Is this valid?

[Vernik]

I was at mass in a foreign country and i didnt understand it entirely. Then there was a part where we had to say i give up on a particular thing. The priest said something but i only heard and understood the last part on which i agreed to give up. Since i publicly said i give up the thing that the priest said but didnt heard the first part, am i obligated to fulfill the entire thing?

 

[test_oh]

If you didn’t understand what was being said, how would you even know what the obligation was anyway?

 

[Isca]

I regularly attend Mass in a country where I don’t speak the language. I understand bits and pieces, but otherwise I just follow along as best I can. The great thing about the Catholic Church is that we all know the order of the Mass and it will be followed in the same way - although sometimes with a local “flavour”, it’s true!.

My own view is that if you are doing your best to follow the Mass and are sincere in your intentions, that’s all you can be expected to do. I can’t imagine that the priest will have asked you to agree to or promise anything which you wouldn’t normally agree to or promise during Mass.

 

[TimothyH]

You can’t make an impossible promise. Promising to give up breathing is not a valid promise.

You cannot be held to a promise made out of fear, like when someone has a gun pointed at your head or under threat.

You can’t be held to a promise which you don’t understand. I think this is what happened. You made the promise but didn’t understand why you were making it.

-Tim-

 

[ProVobis]

I was at mass in a foreign country and i didnt understand it entirely. Then there was a part where we had to say i give up on a particular thing. The priest said something but i only heard and understood the last part on which i agreed to give up. Since i publicly said i give up the thing that the priest said but didnt heard the first part, am i obligated to fulfill the entire thing?

Sometimes it helps to know when to keep quiet. If in doubt…