Is this a valid reason to miss mass?

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I just had my baby a week ago, me and my partner do not want to take him out in public because the weather over here can be extremly hot sometimes and the heat can possibly cause death to an infant. We missed mass last Sunday because of this matter. I was wondering if this is a valid excuse to miss mass? I’m also wondering if it’s okay to have mass at home instead? We have a Sunday companion missal that we got from our church, it’s the same exact one used during Sunday masses.
 
First off, congratulations!!! God bless you all!!! How wonderful!!! I have a 6 month old and a 5 year old, and I remember how hard it was just to do the most normal routine things when your baby is brand new. Personally, I did miss mass when they were newborns for similar reasons. We were told not even to take them out of the house until they were 2 weeks old. To answer your question…I’m sure there are others here who will give you the exact rule regarding missing mass, but if it’s for the sake of your child, I believe it is valid. If it is possible for the two of you to sort of ‘tag team’ to go to mass (one at a time, different masses, while the other stays home with the baby) that might help. However, with the baby being so new, that might make life more complicated.

As far as having mass at home goes, if you can watch a mass on television (EWTN, local etc) like they have for shut-ins, and follow along in your missal, that sounds like a good way to do the next best thing. It’s more effort than a lot of people in similar circumstances would make.
God bless, and congratulations again!!!
 
Okay, this is just my own personal opinion, but, I’ve always taken my babies to mass as soon as possible after they were born, the earliest has been 2 days. I really feel that it is a very important time to recieve Christ, and to have the baby in the presence of Our Lord. They have all been baptised with in their first week too. There is no reason to delay. If it’s really hot, just put a light onesie on the baby, use the ac in the car, etc… it’s only an hour. Don’t let anyone else hold the baby, just keep him in your arms or nursing the whole time.

I don’t think there is a difinite answer on wether or not it’s ‘valid’ though. It’s a judgement call.
Oh, and a big giant CONGRATS!!! Praise God for the beautiful gift of new life! 🙂
 
Why don’t one of you stay home with the baby while the other goes to Mass? Sunday Masses tend to offer more than one service. I guess I don’t think it’s a valid excuse, but then again, what would I know.

JELane
 
I wouldn’t think separating mom and baby so early would be good for the nursing relationship.
 
First off, people are allowed to miss Mass for valid medical reasons. One week after delivering is a valid reason for you to miss Mass. You baby is never obligated to go to Mass, until they reach the age of reason, BUT as Catholics we worship in a community and it is good to have people of all ages there and it is good to expose your kid to the graces that flow at Mass. You are obligated to go, once the medical reason doesn’t exist any more.

My wife and I have a 5 month old baby. After our baby, my wife didn’t go to Mass the first week, due to medical reasons. After that, for the first month we would do the tag team thing. I would either go to a Saturday Mass and my wife to a Sunday Mass. That way we wouldn’t even have to take the baby out of the house. If that couldn’t work due to scheduling issues, I would drive to the 9:00 Mass in one car, my wife would drive to the 10:30 Mass in the other car and we would pass the kid off.

Starting at 1 month we would bring our child to every Mass we go to. We learned a lot of different ways to make things easy on us. Like going to the Masses that aren’t so crowded so you have plenty of room and a convienant seat. We also sit on the aisle with the baby in between us. The person that is on the inside takes care of the kid if the kid needs anything while in the pew and the other person takes care of the kid if for some reason the baby needs to leave the pew. We switch roles every week.
 
opps, chick site… sorry… i’m outta here… 👍

oh, and congrats on the baby… 👍
 
Yikes! Just to clarify, I don’t think I could’ve gone to Mass the first week after delivery–heck, I’d have never been able to sit on the pew. But to make a practice of missing Mass every Sunday because of the newborn? And nursing happens clear through from, say, 8:00-12:00??? Why not ask the priest? I guess he’d know.

And yes, congratulations on the newborn. I love being able to be around newborns, even in Church with them yelling away, LOL. It’s sort of nice to see new little people.

JELane
 
Well, certainly it’s valid if you’re not up for it, physically. And the heat is a valid concern, but if you have air conditioning in the car and church, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal.

Remember, you’re going to have to figure out something to do when you have #2…and #3…and #4… 🙂
 
I guess I don’t see what the problem would be going to mass, and taking the baby, as long as everyone is healthy. I’m not saying to go out an run a marathon while carrying the baby in a backpack! And yes, I think seperating mom and baby at a week after birth could cause problems in the nursing relationship, even if it’s just an hour seperation. Mom and baby need to be together as constant at a week after delivery as they were those 9 months of pregnancy. (Sans any medical reasons to seperate)
 
okay I’ll be the first one to bite. What exactly is your “partner”? If you are married please say so if not please regularize your situation ASAP if not for your soul’s sake for the soul of your partner’s.

Mass is more than hearing the prayers. You must be physically there to participate at Mass. While TV Mass is nice for the weekdays or when you have to miss it is not a substitute and can be abused when going to the church is inconvenient.
 
Catholic Girl:
I just had my baby a week ago, me and my partner do not want to take him out in public .
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I don’t mean to cast aspersions, but do you mean what you wrote, or are you just trying to be policically correct? Do you have a partner or a husband?

I note this only because at this week’s Democratic National Convention, none of the speakers had a husband or wife, only partners. In their case, I believe it’s a sell-out because they no longer support marriage between one husband and one wife, and they don’t want to offend those who believe that anyone who happens to be sharing your bed at the monent is a suitable partner.

If you don’t have a husband, it’s all the more important to choose suitable godparents, to help ensure that the child will be properly raised in the Faith. These Forums have plenty of threads about the consquences of having chosen godparents who were weak in Faith, and who weren’t there to help direct the child’s religious education when one of the parents was no longer filling that role.

If you do have a husband, be proud of him, and proud of the fact that you acquired him through a sacramental marriage, not through an informal business arrangement.
 
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