Is this a valid reason to miss a holy day of obligation?

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panther

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This Saturday, I have to take my son to an athletic tournament 2 hours away, and we need to be there by 8:00 a.m. The only two masses our parish offers for the holy day of obligation is 8:00 am and 10:00 am. Obviously if I am away at the competition, I won’t be home for mass. Is this a valid reason to miss the masses this Saturday?

Thank you for your help.
 
panther said:
This Saturday, I have to take my son to an athletic tournament 2 hours away, and we need to be there by 8:00 a.m. The only two masses our parish offers for the holy day of obligation is 8:00 am and 10:00 am. Obviously if I am away at the competition, I won’t be home for mass. Is this a valid reason to miss the masses this Saturday?

Thank you for your help.
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You may also check around with your diocese to see if there are any Masses Friday evening in other parishes. As much as I love my parish, if I’m not going to be in the vicinity, I’ll try to find the church closest to me and attend Mass there. But, do check with your pastor. Maybe he’ll have a Friday vigil.
 
A vigil Mass would be a good thing to check on (since Saturday Masses will be Advent II Masses, many priests are having a vigil Masses, even if they don’t usually have them).

Also, check for parishes along the way. You may have to get up early and try to make Mass at a parish in the town where your son needs to be.

Yes, this is an inconvenience for you, but the crucifixion was an inconvenience for Our Lord. I’m going to have to say that this is not a valid reason to miss Holy Mass, IMHO.

Adam
 
I’ve checked and there are no vigil masses in the area. In fact, one of the churches only is offering their normal 4 pm masses, which I thought didn’t count for a holy day of obligation, only the regular Sunday mass.

Anyway, I guess I can check out what may be available in the town where this event is. Wish me luck.
 
panther said:
I’ve checked and there are no vigil masses in the area. In fact, one of the churches only is offering their normal 4 pm masses, which I thought didn’t count for a holy day of obligation, only the regular Sunday mass.

Anyway, I guess I can check out what may be available in the town where this event is. Wish me luck.
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I believe that this is incorrect
If you can make the Vigil mass on Saturday and then a Morning mass on Sunday that should suffice to meet the obligation. The only thing you cannot do is Go to the Saturday Vigil mass and try to make it count as both.

James
 
Well, I just learned something - thanks!

I have e-mailed the Catholic church in the town I’ll be in, so hopefully they’ll have good news for me. I checked their website, and it didn’t look like they had any daytime masses for this Saturday, but maybe it’s just not posted.

Thanks for everyone’s help!
 
JRKH said:
I believe that this is incorrect
If you can make the Vigil mass on Saturday and then a Morning mass on Sunday that should suffice to meet the obligation. The only thing you cannot do is Go to the Saturday Vigil mass and try to make it count as both.

James
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The USCCB Committee on Divine Worship informed me that this was incorrect. The anticipated Sunday Vigil Mass on late afternoon/evening Saturday only fulfills the obligation for Sunday, not for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. I called them twice about this matter in order to get the correct information.

In order to satisfy the obligation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, you need to go either to the anticipated vigil Mass on Friday evening or on Saturday morning/early afternoon. I’ve been taking through the ringers for my stance by several people, but, inasmuch as I don’t agree with some of what the USCCB has done, they do have the authority and it falls under their competence to determine this matter.

If you cannot go to Mass at all on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, it is best to contact your parish priest.
 
Have you checked

masstimes.org ?

As suggested before you need to find a 6:30 or 7 AM mass on the way, or an 8AM Mass in the town where the tournament is being held. And your son will miss the first game.

When my company scheduled meetings conflicting with all the Saturday vigil masses and Sunday morning masses in Las Vegas, they were given the choice–which meeting do you want me to miss, or find someone else for my job.
 
benedictgal said:
The USCCB Committee on Divine Worship informed me that this was incorrect. The anticipated Sunday Vigil Mass on late afternoon/evening Saturday only fulfills the obligation for Sunday, not for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. I called them twice about this matter in order to get the correct information.

In order to satisfy the obligation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, you need to go either to the anticipated vigil Mass on Friday evening or on Saturday morning/early afternoon. I’ve been taking through the ringers for my stance by several people, but, inasmuch as I don’t agree with some of what the USCCB has done, they do have the authority and it falls under their competence to determine this matter.

If you cannot go to Mass at all on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, it is best to contact your parish priest.
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My apologies for supplying incorrect information. I was truly under the impression that the Vigil on Saturday would suffice.

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa :bowdown:

Thanks for the Correction.

James
 
A vigil mass on Saturday is for Sunday Advent. It is important which mass they are celebrating not which day they are celebrating on. Some parishes might have friday night vigils for saturday. No mass counts for both Immaculate conception and 2 SUnday of advent. THey are two separate things. The Immaculate conception is non transferable to a Sunday. So this weekend you have to go to two masses. One specifically for the IC and one for second sunday of advent. You can not go to two masses for second sunday of advent to count. It has to be 1 for IC 1 for second sunday. So a vigil mass on Saturday for second sunday and a sunday morning would not count. This is because they are both celebrating the second sunday. A athletic tournament is not a valid excuse. Check masstimes.org they will give you all the listings. Good luck, and God bless.
 
To the OP:

God bless and good luck in your search to find a Mass to attend. Hopefully you will either be able to find a Friday vigil Mass you can attend, or a Mass on Saturday which is not the Vigil for Sunday. Perhaps you will be able to find something for yourself (and your family–if your child is old enough for school competitions he/she is old enough to be responsible to attend a holyday of obligation) after the competition on the way home (so check for churches in the area between home and competition as well).

But if you have done all you could and there is simply no Mass available for you and family to attend, you are not held to the impossible.

Finally, I suggest calling your parish priest and discussing the situation with him to see if he can offer any insight or help in this, and certainly to help with your peace of mind.
 
If I can go to an evening Mass on Sunday to satisfy my Sunday Mass obligation, why can’t I go to an evening Mass on Saturday to satisfy my Saturday Holy Day obligation if I don’t treat it as my Sunday Mass as well? Particularly since I can satisfy my Holy Day obligation by going to Mass in the evening on a Holy Day when it doesn’t fall on a Saturday. Isn’t this a case of straining at a gnat while swallowing a camel?
 
Doctor_Raj said:
If I can go to an evening Mass on Sunday to satisfy my Sunday Mass obligation, why can’t I go to an evening Mass on Saturday to satisfy my Saturday Holy Day obligation if I don’t treat it as my Sunday Mass as well? Particularly since I can satisfy my Holy Day obligation by going to Mass in the evening on a Holy Day when it doesn’t fall on a Saturday. Isn’t this a case of straining at a gnat while swallowing a camel?
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No, evening Masses on Sunday have the same readings as daytime Masses on Sunday (and for that matter the very same readings as vigil Masses on Saturday) - hence their all being the Masses OF that Sunday and able to fulfil that obligation.

All these have different readings from those for Saturday’s feast of the Immaculate Conception (and any vigil Masses on Friday which presumably will have the same readings as Saturday daytime Masses)

As has been pointed out, the USCCB is the competent authority to determine how in particular HDO obligations can be fulfilled in the US, so what they say goes.
 
Thanks for your response. The same readings for the Sunday Masses whether they are for the vigil or for the Sunday Masses at any times is a rational reason. Therefore, to satisfy my Holy Day obligation, I must find a Mass that uses the readings etc. for the Holy Day itself and not those for the Sunday observance. I still think that it is straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel, but I accept the direction of the Church in this matter as I do in other areas where I don’t agree with it. Again thanks for your response. Raj
 
Doctor_Raj said:
Thanks for your response. The same readings for the Sunday Masses whether they are for the vigil or for the Sunday Masses at any times is a rational reason. Therefore, to satisfy my Holy Day obligation, I must find a Mass that uses the readings etc. for the Holy Day itself and not those for the Sunday observance. I still think that it is straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel, but I accept the direction of the Church in this matter as I do in other areas where I don’t agree with it. Again thanks for your response. Raj
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Remember in all this that if you have legitimate work or other obligations that mean you can’t make any of the Friday Vigil or Saturday day masses then you’re not under any obligation to attend. And that if in doubt you can always seek a dispensation from your pastor. So it’s hardly an onerous obligation in any event.

And obedience to Church authority is hardly a matter of straining at a gnat - it’s a serious thing. Jesus DID give the Church the power to bind and loose, and DID say to the Apostles and their successors ‘who hears you hears me’. And the Church doesn’t use these powers without reason.
 
To avoid confusion about “what day is it” when you go to Mass:

Sunday is the longest day of the week, Saturday is the shortest.
Sunday starts at 4:00 PM Saturday. It is a 32 hour day. Saturday is a 16 hour day that ends at 4PM.

Sunday is a solemnity, all Solemnities last 32 hours, it starts the day before. So Immaculate Conception this week starts Friday afternoon, and ends Saturday afternoon (an Advent Sunday takes precedence over a Solemnity of our Blessed Mother).

The longest two days of the YEAR are Easter and Christmas, they last for EIGHT days (200 hours).
 
Jamie_Burns said:
To avoid confusion about “what day is it” when you go to Mass:

Sunday is the longest day of the week, Saturday is the shortest.
Sunday starts at 4:00 PM Saturday. It is a 32 hour day. Saturday is a 16 hour day that ends at 4PM.

Sunday is a solemnity, all Solemnities last 32 hours, it starts the day before. So Immaculate Conception this week starts Friday afternoon, and ends Saturday afternoon (an Advent Sunday takes precedence over a Solemnity of our Blessed Mother).

The longest two days of the YEAR are Easter and Christmas, they last for EIGHT days (200 hours).
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I don’t think that’s quite accurate with Christmas and Easter - they each have what is called an ‘octave’, but that’s not the same as meaning the eight days are one day. Not like the readings are the same on all the days for one thing, for another other feasts and solemnities such as Mary Mother of God happen DURING the Christmas Octave - that DEFINITELY isn’t the same day.
 
panther said:
This Saturday, I have to take my son to an athletic tournament 2 hours away, and we need to be there by 8:00 a.m. The only two masses our parish offers for the holy day of obligation is 8:00 am and 10:00 am. Obviously if I am away at the competition, I won’t be home for mass. Is this a valid reason to miss the masses this Saturday?

Thank you for your help.
Click to expand...
I have the same problem and I know what my pastor would say. (no)

I am currently looking for a Friday night Mass that we can go to without arriving too late at a friends house warming. Then we will be going Sat. night to Mass for Sunday since if we advance, we will get back too late for Sunday evening Mass.

If that doesn’t work, I will look for a Mass in the town where the tournament is. It’s complicated but well worth it. Here in Texas, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception gets a little overlooked because it is so close to OL of Guadalupe. The largest parish on this side of town isn’t even having any extra Masses for the Holy Day. They sure don’t make it easy. 😃
 
Well, Corki, I’ll pray for you to find a mass if you pray for me to find one! :gopray2:
 
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