Is shopping on Sunday a sin?

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I am about to go to confession after some thirty years and I wanted to prepare on what to say. At this site they help you examine your conscience and there is a whole list of sins to reflect on from the commandments, some of which I didn’t even realize were sins. I’ve started to go back to the Latin Mass and I think we could start adhering to these kinds of examinations of conscience, given the world we are now living in.
Now when I was young my mother had to get permission to wash her clothes on Sunday but I think we’re beyond that now. One I noticed was shopping on Sunday, is this still a sin?

Thank You
www.catholic-pages.com/penance/examine.asp
 
maybe, do you have any other opportunity during the week to do necessary shopping? are other people made to work on Sunday so that stores can stay open for shoppers? are you shopping instead of going to Mass or spending time with your family? Is shopping part of a general pattern of ignoring the sabbath? An “old-style” examination of conscience, which it sounds like you are using, is not supposed to generate a laundry list of sins, although that’s how it was often used. It is meant to get you thinking about the actual decisions and practices and omissions we are guilty of, and make it easier to understand what the commandments are saying to us about how we live our lives.
 
If you are shopping for the homeless in freezing winter - no.

If you are buying more clothes just for fun - yes.

Something in between - you figure it out.

“In matters of doubt, liberty.”

Greg
 
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Joanne_ca:
Now when I was young my mother had to get permission to wash her clothes on Sunday but I think we’re beyond that now. One I noticed was shopping on Sunday, is this still a sin?
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Dear joanne_ca,

I know there are those who will disagree, but I don’t think it is sinful unless you needed the rest or the family time and because you went shopping you were inattentive to those needs.

Mark 2:27: Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.”

Jesus broke the rules of the sabbath several times, and I doubt He had to go to confession for doing so. He had good reasons. One was to heal, another was to feed his people. Perhaps this supports what Greg said about the reasons for going shopping. Were you skipping out on your family to buy something you don’t need?

Dare I bring up another subject I’ve often wondered about (gee I have a lot of them it seems, and this forum tweaks them all). Hmmmm. OK, I will.
Galatians 4:8-11:
At a time when you did not know God, you became slaves to things that by nature are not gods;but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and destitute elemental powers? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again? You are observing days, months, seasons, and years. I am afraid on your account that perhaps I have labored for you in vain.
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Maybe that’s not clear, but I’ve read several different Bible versions and gotten the impression that “one day is as good as another.” I’ve never heard this preached on, but somehow I suspect I’m probably talking Protestant nonsense again.

In general, here’s why I question various rules so much:
Galatians 3:10-14:
For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law.” And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear, for "the one who is righteous by faith will live."But the law does not depend on faith; rather, "the one who does these things will live by them."Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, "Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree,"that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
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Really, I am curious what anybody thinks about Galatians in general, but for this current thread I just don’t believe that going shopping on a Sunday and taking your kids to a park and resting Saturday is morally any different than the other way around.

Of course, then, I’ve been accused of being a relativist. What do you think?

Alan
 
This is actually something I’ve wondered about recently.

newadvent.org/cathen/14335a.htm

The above is the article on Sunday from the Catholic Encyclopedia, which certainly reflects debate on the topic and a concern with people being too legalistic about it. But it also seems to say that the consensus is no work (but not defined as rigorously as Orthodox Jews do) and no public buying or selling.

I didn’t know about that last part, and frankly my initial reaction is in line with Alan’s post.

I think when growing up we just learned that you had to go to Mass.

I guess I’ll admit that I do work and shop on Sunday (it would be hard to avoid) and so far haven’t really thought to confess it, though like I said I’ve been wondering about it.
 
Thanks for your help. I’ve always refused to work on Sunday so I guess it wouldn’t be right to shop either. Until now I didn’t think about it but I’m sure I can leave one day of the week devoted to the Lord. Appreciate your comments.
 
In keeping with CCC 2195 & 2193, I have believed it is wrong to shop on Sunday, and especially on Sunday mornings. If no one shopped on Sundays or at least not before Sunday afternoon, then most stores, such as Walmart, would be closed on Sunday mornings, and more employees could participate in Sunday Worship.
 
Thank you all. I went to confession the other day and the priest listed this as one of my sins, he said this day is for God. So, I have my answer and I will keep this day holy. Thank you for your help.
 
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