
Watching mass on TV don’t count for anything as far as obligation, if there is no obligation because you can’t make it due to illness, impassable roads or other good cause, you don’t have to watch it on TV either.
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Sir_Knight
Guest
How do we decides if conditions are too treacherous? My wife and I are two opposite ends of the spectrum. She sees a snowflake and she panics about driving while I have run out to get a pizza during weather so bad that the governor declared a state of emergency. We both know that we’re two opposite extremes.
Objectively speaking, when should I give in to my wife that it’s too treacherous and when should she give in that it’s not?
Objectively speaking, when should I give in to my wife that it’s too treacherous and when should she give in that it’s not?
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puzzleannie
Guest
if driving or walking is a danger to yourself and others, don’t go anywhere, as the authorities will probably advise. you have no obligation if you can’t attend. You may watch a televised Mass if you wish, but it does not replace your obligation. However, if you can make it to school, work or the mall, you can make it to Church. (you can tell I just answered this same question in HS CCD last night, we don’t have icestorms here, but they are always testing.)
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awalt
Guest
To be honest, I don’t think anyone can decide for you, as this is a judgment call. You are supposed to give it a very hard effort to attend, but not do anything unsafe. IMHO it can be 5 minutes away but if it’s a truly unsafe and treacherous journey due to weather, than you shouldn’t go. Maybe later in the day is easier, etc. But if you have work you are not expected to miss work for it.
My judgment was always, “if I was thinking about going to dinner, or meeting friends to have fun, would I make the trip?” If the answer is yes, then get to Church
. The people that say they can’t make it because of weather, then head to the mall for the movies, are in big trouble with God…
My judgment was always, “if I was thinking about going to dinner, or meeting friends to have fun, would I make the trip?” If the answer is yes, then get to Church
. The people that say they can’t make it because of weather, then head to the mall for the movies, are in big trouble with God…
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Flopfoot
Guest
But surely you should make a greater effort to go to Mass than you would to go to dinner with friends? (On a holy day of obligation, that is, not a daily mass which is perfectly okay to miss).
I think a better analogy would be, say if you had to go to work, but the weather was bad, would you ring in and say you would come later, or would you just go in? If you would go to work, then you should go to mass - both of them are a responsibility and not an option.
I think a better analogy would be, say if you had to go to work, but the weather was bad, would you ring in and say you would come later, or would you just go in? If you would go to work, then you should go to mass - both of them are a responsibility and not an option.
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awalt
Guest
You are right, I was tring to say if you would go to the Mall and not to Mass, that’s a problem. I was not implying the two were equal. I wasn’t clear…
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YinYangMom
Guest
Well the plenary indulgence granted by the Pope for this day had language specific to this:
The indulgence declared by Pope Benedict may be obtained by those who “participate in a sacred function in honor of the Virgin, or at least least offer open testimony of Marian devotion before an image of Mary Immaculate exposed for public veneration, adding the recitation of the Our Father and of the Creed, and some invocation to the Virgin.”
The announcement indicates that those who are ill or otherwise unable to fufill the normal conditions "may obtain a plenary indulgence in their own homes, or wherever they may be, if, with the soul completely removed from any form of sin, and with the intention of observing the aforesaid conditions as soon as possible, they unite themselves in spirit and in desire to the Supreme Pontiff’s intentions in prayer to Mary Immaculate, and recite the Our Father and the Creed."
So it would seem the provision for the mass obligation would be similar - that you honor the day internally, with some sort of devotion (I’d think viewing the mass would help) - but then getting to Mass the first opportunity you get. If the roads are clear tomorrow then go to the morning mass offered…do not wait until Sunday. That’s just my interpretation though.
The indulgence declared by Pope Benedict may be obtained by those who “participate in a sacred function in honor of the Virgin, or at least least offer open testimony of Marian devotion before an image of Mary Immaculate exposed for public veneration, adding the recitation of the Our Father and of the Creed, and some invocation to the Virgin.”
The announcement indicates that those who are ill or otherwise unable to fufill the normal conditions "may obtain a plenary indulgence in their own homes, or wherever they may be, if, with the soul completely removed from any form of sin, and with the intention of observing the aforesaid conditions as soon as possible, they unite themselves in spirit and in desire to the Supreme Pontiff’s intentions in prayer to Mary Immaculate, and recite the Our Father and the Creed."
So it would seem the provision for the mass obligation would be similar - that you honor the day internally, with some sort of devotion (I’d think viewing the mass would help) - but then getting to Mass the first opportunity you get. If the roads are clear tomorrow then go to the morning mass offered…do not wait until Sunday. That’s just my interpretation though.
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maryjk
Guest
Sir Knight said:
Ok, if you went out for pizza during the blizzard in 1996, you do not get to decide. :tsktsk:
If schools are closed and work is closed, you should stay home from Mass and the mall. If you turn on Channel 8 and they are showing all the cars piled up on the roads, stay home. If they are asking for 4-wheel drive vehicles to report to hospitals, stay home.
If it is a little snow, go.
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