Is ONLINE shopping on Sundays a sin?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paul_Edwards
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
P

Paul_Edwards

Guest
Considering that post offices are closed on Sundays and so it will not be sent off until Monday, and nobody is really doing work on the Sunday unlike in a physical shop, is it ok to click “purchase” on the Sunday? Or must I wait until midnight/the morning etc?

Sometimes ie if I bid on eBay, and win, I would feel better paying straight away if I win, but should I wait until it becomes Monday before I click the payment button? Should I just avoid any formal transaction of money on Sundays or is it just the causing of another to work that is the problem?
 
Last edited:
There’s nothing inherently wrong with shopping on a Sunday. If it detracts from your duties/spiritual obligations, then there may be a problem. But in and of itself, shopping is okay on a Sunday. There’s no teaching against it.
 
Paul_Edwards said:
Should I just avoid any formal transaction of money on Sundays or is it just the causing of another to work that is the problem?
Click to expand...
My advice is, yes. Avoid. I think the traditional teaching is we don’t buy and sell unless absolutely unavoidable e.g. lonely elderly neighbour out of food and you have also run out so you can’t give your own
 
I’ve seen other Catholic websites which state that they do not conduct business on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation. One also admonishes the person visiting their website to not purchase items on Sundays and Holy Days in order to keep the Third Commandment. (If I find it, I’ll post it for you.)
 
If you are able to wait until Monday for a purchase, why not?
It’s a little cross you can offer to the Lord to honor him.
 
Frankie65 said:
40.png
Paul_Edwards:
Should I just avoid any formal transaction of money on Sundays or is it just the causing of another to work that is the problem?
Click to expand...
My advice is, yes. Avoid. I think the traditional teaching is we don’t buy and sell unless absolutely unavoidable e.g. lonely elderly neighbour out of food and you have also run out so you can’t give your own
Click to expand...
The “traditional teaching” contemplated a marketplace, not a keyboard. Nor does such activity necessarily take away from the worship and honor due the Lord on Sunday.
 
Pitcairn17 said:
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.) Frankie65:
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.) Paul_Edwards:
Should I just avoid any formal transaction of money on Sundays or is it just the causing of another to work that is the problem?
Click to expand...
No, I’ve read it recently. I visit a lot of traditional Catholic websites with traditional priests. This was one of the things I’ve read

Also you have six other days to do this. One day not to do it.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Glennon_P said:
If it’s a sin to buy something online on Sunday, wouldn’t it also be sinful to browse the web on Sunday?
Click to expand...
By these people’s standards, it would be sinful to do anything on Sunday other than pray and sit around the house talking with your family. (If you don’t happen to have a family, too bad…I guess you’re supposed to go out and do a work of charity as long as it doesn’t involve spending any money.)

You couldn’t even go out to the park or a ball game, as you might have to buy a cold drink or spend some money on the admission ticket.

I don’t hold to that legalistic interpretation and I don’t think Jesus does either.
 
Last edited:
I don’t have a ‘family’ other than my dad. He and I eat our Sunday lunch together at home. If he wasn’t around I’d come home and cook lunch on my own. There is a lonely old chap I visit on a Sunday. I go to Mass in the morning and enjoy chatting to my friends after Mass.

I have bought things in the past on a Sunday and recently I’ve found my conscience uncomfortable and now I don’t or at least I try not to. I avoid sites like Amazon or anything on a Sunday as to me that’s buying and selling and not keeping the Lord’s Day holy.
 
In Dies Domini (The Day of the Lord), PJPII reiterated the teaching of the Church re keeping the Lord’s Day holy and rest from servile work.

Our Lady of La Salette said that God would punish France by famine for not keeping Sunday holy. Our Lord told Sister Mary of Saint-Pierre to promote devotion to His Holy Face especially in reparation for sins against the first three Commandments.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
@Paul_Edwards

It is my understanding that all unnecessary shopping is to be avoided.

A Day of Grace and Rest from Work " 2184 Just as God “rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done,” human life has a rhythm of work and rest. The institution of the Lord’s Day helps everyone enjoy adequate rest and leisure to cultivate their familial, cultural, social, and religious lives.
2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health. The charity of truth seeks holy leisure- the necessity of charity accepts just work."

If it is truly something you need that day, I don’t see any problem. (Jesus’s disciples picking the heads of grain and eating them as they walked through the field on the Sabbath. That was necessary as they needed to eat.)

If we choose to eat out on Sunday at a restaurant, then these people are already having to work (part of their roster, and some choose to work that day to earn more money), so our purchasing our meals there is not forcing them to miss their Sunday obligation/time with family/rest etc - so there is no sin involved.

CCC 2186, 2187 " 2186 Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of their brethren who have the same needs and the same rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.
2187 Sanctifying Sundays and holy days requires a common effort. Every Christian should avoid making unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord’s Day. Traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure. With temperance and charity the faithful will see to it that they avoid the excesses and violence sometimes associated with popular leisure activities. In spite of economic constraints, public authorities should ensure citizens a time intended for rest and divine worship. Employers have a similar obligation toward their employees."

continued below-
 
Last edited:
Online shopping - if it is ‘closed’ in the sense that your order will be filled the next working day - Monday, then I don’t see any problem here. Or with paying for your purchase as these transactions are processed electronically, by a machine.

If the store is overseas, then you could check to see if it is Sunday there, are they open and would they fill your order then and there on that day? And are you prepared to search for that info on each site you visit and wish to purchase from ?

But again, they may be working from financial necessity and so choose to be working that day anyway. Also the company chooses how it’s website is set up for transactions, when orders are processed etc - and this isn’t determined by you.

As you say, it then needs to be posted out to you, so you wouldn’t get it ‘immediately’ anyway, so is there any real harm to you in waiting until the next day to purchase it?

Wrt buying on eBay, whilst some things are auction based, others are buy now - I would think the item being auctioned would need to be not readily available, (e.g. for me, a particular sewing pattern that is out of print etc.) and the auction is to close soon (whilst on Sunday), then to me it is necessary to buy it then and there. The payment is done electronically. When the item is posted is up to the seller isn’t it?

If it is a ‘buy now’ item, then I personally would wait until the Monday.

Catholic Answers - What can I do on Sundays Michelle Arnold

Keeping Holy the Lord’s Day Michelle Arnold • 1/27/2017

What should we avoid on the day of rest? By Fr John Flader - May 27, 2016
 
Paul_Edwards said:
Considering that post offices are closed on Sundays and so it will not be sent off until Monday, and nobody is really doing work on the Sunday unlike in a physical shop, is it ok to click “purchase” on the Sunday? Or must I wait until midnight/the morning etc?

Sometimes ie if I bid on eBay, and win, I would feel better paying straight away if I win, but should I wait until it becomes Monday before I click the payment button? Should I just avoid any formal transaction of money on Sundays or is it just the causing of another to work that is the problem?
Click to expand...
Having a holy day of rest does not mean we cannot indulge in commercial activities. Just yesterday, after church, I went to a restaurant for lunch. Clearly this involved spending money and having waitstaff and other people working. A lot of other people may relax by going to sporting events, movies and the like. Again, people work and spend money to make these things happen.

Some restaurants and other businesses NEED Sunday trade, as for many customer weekends are almost the only time they have time and leisure to do shopping other than for bare necessities, or to go out to a movie, sports game or whatever.

And the workers often need and benefit from the extra income (in some places they are given extra pay for work on a Sunday). So at times it can be a work of mercy and a blessing to business owners and employees to patronise businesses that are open on a Sunday.
 
That’s your personal choice, and that’s fine. It’s not a church rule that we all should refrain, however.

I do other optional things during the week to show love for God. I don’t get hung up about whether it’s Sunday when I shop. Nor do I shop very much (I’m trying to downsize and I don’t have a lot of time to shop anyway) or spend entire Sundays shopping.

My family is all either dead or lives hours away.
 
Last edited:
It is a church rule that we keep the Lord’s Day holy. We may not live up to it very well (I know I don’t God help me) but if we are buying and selling without concern then we are treating the Lord’s holy day as we would any other day. And that is a problem.
 
Last edited:
We will always have good and holy pastors in the Catholic church who interpret God’s holy word accurately and in line with all the holy Fathers of the Church. This will happen to the end times and perhaps increase in the end times to revitalize and encourage the faithful to be true to their calling. And sadly we will also always have people who do not.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top