Is it acceptable to fly on Easter Sunday?

[timeandeternity]

My dad recently planned a ski trip for Easter week. He planned it so that we would be able to get to Mass after flying in early Sunday morning. We will also be packing food so that we will not have to buy any on Easter, and we will have most of the day to relax once we get there. However, flying necessarily involves lots of hauling luggage, getting the nine kids in my family everywhere they need to be, and driving about an hour to the airport. In addition, if the flight somehow gets delayed (not much of a chance, fortunately, since there are so few travelers on Easter), we could miss Mass. Saturday Vigil isn’t really a viable option for the whole family, because at least a few people need to be home getting the little ones to bed and making sure everything is ready for the next morning.

My question is: is it acceptable to do this sort of thing on Sunday–especially Easter Sunday?

 

[Sherry_G]

There is no rule against it. Howevver, if it were me, I would play it safe and get to Easter Vigil Mass as I know how airline schedules can be thrown off. You can hire a baby sitter for the two hours or so that you will be gone to Mass for any little ones who need to get to bed. Alternately, Sat. nap time for the kiddies so they can go to Mass, too! If it does work out that you can all go as a family at the vacation spot, you can still go, then, too. And have a wonderful vacation.

 

[martininthefiel]

Do you mean on an airplane?

 

[m134e5]

My dad recently planned a ski trip for Easter week. He planned it so that we would be able to get to Mass after flying in early Sunday morning. We will also be packing food so that we will not have to buy any on Easter, and we will have most of the day to relax once we get there. However, flying necessarily involves lots of hauling luggage, getting the nine kids in my family everywhere they need to be, and driving about an hour to the airport. In addition, if the flight somehow gets delayed (not much of a chance, fortunately, since there are so few travelers on Easter), we could miss Mass. Saturday Vigil isn’t really a viable option for the whole family, because at least a few people need to be home getting the little ones to bed and making sure everything is ready for the next morning.

My question is: is it acceptable to do this sort of thing on Sunday–especially Easter Sunday?

You intend to go to Mass when you get there, so I am not sure it would be a mortal sin if late flights caused you to miss since you say it isn’t too likely that flights will be very late on that day. I still wouldn’t want to miss Mass on Easter though. If I were you, I’d take the family to the Easter vigil and just let the kids sleep through it who can’t stay awake. Then again, the Easter vigil is one of my favorite liturgies of the year and a ski trip (and the broken bones I would certainly get if I ever were to go on one) is hardly an incentive to get me to miss it.