Job Makes Sunday Mass Impossible

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sadowa

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Dear Forum Members:
I have the most meaningful and useful job I have ever had at a state university library. I had two operations last year that saved my life that I paid one hundred dollars out of thirty thousand dollars in bills thanks to health insurance. The atmosphere of being around books is good for me. This is a good job for me.
My dilemna is I work Sunday through Thursday. Frequently I travel from miday Friday until late Saturday in pursuit of my own desire to write about history and art. Therefore, mass attendance at the typical times is hard for me. I can’t even get up for morning mass as I usually get to sleep at four AM after getting home just at midnight on worknights. Now there are in my metropolitan area masses conducted at or around noon on Fridays that would be ideal for me to attend before I go off on my on painting or writing trips. Would this constitute a satisfactory mass attendance? Sometimes I could catch a Saturday mass on the road, but I might be a mess in painters garb or hiking clothes.
I am afraid if I give up these pursuits for Saturday mass at my nearby parrish I will become increasingly bitter. I was already sad that my efforts to rejoin our folk group which I could barely make just before work on Sunday, seemed thwarted by the fact that I could not make music practices are on weekday evenings. My missing practice was a detriment to the group. In the case of giving up this playing it has been suggested to me this is a necessary sacrifice. It crushed my belief and hope.
Now I want to start back, but I am afraid the answer about my weekend travel will be to give that up too. It is a type of solitude I now need. If I felt forced to stop traveling and go to Saturday mass I would feel very bad things about myself that I prefer not to elaborate on. At least until I obtain some responses. I will say I have very little capacity to know people outside of a military sense of duty I try to :confused: bring to any job. There is no joy in attending mass for me in the sense of community. I do not want to be known by others. I simply want to go back to the sacraments
 
I’m not sure what your location is, but typically there are a wide range of masses available from 5:00 p.m. Sat. evening through 5:00 p.m. Sunday evening. Surely there is a time within there that you can fit into your schedule.

If you are traveling, is there a church you can stop at on Sat. eve. to attend for an hour?

If you truly want to make this a priority in your life, pray and God will help you find a way. God greatly desires to see you at His Table!
 
Discuss your situation with a priest. You can be formally dispensed from the obligation to attend on Sunday, if the reasons are judged to be sufficient.
 
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sadowa:
Now I want to start back, but I am afraid the answer about my weekend travel will be to give that up too.
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there are no churches in the places you travel for your research? You are unable to carry a skirt or jumper to put over your hiking clothes, and to wash and comb your hair before attending Mass?

You state your reason for not going to your parish church is that you cannot participate in the choir. That hardly sounds job related or related to your research. It sounds very much like an excuse to me, and that is how I would regard it if you were my kid.

The other reasons you state for missing Mass have everything to do by your own testimony about your comfort level, your emotional state, your personal satisfaction, and little to do with your work schedule. Any employer of a state university system is obliged to make provision for employees to worship according to the dictates of their religion. If you were an observant Jew they would be obliged to allow you to observe the Holy Days, for example.

As I said, you have given excuses, not reasons. You need the sacraments, so you say, so begin with a good examination of conscience and confession. You came to us asking for absolution of an offense you intend to commit, well you came to the wrong place.
 
sadowa,
I am not trying to be mean but you title says “Job Makes Sunday Mass Impossible” then you say in the body of your post…
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sadowa:
Dear Forum Members:
I have the most meaningful and useful job I have ever had at a state university library. I had two operations last year that saved my life that I paid one hundred dollars out of thirty thousand dollars in bills thanks to health insurance. The atmosphere of being around books is good for me. This is a good job for me.
My dilemna is I work Sunday through Thursday. Frequently I travel from miday Friday until late Saturday in pursuit of my own desire to write about history and art. Therefore, mass attendance at the typical times is hard for me.
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Ok, you work Sundays, as many people do. There is Saturday evening Mass that would work but you say, “Frequently I travel from miday Friday until late Saturday in pursuit of my own desire” thats where I have a problem.

You can not make Saturday Mass, not due to work, but out of your own desire.

What is more important, pleasing God or yourself?

For me, no question, I would go to Saturday Mass. If I was traveling for my own pleasure, I would make sure I could make the Saturday Evening Mass were I was going.
 
I’m not trying to derail this thread, but when I read the thread title “Job Makes Sunday Mass Impossible”, I thought it was talking about the book of Job and the thread was going to be a proof-text against Sunday worship. Never assume. 😃

Scott
 
its simple. go to mass on saturday night or sunday. otherwise its a mortal sin. your not even supposed to do servile work on sunday anyways. if you dont care about following your religion then dont call yourself a catholic.
 
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sadowa:
Frequently I travel from miday Friday until late Saturday in pursuit of my own desire to write about history and art. Therefore, mass attendance at the typical times is hard for me. I can’t even get up for morning mass as I usually get to sleep at four AM after getting home just at midnight on worknights.

Now there are in my metropolitan area masses conducted at or around noon on Fridays that would be ideal for me to attend before I go off on my on painting or writing trips. Would this constitute a satisfactory mass attendance? Sometimes I could catch a Saturday mass on the road, but I might be a mess in painters garb or hiking clothes.
I am afraid if I give up these pursuits for Saturday mass at my nearby parrish I will become increasingly bitter.
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You wanted opinions - so I am not going to sugar coat for you.

I do not believe that Friday mass attendance is satisfactory because it is convenient for you. So you want a convenient religion? I can tell you that being crucified was certainly not convenient for Christ.

This sounds like it is all about you. What you will need to give up, what you want to pursue, what you do not want to sacrifice. That will not bring you closer to God but you are certainly free to pursue those interests.

We all make choices in our lives according to what we value. Then we fit this into our schedules accordingly.

It sounds like you are trying to assess this - but your earthly desires are winning. If you are serious about receiving the sacraments, then put your own desires aside and go to mass on Sunday and get to frequent confession.
 
Is participating in the life of a parish community important to you? If going to Mass is only about fulfilling a duty, I can understand why you would prefer spending time at your job instead. Where there is a will, there is a way. Maybe you aren’t quite there yet. Good things often take time. I know from personal experience that God is patient. My prayers are with you as we journey together in faith, and struggle against the temptations and distractions with which we are regularly faced.
 
You mention you work at a university library. The university probably has a Newman Center or a Catholic community. There may be mass on campus. My campus has mass at 1pm and 9pm on Sundays, among other days of the week. The community also meets during the week for chats, prayer, and spiritual/Bible discussion. I hope this helps.

Maria
 
It sounds like you’re saying that you want to take care of everything first, and then if it’s convenient, you attend Mass. You’re not looking for advise. You’re looking for excuses.
 
A lot of these liberal universities bend in all sorts of directions not to tread on people’s liberties. This is an interesting scenario…in a very non-beligerent way, complain about your rights being violated because the job interferes with your religious beliefs. Insofar as they make concessions for vegetarians, voodoo swamis and activists of whatever stripe, they out to flex for you.

Even if they don’t, what I read in your post is you making a choice for yourself rather than for God. There doesn’t seem to be a reason to skip the Saturday vigil, in fact your travel schedule seems to facilitate the solitude you desire. That is, if you visit a new parish every week you can be an unknown stranger. It’s not hard to find a church now that we have masstimes.org.

In the end you should run to Jesus to help overcome your stress rather than trying to avoid Him.
 
I was not explicit enough in my original post about seeking the appropriateness of not going to Mass on Sunday .

First I take four medicines I cannot live without and cannot safely alter what time I take them. I get home Sunday through Thursday at midnight. These crucial medicines wind me up. I go to sleep at four or five in the morning.

So let me address the fellow speaking about giving it all up for Sunday. I cannot up until 1PM. In my job starts at 2:30 PM and is fifteen miles away through traffic. Unless I quit this job that has paid for vital medical bills Mass on Sunday is impractical. I tried switching my medicine times to go back to a folk group. However, I started going to sleep at the wheel of my car by getting up early on Sunday through changing my mediaction times. Furthermore I was getting little out of Mass on four hours sleep.

So a two part question to theI shoud go on Sunday person: Should I change my medication earlier on Saturday to gamble that some reaction or accident will not happen to me by virtue of playing with these dosage times? I will say I should have made it clear why I go to bed so late in the morning. The other is a simple is it wrong for a Catholic to have a Sunday job in general?

I apologize for not making it clear that my Saturday travel is career development, it is both academic and economic. Sure if I am somewhere where I can plan for a Mass I will try to get to a Mass. The internet makes that nice in terms of looking up when and where you can attend Mass. Yet at times, I have headed back home on the road at Sundown on a five or six hour drive. My weekend outings vary by objective. The one solid time I have is my noon time depature on Fridays. I think it would help me grow closer to God by going to midday Friday Mass. Going to Mass on the road begs another question though: If I do get more focused on attending Mass in my writing, painting, or musical outings, should I pretend to belong to one parrish when I am going to Mass all over the place. As it is I know plenty of people that attend parrishes out of jurisdiction. Shouldn’t I just donate my tythe to wherever I find myself on a given week

I believe in Catholic things more than anything, certainly more than judgemental fundamentalism. That being said I am not really a community person. I am a loner. Part of my medical situation I alluded to is caught up with this. I am trying to return to Christ to keep from giving up. Those that want me to jump right in and join groups and shake hands do not realize how much harm this pressure to be an “involved Catholic” causes me. It is much better for me to be at ten different parrishes in ten different counties on ten different Saturdays. It doesn’t mean I love the Lord any less. Besides these talents I am trying to develop and market come from him and I hope to both honor and thank him while perhaps bettering myself and reaching out to others in this way.

AC
 
Be informed of the Canon Law on the subject.
Can. 1246 §1 The Lord’s Day, on which the paschal mystery is celebrated, is by apostolic tradition to be observed in the universal Church as the primary holyday of obligation.
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Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holydays of obligation, the faithful are obliged to assist at Mass. They are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body.
Can. 1248 §1 The obligation of assisting at Mass is satisfied wherever Mass is celebrated in a catholic rite either on a holyday itself or on the evening of the previous day.
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§2 If it is impossible to assist at a eucharistic celebration, either because no sacred minister is available or for some other grave reason, the faithful are strongly recommended to take part in a liturgy of the Word, if there be such in the parish church or some other sacred place, which is celebrated in accordance with the provisions laid down by the diocesan Bishop; or to spend an appropriate time in prayer, whether personally or as a family or, as occasion presents, in a group of families.
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You still have not explained a valid reason why you cannot attend mass on Sat vigil or Sunday evening. You may need to research the mass times in your area to accommodate your needs. Oh - I have read what you’ve said about the meds and all - but that does not explain a Sat mass attendance.

Just because you travel on weekends is no reason - unless you are rationalizing. You still can drive around any town you visit and find an RC church to attend - most have the mass times listed on a sign out front. Plenty of devout Catholics use this same technique every weekend when they travel.

I think you are sincere in your questions and I really do not think you want to rationalize - or you would not have gone through the trouble of posting , then following up.

Do what is right, do what Jesus wants you to do. He wants you to worship Him, and you may be surprised at the blessings He sends your way in return! I am daily amazed at how He has blessed me simply because I have opted to follow Him closely.

God Bless you that you make the choice that will please Him.
 
Please present the situation to a priest, and let him advise you. Then you will have done something useful.

I’m sorry you felt the need to lay out all your personal details for all the amateur soapbox-orators here.
 
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sadowa:
I was not explicit enough in my original post about seeking the appropriateness of not going to Mass on Sunday .

First I take four medicines I cannot live without and cannot safely alter what time I take them. I get home Sunday through Thursday at midnight. These crucial medicines wind me up. I go to sleep at four or five in the morning.

AC
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if you are taking meds that affect you this way should you be driving at all? is the weekend travel for “research” advisable? it sounds like you plan on taking care of all your other “needs” first and placing Mass last no matter what we say, but I would like to know what highways your are driving on so I can stay out of your way.
 
A. I only take my meds at night. So daytime drivining is not an issue

B. Changing there time by several hours to try to get up earlier on Sunday causes medical problems.

C. My Saturday travel is for economic development, think second job, as well as personal fulfilment

D. Some of you telling me I am selfish have cushy Monday through Friday jobs

E. Furthermore, some of you extolling the sanctity of Sunday as a non job day go to restaurants or stores on Sundays. Therefore, forcing more people like myself into accepting Sunday work/

F. Those of you in the cushy suburbs are helping necessitate two job lifestyles for the working poor whereby they are lucky if they can go to Church at Christmas. I cannot usually make the Christmas vigil as my secular university is open until 5:00 PM. I always have to work Easter. The more people want Sunday shopping et. al the more some poor worker will have to cover.

G. There is a Catholic center on my university. As I mentioned I get up late every day, so the only Mass I could hope to attend would be at seven PM on Sunday. Unfortunately it would only be part of the year, and worse still I would have to hire more student help to cover an extended lunch. We get a half hour break, not for ty five minutes, not an hour. I cannot go there and back in thirty minutes.

H. I did say I would try to see where Saturday Masses are where I travel. Yet some of you acted as if I should give up my attempt at a second job and stick by my local parrish. Is it any less valid if I attend a parrish on the road? What about these folks with money that get in there motor homes and just go and go? Isn’t their attendance valid?

I. I asked about Friday attendance because my trips related to deveolping my second , and hopefully long term job, find me on a schedule that will find me on the road duriing the short sunlight at many times of the year. Some of this is about trying to lessen the time of driving at nigh through the mountains.

J. Am I the only person who has aspirations to a self sustaining business. What about salesman who must catch flights or musicians that ride around in their buses to make their business work?

K. One responder was kind in pointing out that I went the wrong direction with this. Is should have sought out a priest. I really hope you Monday through Friday people realize more and more people must work Saturday and Sunday to sustain your mall and restaurant going. When you judge them think of who is the motor that drives the system!
 
sadowa,
I must say that your E and F comments are just unchariatble.

You did come here and ask for our opinions. I do not think it is valid to then complain about what you asked for because it doesn’t match what you wanted.

Now I want to comment further on two of the things from your list.
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sadowa:
C. My Saturday travel is for economic development, think second job, as well as personal fulfilment
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So this isn’t really a second job as in without it you will starve and be homeless. It is a second job as in bettering your possible future and it is something you like.

Problem here is that you are taking this over your duty to God and His Church. No where does it say we can skip Sunday Mass and subistitute a different day’s daily Mass for it. I highly doubt that you could get a dispensation for that either. If it came from a priest I believe that he would be over stepping his authority. I doubt a bishop would grant you such a thing.

The Church realizes that people work Sunday, that is why a vigil Mass is offered on Saturday evenings.
D. Some of you telling me I am selfish have cushy Monday through Friday jobs
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To go on and say that we all have “cushy” weekday jobs is just ignorant because you do not know us. My schedule is Monday through Friday but I am salary and am on-call. I have to work many weekends, but I make it known that Sunday during Church time is a no go. Sometimes I have to miss Church, but not often. I am sure you get breaks, can you not schedule a break so you can go to Church?

Are your personal interests so important that you do not want to go to Mass? If so then why be Catholic.

To be Catholic is more than just saying your Catholic, it is following what the Church teaches. We do not have to always agree but we have to be obedient.
 
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sadowa:
D. Some of you telling me I am selfish have cushy Monday through Friday jobs

H. I did say I would try to see where Saturday Masses are where I travel. Yet some of you acted as if I should give up my attempt at a second job and stick by my local parrish. Is it any less valid if I attend a parrish on the road? What about these folks with money that get in there motor homes and just go and go? Isn’t their attendance valid?

K. One responder was kind in pointing out that I went the wrong direction with this. Is should have sought out a priest. I really hope you Monday through Friday people realize more and more people must work Saturday and Sunday to sustain your mall and restaurant going. When you judge them think of who is the motor that drives the system!
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I am sorry you feel attacked. No one in these posts called you selfish as far as I know. I did not mean to make you feel attacked. You did ask for feedback and opinions - so maybe you need a tougher skin for feedback?

To address item D in your list: I do not have a cushy job as a single mom, working full time with no financial support from an exhusband who has not been seen or heard from in a year. My life has not been easy - but I have made some choices and opt for God to help me.

One important thing to remember is that we cannot help ourselves. We are useless without God helping us.

I have opted to skip every lunch hour and go to mass instead. I have opted to skip social engagements and dating to sit at Adoration and teach my kids to pray.

The point of me telling you this is that we all make choices based on what we value. Your second job is what you value over your time with God. There are ways around schedules etc.

On your point H: you did mention that you would try to seek out mass on Sat as you travel. No one told you to stick to your local parish. nonsense.
We did offer you ideas on how other Catholics travel and remain devout to our Sunday obligations. God does not reward us for trying - He needs us to do. Trying gets you no where - and things can always creep in and get in the way of mass.

You need to decide what is priority and act upon it. If work is it, then so be it.

Point K: Please stop with the Monday - Friday slams. Some of us may step away from our employers for a weekend but our jobs as caregivers, parents, etc - never stops. In fact those jobs really kick into gear on our off- times.

It is a shame that the malls and such stay open on Sundays, indeed!

Seek out what God is telling you in your heart. God bless and grant you peace.
 
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