I was really disappointed in my parish today

[jmcrae]

So, I showed up forty-five minutes before the evening mass was supposed to start and the church wasn’t open yet so I sat down on the front stoop and people-watched. Why do I mention this? Because I watched as people pulled into St. Leo’s PRIVATE parking lot, parked and then walked PAST the church and off to do their shopping/dining in the neighborhood.

We had to open up the back lot just so our few lil parishoners could park for Mass. I mean, I feel like we need to put up a sign of some kind so people won’t steal our spaces… at least on Holy Days and Sundays.

Maybe put up a sign that says, “Just because we’re supposed to be nice Christians doesn’t mean we don’t ticket and tow.”

Actually, don’t bother with a sign. As long as it’s obvious that it’s not a city parking lot, and that it’s private property, just ticket and tow. After the first few times, word will get around, and people will quit using your lot for free city parking.

 

[Thunderbird]

Maybe put up a sign that says, “Just because we’re supposed to be nice Christians doesn’t mean we don’t ticket and tow.”

Or maybe “Thou Shalt Not Steal - Parking Spaces Included”

Actually, don’t bother with a sign. As long as it’s obvious that it’s not a city parking lot, and that it’s private property, just ticket and tow. After the first few times, word will get around, and people will quit using your lot for free city parking.

That’s what I’ve been suggesting but no one wants to be the ‘bad guy.’ Maybe I should go the anonymous route and just call on my own.

 

[BennyBoy89]

It’s very hard to tell people something that they don’t want to hear, and that difficulty is even greater when you also want them to keep showing up after they hear it.

Our Lord did not mince words. It’s a spiritual work of mercy to admonish the sinner. If someone is going to reject the truth and continue to live in sin, then it is their choice.

Also, you are aiding someone in their sin when you don’t tell them the gravity of their actions, making YOU just as guilty for what they’ve done. A priest’s job is to be the spiritual and sacramental leader of the Church at the local level. Sometimes the ignorant need instruction. Mass isn’t about who shows up or not.

 

[BennyBoy89]

*Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.*

Luke 18: 10-14

Except the attitude of the OP is not at all the attitude of the Pharisee. There is a difference between condemnation in order to exalt yourself and righteous judgement based on the teachings of the Church and of Divine Law.

Let’s face it, most Catholics don’t show up to Mass on the Days of Obligation (including Sundays) because most priests don’t want to step on any toes. For the Catholics who know very well the gravity of purposely missing Mass on Sundays and other appointed days, the sin is theirs, but for the Catholics who have never known because our priests aren’t brave enough to speak the truth, it falls on the priests. We need to pray for them.

Seriously, we should just remember all of those Catholics that suffer persecution around the world, yet STILL manage to make it to Mass, risking death.

 

[peregrinus_WA]

I went to 9:30 AM at my parish and it was packed. Of course, this is the day my parish is named after. It was the OF Mass (which is usually an EF Mass at 9:30 but that was moved to 7:00 PM) completely in Latin.

 

[Holly3278]

I went to 9:30 AM at my parish and it was packed. Of course, this is the day my parish is named after. It was the OF Mass (which is usually an EF Mass at 9:30 but that was moved to 7:00 PM) completely in Latin.

So it was the ordinary form of the Mass but it was in Latin? That’s really neat!

 

[FindTruth7]

I wish just once on the Sunday following a Holy Day of Obligation, the Priest would ask who missed the Holy Day and who went to mass. Then he kindly instruct those that missed for no reason that they are in mortal sin and to please refrain from going to communion.

When is the Church going to start to enforce these rules?

Mortal sin? Eternal hell? Dammed forever cause the Church says go to Church on this particular day, or you’re dammed??

All the more reasons I’m glad I’m not full-blooded Catholic. No wonder why atheists pick us apart!

 

[Holly3278]

Mortal sin? Eternal hell? Dammed forever cause the Church says go to Church on this particular day, or you’re dammed??

All the more reasons I’m glad I’m not full-blooded Catholic. No wonder why atheists pick us apart!

So you’d rather ignore the truth than be a “full blooded Catholic”?

 

[FindTruth7]

So you’d rather ignore the truth than be a “full blooded Catholic”?

I don’t see everything the Catholic Church teaches as Truth. Otherwise, I WOULD be a full blooded Catholic. Going to Mass on these Holy Days I think is wonderful and beautiful, but when a group of men say all MUST go or they’ll be dammed, I see that as silly and manmade.

But I’m sorry, I should’ve never stated my opinon on your thread. None of my buisness.

 

[Holly3278]

I don’t see everything the Catholic Church teaches as Truth. Otherwise, I WOULD be a full blooded Catholic. Going to Mass on these Holy Days I think is wonderful and beautiful, but when a group of men say all MUST go or they’ll be dammed, I see that as silly and manmade.

But I’m sorry, I should’ve never stated my opinon on your thread. None of my buisness.

Don’t be sorry. I welcome all opinions on my thread.

Anyway, I think you might be misinterpreting what the Church actually says about holy days of obligation. The Church does not say that all men must go to Mass on holy days of obligation or be damned. No, what it says is that all men (and women) must go to Mass on holy days of obligation provided that they have the ability to go or they will be in a state of mortal sin provided that they meet the three requirements for mortal sin: full knowledge, gravity of the sin, and full consent of the will.

That said, why do you reject the Truth? After all, God Himself gave the Church the authority to make holy days of obligation and to attach rules these holy days of obligation.

 

[FindTruth7]

Don’t be sorry. I welcome all opinions on my thread.

Anyway, I think you might be misinterpreting what the Church actually says about holy days of obligation. The Church does not say that all men must go to Mass on holy days of obligation or be damned. No, what it says is that all men (and women) must go to Mass on holy days of obligation provided that they have the ability to go or they will be in a state of mortal sin provided that they meet the three requirements for mortal sin: full knowledge, gravity of the sin, and full consent of the will.

That said, why do you reject the Truth? After all, God Himself gave the Church the authority to make holy days of obligation and to attach rules these holy days of obligation.

How do I know it’s Truth? Because the “church” says so? How do I know what they teach is true beyond the shadow of a doubt, down to every last jot and tittle? That they are completely right on completely everything, just as all others claim the same thing. The arguments are never-ending. It’s one reason my faith has shun low.

And yes, so I stand correct, if one doesn’t go to Church on a Holy Day of “obligation,” he/she is in mortal sin, and if he/she suddenly dies, off to hell forever they go for not attending a Holy Day of obligation. It dosn’t make sense to me. If it does for you, well then awesome. I don’t care. For me it just doesn’t seem right, the judgment part that is.

 

[I_Believe]

How do I know it’s Truth? Because the “church” says so? How do I know what they teach is true beyond the shadow of a doubt, down to every last jot and tittle? That they are completely right on completely everything, just as all others claim the same thing. The arguments are never-ending. It’s one reason my faith has shun low.

And yes, so I stand correct, if one doesn’t go to Church on a Holy Day of “obligation,” he/she is in mortal sin, and if he/she suddenly dies, off to hell forever they go for not attending a Holy Day of obligation. It dosn’t make sense to me. If it does for you, well then awesome. I don’t care. For me it just doesn’t seem right, the judgment part that is.

Faith is what gives us a shot at Heaven. Faith in Christ. Pick up a bible that has the words of Christ in red, and read those words in the Gospels. There is your Truth you seek.

You’ll see also that Christ willed Peter and the Apostles to establish His Church. He didn’t say churches, He said church. The Catholic Church is that church, and to have a church, we must have a religion. Catholicism is the religion the Apostles established in His Name, and through Apostolic Succession, His Church continues to teach the Faith. A church builds Faith.

Now, if the bible and Faith were all that we need to achieve salvation, Christ would not have instructed and commissioned His Apostles to establish His Church.

Satan is real. Surely no one knows this better than Christ. Satan tempted Him. And if Satan is bold enough to tempt the Son of God, then he surely isn’t going to let us slip by without giving it his best shot at conning us into turning our back on God.

We are weak creatures, and sinners by nature, and the great majority of us need guidence throughout life, in order to avoid despair, Satan’s temptations, and losing our Faith in Christ and what He has promised us. That is why we need a church with a religion that builds and maintains our Faith and shows us the way to obtaining God’s Graces and Mercy in this life.

That Church is the Catholic Church, given to us by Christ Himself in 33 AD, and sustained to this day through Apostolic Succession.

Just because some of the clergy have fallen into error and corruption throughout history, does not mean the Church Herself has failed to be the Church Christ willed.

 

[saylo]

Our Lord did not mince words. It’s a spiritual work of mercy to admonish the sinner. If someone is going to reject the truth and continue to live in sin, then it is their choice.

Also, you are aiding someone in their sin when you don’t tell them the gravity of their actions, making YOU just as guilty for what they’ve done. A priest’s job is to be the spiritual and sacramental leader of the Church at the local level. Sometimes the ignorant need instruction. Mass isn’t about who shows up or not.

Very well said BennyBoy. Jesus also told us that “lukewarm” would be spit out.

 

[Jennifer_J]

I don’t see everything the Catholic Church teaches as Truth. Otherwise, I WOULD be a full blooded Catholic. Going to Mass on these Holy Days I think is wonderful and beautiful, but when a group of men say all MUST go or they’ll be dammed, I see that as silly and manmade.

But I’m sorry, I should’ve never stated my opinon on your thread. None of my buisness.

Actually, when the Church says Holy Day of Obligation, it’s telling us this is an important day and as part of the Church Family via baptism (child of God and all) we attend Mass that day. It’s no different than being obligated to attend our children’s graduation, or a God child’s baptism or a parent’s birthday. The Mass is a celebration and a commemoration. Each Sunday is techinically a Holy Day of Obligation, because we should be there. We are priviledged to be there. To know and believe this and then to reject it–therein lies the sin. To reject it because you don’t know or don’t fully understand, is not subjectivly a sin (though objectively, we can say it is, because the worship of God is so important to our relationship to God).

Hope that helps.

 

[Mea_Culpa]

We didn’t have a football game…the school district scheduled Freshman orientation at the same time. It is so irritating.

I didn’t attend mass because of this, but I didn’t realize it was a mortal sin.

I guess I need to go to confession today so I can recieve the Eucharist tomorrow.

Our Catholic High School scheduled an all day orientation and registration on August 15.

 

[grandmama16]

Our Catholic school here scheduled a school play on the Holy Day of the Immaculate Conception and REQUIRED all connected with it to be there or have their grades lowered, one was our grand daughter. This was a few years ago. There was no way for the kids to get to a Mass…unless the school had been smart enough to have one during the day at the school, which they didn’t. I was so disappointed in the school. I never did find out what the religion teacher said about it. Then my daughter taught religion for a year and I know she would’ve said something. Two of our grandkids have graduated from there and 2 of my daughters have worked there and I know that a lot depends on the faith level of the principal. He or she should not have even allowed the play to be on that day. Having raised 7 kids I just know how hard it is to deal with things like this.
My question on Holy Days…how can they be an Obligation in one Diocese and not in another? How confusing is that? Also, some are an Obligation in the East when not in the West…like the Ascension moved to a Sunday. Then we have some not an Obligation when on a Sat. or Mon. In my humble opinion, I wish they’d do away with all Holy Days of Obligation but still have the Masses available as a holy day, like Ash Wed, Holy Thurs and Good Fri.
Well, that’s enough from this 64 yr. old convert lady of 37 years.
M.A.

 

[saylo]

I don’t see everything the Catholic Church teaches as Truth. Otherwise, I WOULD be a full blooded Catholic. Going to Mass on these Holy Days I think is wonderful and beautiful, but when a group of men say all MUST go or they’ll be dammed, I see that as silly and manmade.

But I’m sorry, I should’ve never stated my opinon on your thread. None of my buisness.

“…whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven…whatsoever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven…”

These are the words of Jesus to His disciples when he founded the Church. This means He gives the Church those powers and that includes Holydays of Obligation.

Jesus is NOT in disagreement with His Church when it comes to Holydays of Obligation or anything else.

If this too much for some then DO NOT BECOME CATHOLIC; you are far better off in a religion you are comfortable with. There are “choices” we make in this life.

 

[gettingthere]

I wish just once on the Sunday following a Holy Day of Obligation, the Priest would ask who missed the Holy Day and who went to mass. Then he kindly instruct those that missed for no reason that they are in mortal sin and to please refrain from going to communion.

When is the Church going to start to enforce these rules?

This actually made my stomach drop. We aren’t even Catholic yet (we start RCIA in 4 weeks!), but we are trying to live as Catholics (if that makes sense. Anyway, we knew it was a holy day of obligation but didn’t know what that meant. We continued to fast an abstain from meat like usual, and I had a HARD time finding out what we’re supposed to do on Holy Days of Obligation.

I suppose, also, that we didn’t do anything wrong since we didn’t know what we were supposed to do. I’ll know for next time, though.

 

[jmcrae]

I suppose, also, that we didn’t do anything wrong since we didn’t know what we were supposed to do. I’ll know for next time, though.

Don’t worry - God won’t zap you yet, since you are still just learning.

A “Holy Day of Obligation” simply means that we are required to go to Mass that day.

We don’t fast or abstain from meat, or do other Friday penances, on Solemnities, even if they occur on a Friday - unless it is Good Friday, and I think Ash Wednesday also supercedes any Feast or Solemnity that might fall on that day, too - but August 15th is a Solemnity, and it supercedes an ordinary Friday, so we didn’t do penance this past Friday.

 

[James0235]

Our Catholic High School scheduled an all day orientation and registration on August 15.

It could have just been an oversight. Especially if scheduled far in advance.

But, either way, I would be tempted to refer to it as a “Catholic” High School.

James