Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass because your mother started making dinner late?

[porthos11]

Look. People sometimes post things that are obvious. Eg. that they don’t like the pew color so they don’t want to go to Mass. Baring any mental illness, it woul be a mortal sin.

I think that missing Mass is sometimes, many times, a mortal sin. People get lazy and choose to shut off their relationship to God. It isn’t always mortal-as in competely cuts off our relationship to God. Some posters use hyperoble to point that out. As for myself, I think that Mass is truly a treasure and going is gift from God. God, come down to serve us in Holy Communion…and we get to be there…AMAZING. But not every reason that negats mortal sin for missing mass has to be life or death. Sometimes its just life. We must be careful to not make a habit of it. But it happens. Is willfully and hatefully missing mass a mortal sin? Yep. But that’s becuase it purposfully rejects God and your relationship with God. Will the punishment be as bad as that of a murder? No. But cut off from God is still cut of…and it’s not a good place to be.

This forum has a tendency to deamonize those posters who get in particular situations that they may not be in control of. There are threads where posters say it is better to be abused or killed for no reason than to lie…about anything…even a broken pencil. There are threads that condem people for reading certian books and equate it to devil worship. There are threads that condem people for wearing jeans to Mass to the same disrespect as if they were spitting at the priest.

Look around. It can be a nasty place to be.

Only the OP and the priest can decide if this is a mortal sin or not. Certinally it his indicision and then not going when he has other means (car, etc) can be a minor sin, but we don’t know his relationship with his parents, church or world that might mean he’s completely sinless in this.

This is why we can only judge the objective act and the facts, not the state of his soul. Clearly from the facts, what happened was grave matter. Whether the other two criteria were met is for him and his confessor to determine.

 

[porthos11]

Yes. Silly me. I was convinced that missing mass (which no one here has really advocated-keep that in mind) was a little less serious that pre meditated homicide. Sure, both are “putting oneself first”.

Are you aware of how absurd that sounds to anyone with the slightest shred of common sense?

Owlpride is right. Everything is a mortal sin. Everything. Including this reading this sentence.

Read the Bible. Not everything is mortal sin.

 

[nicolep]

Look. People sometimes post things that are obvious. Eg. that they don’t like the pew color so they don’t want to go to Mass. Baring any mental illness, it woul be a mortal sin.

I think that missing Mass is sometimes, many times, a mortal sin. People get lazy and choose to shut off their relationship to God. It isn’t always mortal-as in competely cuts off our relationship to God. Some posters use hyperoble to point that out. As for myself, I think that Mass is truly a treasure and going is gift from God. God, come down to serve us in Holy Communion…and we get to be there…AMAZING. But not every reason that negats mortal sin for missing mass has to be life or death. Sometimes its just life. We must be careful to not make a habit of it. But it happens. Is willfully and hatefully missing mass a mortal sin? Yep. But that’s becuase it purposfully rejects God and your relationship with God. Will the punishment be as bad as that of a murder? No. But cut off from God is still cut of…and it’s not a good place to be.

This forum has a tendency to deamonize those posters who get in particular situations that they may not be in control of. There are threads where posters say it is better to be abused or killed for no reason than to lie…about anything…even a broken pencil. There are threads that condem people for reading certian books and equate it to devil worship. There are threads that condem people for wearing jeans to Mass to the same disrespect as if they were spitting at the priest.

Look around. It can be a nasty place to be.

Only the OP and the priest can decide if this is a mortal sin or not. Certinally it his indicision and then not going when he has other means (car, etc) can be a minor sin, but we don’t know his relationship with his parents, church or world that might mean he’s completely sinless in this.

I agree and that’s why I never said it was mortal. I said, “Grave.” It is grave regardless of reason. The reason and whether done deliberately is what makes it mortal or not. I can’t judge that for the OP.

Here’s how I judge it (this is me, not a rule for the rest of the world) -

If one knew for certain Jesus was standing in the church that day, one could see Him, touch Him, how likely would one be to miss Mass? As Catholics, we believe He truly there, we can touch Him, receive Him. So, my rear better be in the pew. That’s not to say I’ve never missed Mass for no good reason. But, there’s no question (to me) as to the gravity of the sin.

I took it as an axiom that killing someone is something worse that could be done. Both are still grave and that was/is my point.

 

[m8g8]

Thanks for all your replies, and sorry this is delayed- I have deadlines in two weeks! :crying:

I understand where everyone is coming from and will discuss it in confession, but I still don’t feel 100% sure about it. Does that mean I can’t go to a Communion service in the week?

 

[Owlpride]

Why not call a priest? Ask him.

 

[maryharket]

Thanks for all your replies, and sorry this is delayed- I have deadlines in two weeks! :crying:

I understand where everyone is coming from and will discuss it in confession, but I still don’t feel 100% sure about it. Does that mean I can’t go to a Communion service in the week?

 To the OP. As long as you go to confession and make arrangements for your dinner not to interfere with future masses you will be fine. I do have a question though, does you mother have a problem with your being a Catholic? It seems a little strange that she would start preparing food knowing that you have to get to mass at a certain time. You would think she would have you eat earlier in the evening or after church. If there is a conflict with your faith now is the time to sit down and have a heart to heart talk with your mum and let her know how very important it is that you meet your weekly obligations and that you are going to have to forgo Saturday or Sunday dinner in order to worship the lord. It is very grave indeed to separate ourselves from God in this way just because we are being made to feel like others should come first. Granted, if your mum was sick and needed you to take care of her that is more than valid reason to skip but skipping just to avoid a row is only putting you in a perilous place and besides as a grown young woman you have to start taking a stand for what it is that you value. If you are dependent on your mum for food and shelter than maybe it's time to look into maybe moving house with a roommate or getting a dorm room at university so that you can practice your faith without interference. I don't mean to come off as harsh but it is very easy to allow ourselves to be bullied into giving up our faith especially if it is a parent who is standing in the way. Many people for the love of the lord have had to withstand conflict in order to do what is right for their souls. Maybe that heart to heart will let mum know that you are serious in trying to live up to the obligations of your faith and maybe she might actually start seeing you are an adult woman worthy of her admiration and not just a child who needs the cooking done.

Take Care Mary M.

 

[maryharket]

Another reminder why I hate this forum and should never come here. It’s like a train wreck. I can’t stop looking.

Sigh! It never fails to get to this point.

 Someone asks a question hopefully in good faith and everybody and his brother has to start pointing fingers at each other and then the snarkiness ensues. Why is it that we can't just focus on the OP and answer their questions and not start looking for reasons to rail on one another??? Next thing you know some atheist is going to come on here and try to hijack the thread by saying that "that's what's wrong with religion-you all have too many rules etc etc etc." These threads always spin out of control and the OP usually gets trampled in the dust with their question being answered 100 different ways just so that everyone can show off how much more "catholic" they are than the next person. 

 I thought we were here to help one another solve our problems and understand our faith. Instead we are just stalking these threads like predators in the jungle looking for someone to pounce on who doesn't have as much faith, reverence, intelligence as we do. Other secular forums would get shut down for the way people treat each other if it were anything like this one. What's sad is this is one of the few well organized forums on the net for Catholics but it kind of makes a person feel like we are either being held hostage by the non-believers that come on here to poke fun at us or by the believers who want to exercise the power of anonymity so that they can do in private what they wouldn't have the guts to do in public to people they thought were lower than themselves.

Just shameful! I pray some sense and decency be restored to this forum and fast! I don’t remember it being this bad in 2008 when I joined. What the heck happened?!

Mary Martinez

 

[jmcrae]

So basically everything is a mortal sin?

Missing mass is just like pre meditated murder and joinging the taliban.

Missing Sunday Mass is actually worse than either murder or joining the Taliban.

The Mass is not like any other human gathering - it is the meeting between Heaven and Earth - and yes, it matters that we are present for it.

God has summoned us - He wants us to be there. If your boss called you for a meeting, you wouldn’t dare not show up. God is far more exalted and far more powerful than your boss.

 

[SwizzleStick]

**2181 **The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

From this, I would consider this objectively grave, and you should bring it to Confession, since you had the means, have the age of majority and had complete control of the situation. You could have gone and you didn’t, choosing instead a plate of food. "…

The Church, by the authority granted her by Christ himself, has bound all Catholics to attend Mass on Sundays under pain of grave sin. This means deliberately missing Mass on Sundays or days of Obligation constitutes the sin of grave disobedience. When done with full knowledge and consent, it is a mortal sin.

All of the above are good advice and comments, though others have also given good advice too.

Bottom line, as a Catholic, you have an obligation to attend Mass. To put it more clearly, every Sunday is a Holy Day of Obligation. We Catholics also observe a few additional days as Holy Days of Obligation throughout the year, but every Sunday is a Holy Day of Obligation. One can only miss Mass with good reason, i.e. illness, no transportation and too great a distance to walk, dangerous driving conditions, etc. Choosing to miss Mass so that you could eat a meal instead is at the very least grave matter and more likely mortal sin, though only you can answer that definitively.

 

[m134e5]

In order for it to be “mortal” it has to be quite serious. Not to downplay missing mass, but I don’t think it counts as “mortal”.

Please distinguish between the Church’s teachings and your own opinions- particularly when, as is the case here, they are not the same (and especially when instructing someone who doesn’t know). The Church teaches it is “grave matter” to miss Mass on a Sunday or on a Holy Day of Obligation. The person can drive, and could go to Mass on their own- I don’t see how skipping Mass in this case would be anything other than a mortal sin.

Thank you!

I will still confess it, but am glad that I can receive Communion before Saturday

You should not receive communion before going to confession. The post I quoted above yours is bad advice.

 

[Joan_M]

Yes. Silly me. I was convinced that missing mass (which no one here has really advocated-keep that in mind) was a little less serious that pre meditated homicide. Sure, both are “putting oneself first”.

Are you aware of how absurd that sounds to anyone with the slightest shred of common sense?

Owlpride is right. Everything is a mortal sin. Everything. Including this reading this sentence.

Rescalking, it might be better is you considered what you write before you post. But, it is not surprising that you make the above type of comments, when one considers that you consider yourself a “Catholic mormon”!! Not possible. You cannot be a hybrid. You are either one or the other.

Deliberately missing Mass is an offense directly against God, while premeditated homicide, while offending God, is directly against another human being.

It seems that you cannot get your mind around the fact that mortal sins that are purely offenses against God Himself are more deadly than those directed against people!

So, who lacks common sense? The one who thinks that offenses against God Himself are no big thing,

 

[SwizzleStick]

OP, here is a recent thread that you might find of interest. Obviously, it is not exactly the same situation as yours, but it does contain similar elements, i.e., discussion of missing Mass without good reason.

A dilemma
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=545534

I also did a search of Q&As on “Ask an Apologist” for you regarding missing Mass, so that you may read answers from an experienced apologist. If you do a search yourself, you will find many more, but these threads should help clarify your obligation to attend Mass.

What if it’s impossible to go to Mass while on vacation?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=538870

Is it okay to miss Mass to visit my sick father?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=469857

Can I skip Mass to visit with family?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=469857

Are Catholics obligated to attend Mass on Sunday?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=452791

Is it a “grave sin” to not go to Mass on Sunday?
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=325597

 

[Rascalking]

Rescalking, it might be better is you considered what you write before you post. But, it is not surprising that you make the above type of comments, when one considers that you consider yourself a “Catholic mormon”!! Not possible. You cannot be a hybrid. You are either one or the other.

,

:: sigh ::

Well, the status of my religion is irrelevant. I’m Catholic, but I call myself that because it seems to bother people. I’ve never been Mormon or anything of the sort.

But thanks for letting me know that you can’t be a “hybrid”.

 

[Rascalking]

Missing Sunday Mass is actually worse than either murder or joining the Taliban.
.

I’d say “You must be kidding”. Somehow though, I think your serious. I just thank God your beliefs are in the minority.

 

[jmcrae]

I’d say “You must be kidding”. Somehow though, I think your serious. I just thank God your beliefs are in the minority.

No, you’re right - I’m not kidding. What - is God supposed to just take it, when we throw His gifts into His face? Remember what happened in the parable of the wedding banquet - the invited guests who didn’t show up were cast into the outer darkness and then replaced with people who were willing to come.

The Mass is God’s wedding banquet.

 

[Rascalking]

No, you’re right - I’m not kidding. What - is God supposed to just take it, when we throw His gifts into His face? Remember what happened in the parable of the wedding banquet - the invited guests who didn’t show up were cast into the outer darkness and then replaced with people who were willing to come.

The Mass is God’s wedding banquet.

Like I said, I’m glad most others don’t share your opinion. Then we might have people who feel giddy about murdering someone as long as they make it to 9:30 services.

 

[puzzleannie]

If you can drive, walk or take public transit by yourself, when your mother makes dinner is irrrelevant, you go to Mass. If you know she has dinner at that time, you go in the morning. If you are dependent on her for transit of course there is no sin. There is no sin anytime, anywhere without full knowledge and free full will consent. If you missed Mass rather than miss a meal, and you had a way to get there, yes it was a free choice. If you can get back and forth from school by yourself are there similar options for getting to Mass? Next time you will know to go to Mass at the earliest possible opportunity so you don’t get stuck. Bottom line, no intention, no sin.

 

[nicolep]

Sigh! It never fails to get to this point.

 Someone asks a question hopefully in good faith and everybody and his brother has to start pointing fingers at each other and then the snarkiness ensues. Why is it that we can't just focus on the OP and answer their questions and not start looking for reasons to rail on one another??? Next thing you know some atheist is going to come on here and try to hijack the thread by saying that "that's what's wrong with religion-you all have too many rules etc etc etc." These threads always spin out of control and the OP usually gets trampled in the dust with their question being answered 100 different ways just so that everyone can show off how much more "catholic" they are than the next person. 

 I thought we were here to help one another solve our problems and understand our faith. Instead we are just stalking these threads like predators in the jungle looking for someone to pounce on who doesn't have as much faith, reverence, intelligence as we do. Other secular forums would get shut down for the way people treat each other if it were anything like this one. What's sad is this is one of the few well organized forums on the net for Catholics but it kind of makes a person feel like we are either being held hostage by the non-believers that come on here to poke fun at us or by the believers who want to exercise the power of anonymity so that they can do in private what they wouldn't have the guts to do in public to people they thought were lower than themselves.

Just shameful! I pray some sense and decency be restored to this forum and fast! I don’t remember it being this bad in 2008 when I joined. What the heck happened?!

Mary Martinez

I was being helpful. Then I was told that I was being absurd and lacked common sense. As far as I know, I’m allowed to defend my beliefs when they hold true to Catholic teaching. I agree, it is shameful. A lot of posters have this “holier than thou” attitdue. I’m not saying I never have because I’m sure I’ve come across that way though it isn’t my intent.

 

[jmcrae]

Like I said, I’m glad most others don’t share your opinion. Then we might have people who feel giddy about murdering someone as long as they make it to 9:30 services.

Do you get that going to Mass isn’t anything at all like going to a party, or going to the movies?

 

[Rascalking]

Do you get that going to Mass isn’t anything at all like going to a party, or going to the movies?

Yes. Do YOU get the fact that I probably go to mass as much as you? That I’m not a “troll” as someone charmingly put it, but that I’m just a dude who tries his best to be a good catholic. You and I might differ about wether or not it’s a “Mortal sin” to miss mass-we do differ. But we’re probably alot more similar than what you think.