Is this a mortal sin?

[Razanir]

Last weekend I was home from college for Thanksgiving. At college, I go to Mass at 17:30 every Sunday, but I wasn’t due to be back on campus from break until 00:05 the next morning. Anyway, we had to leave for the train station at 11:00 and my family didn’t remember to go to Mass that morning. I didn’t go because without a ride, I’d have to either walk or bike across town to the church. I think I’m fine, but I just want to make sure.

Side comments:

1. Yes, I’m a college student without a license. So what?
2. Yes, I’m American. Yes, I still use 24-hour time like Europe does. There’s less risk of ambiguity.

EDIT: Oh, and can you guys please try to respond quickly? I have to be at choir an hour before Mass

 

[jmjconder]

I am not a priest. However I believe your intent was to attend Mass and without the needed resources to do so - you MAY not be culpable…however I am not a priest.

 

[TheDoctor]

Last weekend I was home from college for Thanksgiving. At college, I go to Mass at 17:30 every Sunday, but I wasn’t due to be back on campus from break until 00:05 the next morning. Anyway, we had to leave for the train station at 11:00 and my family didn’t remember to go to Mass that morning. I didn’t go because without a ride, I’d have to either walk or bike across town to the church. I think I’m fine, but I just want to make sure.

Side comments:

1. Yes, I’m a college student without a license. So what?
2. Yes, I’m American. Yes, I still use 24-hour time like Europe does. There’s less risk of ambiguity.

EDIT: Oh, and can you guys please try to respond quickly? I have to be at choir an hour before Mass

You missed Mass and knew it was a sin to do so therefore the first two conditions of Mortal Sin are met. Did you do it with full knowledge with no other choide? That is up to you and your confessor. (Sitting in my living room watching the Steeler game, it is easy to nitpick - e.g. you don’t have a license, but why didn’t you ask someone with a license to give you a ride and pick you up? Why didn’t you remind your family to go to Mass?).

Take it to Father in confession.

 

[TravisJTH]

I thought Mortal Sins were different from regular sins based on their level of severity (murder, theft, sexual immorality, etc). I was under the impression that mortal sins were those serious enough that you could not receive forgiveness on your own and thus needed a priest to intercede for you. If that were the case, I would assume missing Mass wouldn’t be anywhere near serious enough to count as a mortal sin.

Could someone please explain the concept of mortal sin to me? Thanks.

 

[R_C]

To willfully chose to miss Holy Mass on Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation is grave matter. If done willfully, that is, with full knowledge and deliberate consent, it will be mortally sinful. However, if a serious reason prevented you from attending Saturday Vigil Mass and Sunday Mass, you may not be in a state of mortal sin. Do confess this to be on the safe side - we do not understand what Holy Mass on the Lord’s Day is, we’ll only understand in heaven.

 

[R_C]

I thought Mortal Sins were different from regular sins based on their level of severity (murder, theft, sexual immorality, etc). I was under the impression that mortal sins were those serious enough that you could not receive forgiveness on your own and thus needed a priest to intercede for you. If that were the case, I would assume missing Mass wouldn’t be anywhere near serious enough to count as a mortal sin.

Could someone please explain the concept of mortal sin to me? Thanks.

Mortal sin is a sin on grave matter (the matter specified by the ten commandments but on serious issues) done with full knowledge (ex, knowing that it is sinful) and deliberate consent (ex willfully choosing to sin). A mortal sin deprives us of sanctifying grace, though the Spirit freely gives us temporary (auxiliating) grace to be moved to repentance. But nobody can obtain forgiveness of a mortal sin on his own. This is ancient sacred tradition.

Attending Holy Mass on Sunday is a Precept of Holy Church, something that constitutes grave matter. To willfully disobey the precepts of Holy Church constitutes mortal sin.

However you can learn much more from the Catechism: Sin.

 

[TheDoctor]

I thought Mortal Sins were different from regular sins based on their level of severity (murder, theft, sexual immorality, etc). I was under the impression that mortal sins were those serious enough that you could not receive forgiveness on your own and thus needed a priest to intercede for you. If that were the case, I would assume missing Mass wouldn’t be anywhere near serious enough to count as a mortal sin.

Could someone please explain the concept of mortal sin to me? Thanks.

All sin is an offense against God but some are some are more grave than others. These “mortal” sins turn us away from God and break our relationship with Him. It is through the Sacrament of Confession that our mortal sins are forgiven by God and our relationship with Him is restored.

Take a read at this section of the Catechism and you may also want to use the search function.
vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s1c1a8.htm

Also see this from Catholic Answers:
catholic.com/tracts/mortal-sin

 

[St_Stephen_1]

I thought Mortal Sins were different from regular sins based on their level of severity (murder, theft, sexual immorality, etc). I was under the impression that mortal sins were those serious enough that you could not receive forgiveness on your own and thus needed a priest to intercede for you. If that were the case, I would assume missing Mass wouldn’t be anywhere near serious enough to count as a mortal sin.

Could someone please explain the concept of mortal sin to me? Thanks.

A mortal sin is one where the matter is grave. That means serious. If it is like most sins one of commission where you do something wrong it needs what you did you be seriously wrong. If it is a sin of ommission - not doing something you should do - it’s serious by not doing it. Sometimes your conscience, with the help of the priest, decides if it’s serious. Sometimes we know because that’s what the church has taught. The church has taught missing Mass is a mortal sin. There are reasons that can excuse you and a priest can dispense you from the obligation.

 

[Razanir]

I am not a priest. However I believe your intent was to attend Mass and without the needed resources to do so - you MAY not be culpable…however I am not a priest.

I went with this logic in the end, but I still plan on going to Confession (probably on Thursday because that’s my lazy day)

 

[Joan_M]

I thought Mortal Sins were different from regular sins based on their level of severity (murder, theft, sexual immorality, etc). I was under the impression that mortal sins were those serious enough that you could not receive forgiveness on your own and thus needed a priest to intercede for you. If that were the case, I would assume missing Mass wouldn’t be anywhere near serious enough to count as a mortal sin.

Could someone please explain the concept of mortal sin to me? Thanks.

Mortal sins are serious enough that you can not receive forgiveness without going to confession. Missing Mass on a Sunday or Holy day of Obligation for no good reason (such as being sick yourself, or having to care for someone seriously ill, or some other good reason) IS a mortal sin - a sin against the 3rd Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day. You are turning away from God. In fact, mortal sins against the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Commandments are more serious than mortal sins against the other 7 commandments. Our first priority is to worship God.

 

[JLM28]

If you missed mass on a Sunday or Holy Day of Obligation yes it is a mortal sin, but if it was a mass during the week day then it is not a sin ,unless you made a private promise to God that you were going.

 

[Random_Catholic]

Hey
Short and sweet.

Mass is not mentioned in the Ten Commandments, Exo 20, it’s not sin.

Bye bye