I Unwillingly Missed Mass last Sunday, am I under Mortal Sin

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Hello,

Last Sunday, I missed Mass because my parents were on the phone with my cousin from France who was in a serious circumstance relating to his marriage. The call went past Mass time and when they we’re done talking, they asked if we should go. We all agreed that we were probably too late to go. I feel that I probably should have just told them to hang up respectfully when it was approaching time to go to Mass or should have just gone anyway but I don’t know.

Later that day I went to my friend’s town to hang out with him and I looked up that there was a 6 pm Mass around the area. My friend doesn’t really go to Church and I asked him if he wanted to go but said that he didn’t want to go, so we sadly didn’t go.

I wanted to go to Mass but because of these circumstances I didn’t go. Does this constitute mortal sin? Thank you.
 
vk02 said:
I’m 18 years old
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Could you have responsibility made it to mass that day? For instance, is the church within walking distance? Did you have ready access to transportation such that you could have made it by yourself?
 
You were able to get to his house and you let your decision to not go be based on his not wanting to go? You may have sinned.
 
I tried pleading with him to go but he didn’t want to. I planned to spend time with him and I am too much of a coward to just leave him and go to Mass. I think it probably makes sense that I sinned because of this.
 
vk02 said:
My parents were my means of transportation to get to Mass
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There are three criteria for mortal sin and they all must be met: grave matter, full knowledge, and full consent.

From the outside, we can only tell you if what you are concerned about is grave matter. You have to examine your conscience to determine whether or not you had full knowledge ie you knew your actions were sinful or full consent ie you willed to do a sinful thing even though you knew it was wrong.

Based on what you have said here it sounds like you didn’t want to miss mass, but you could not get there without depending on others who were not going to go. So, I’d question whether you acted out of full consent. Again, you have to examine your conscience to determine if you are giving us a true representation of your actions.

Mortal or not I’d probably mention it in my next confession, and I’d definitely talk to Father if I needed help examining my conscience.
 
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He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them; he it is that loveth me.

Obedience to God must be our first priority. Most of us fail in that at times one way or another (I certainly have). But had you gone, your friend would have seen how important it is to God that you show Him you love Him and who knows but that your friend may have gone with you anyway.

I certainly recommend bringing this up with your confessor.
 
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Please don’t be too hard on yourself. God reads the heart and He knows your intention. Plus, you mentioned that it was because of your cousin who’s going through a serious problem with his/her marriage that caused you to miss the mass. Your parents, on the other hand, were there to listen and give advice to your cousin. By doing so, they were able to put God’s word into practice by loving their neighbor. I believe, not only that you did not commit any sin, GOD was even pleased to see His children helping one another. God bless and be at peace.
 
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This is a “talk to your priest” question.

In the future, just uber to Mass.
 
I confessed a similar incident to my priest. He told me it was not a mortal sin.
 
Grave matter: yes
Knowledge of grave matter: by all indications: yes
Full consent: always the tough one. At 6:00pm you were with your friend and did not go. If you had a means to get there and only did not go because of cowardness , then if it was me, I would abstain from communion and get to confession as soon as possible. If you were relying on your friend to get you to mass, then probably not a mortal sin but the advice still stands. These days with UBER, one can always seem to get transportation. But perhaps you are in a location where that is not available.

I am not saying it was a mortal sin or not, that is for you and your confessor. But I would go to confession soon and confess it.
 
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