Job Makes Sunday Mass Impossible

[sadowa]

I am sorry to be edgy with my tone. I feel trapped in this situation.

It would cause operational difficulties for me to ask for extra time to go to Mass at my job. I am a supervisor and am expected to be readily availible to answer questions. Frequently I am pulled away from lunch to answer customer questions. If I was allowed to leave for an extra half hour, customers would complain about delays in receiving answers. I’ve done the math I can’t attend Mass on a Sunday and still get enough sleep. ( I get up around noon if lucky)/

Saturdays I am traveling to further a second career as an artist and writer. Hopefully to find away out of the job that ties up my Sundays.

Sometimes I can be at a distant parrish, although I may be full of mud or paint or both. Other times I must travel far, through the mountains after dark.

Curiously no one seemed to respond to my question about those that routinely travel for first or second jobs: contractors, musicians, caterers, long haul drivers. Are there jobs Catholics shouldn’t take because of scheduling conflicts with Mass?

Furthermore, as at my university and I know it to be true in retail too,workers are being presented with Saturday and Sunday work schedules that would only permit Mass attendance if they didnt have to commute any signifcant distance. Should Catholics turn down all these jobs?

Why is attendance at Mass on other days seen as so inadequate?

If it is a matter that people are quoting Church rules about Sunday attendance why doesn’t the Church require its members to stay out of theatres, malls, restaurants, gas stations, libraries, or sporting events on Sunday? Isn’t there an imense amount of little people caught up in making their livelyhood at the times mandated for Mass. Maybe twenty years ago one got to pick Sunday or Saturday for jobs. However, with demanding employers and two job workers the whole weekend is given over to making ends meet.

 

[MariaBelieves]

Dear Sadowa,

What has your attendance at mass been like in the past? You don’ t have to answer this question for the forum. I only ask it so that you might think about how mass attendance “fits” in your life. I know people who go to daily mass, those who attend weekly, and those who only attend at Christmas and Easter, so I’m in no way making a judgement on you. What I know is that if you’re being called to attend mass, then you should go whenever you can. I truly believe that God calls us in different ways and at different times. Along with talking to a priest about this (call the one on campus!), I’d suggest praying about it. Maybe surrendering your job situation to God is what you need to do. Leave it in His hands, and your prayers will be answered.

God bless,

Maria

 

[pnewton]

rcn:

Please present the situation to a priest, and let him advise you.

Twice you have posted this. It is by far the best advice one can give. Sunday Mass is a grave obligation and situations like this need to be normalized. It takes someone one the spot to sort through the details and give a solution. Furthermore, it is the parish priest job to make determinations and possible dispensations in this matter.

Listen to rcn. Go to your priest.

 

[Fortiterinre]

Wow, we are really letting it all hang out on this thread! Sadowa, I sympathize with you, because I am one of those people who can get to daily Mass Monday through Saturday with ease and then find my “Sabbath” schedule so full that everything from a Vigil Mass to the last Mass on Sunday is a challenge. I would find a little devil on my shoulder saying, “You go to DAILY Mass! Is missing Sunday with your crazy schedule so bad?!”

I realized the answer is, YES. Sunday Mass is important in part because that is when we as a community worship God together, when He has asked us to pause in our week and give worship. My personal devotions such as daily Mass might run like a clock, but they can never replace the Sabbath of Sunday Mass. Once I realized this I made it my first priority to find time for Sunday Mass, even if as a compromise I sometimes had to miss some of the daily Masses that were so easy for me.

You sound like an organized person who can do this too. Rather than analyze the vagaries of your schedule, I would concur with the advice that you discuss the details with a priest, preferably your local pastor or the Newman Center chaplain where you work. BTW, if you are on some kind of weekend shot or chemotherapy such as people take for rheumatoid arthritis and the like, I know how wiped out you must feel, and be sure to mention you medicine situation to the priest.

 

[Celia]

Just a couple thoughts, from what I’ve gathered from your posts it seems like saturday is your best bet. I work in retail every day, or almost every day. I know how it is-trust me. (especially since the mall is now open till 7pm on sundays…fun.) But, I’ve learned that if you really want to be committed to your faith, you have to put serious effort into it. You like to travel on saturdays, cool, but you know church is only an hour out of your time for yourself. Plan ahead, be a little structured…c’mon, you can do it!

Also you mentioned that you might be able to hit the sunday evening mass for a while…well, while you’re figuring out your schedule, go to that one, and God will provide.
And of course, before any of this, speak with a priest. He will be able to go over the details of your schedule with you and come up with a plan. (oh, and you don’t have to go to just one church, any catholic mass is acceptable, i’m sure…and if you’re covered in paint, Jesus won’t care. He’ll be glad to see you. )

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

sadowa:

I am sorry to be edgy with my tone. I feel trapped in this situation.

You are trapped in this situation, but it is a situation you have created, more on this a bit later.

It would cause operational difficulties for me to ask for extra time to go to Mass at my job. I am a supervisor and am expected to be readily availible to answer questions. Frequently I am pulled away from lunch to answer customer questions. If I was allowed to leave for an extra half hour, customers would complain about delays in receiving answers. I’ve done the math I can’t attend Mass on a Sunday and still get enough sleep. ( I get up around noon if lucky)

I don’t understand. You get up at noon? What time do you start work? There is no way possible to make a 11am Mass? You could not get up early one day a week?

You say you start work at 2:30pm and are up until 1am, how can you not get up before noon? Thats 11 hours of sleep. You can’t get by on 8 hours? I normally only get about 7 hours a night.

But lets say that you get up at noon and start work at 2:30pm. Thats 2 and a half hours, you can’t make a Mass before work?

You say you work in a university library? What univeristy library is open after 5pm on a Sunday? If it isn’t then maybe you can find an evening Mass on Sunday.

Saturdays I am traveling to further a second career as an artist and writer. Hopefully to find away out of the job that ties up my Sundays.

Sometimes I can be at a distant parrish, although I may be full of mud or paint or both. Other times I must travel far, through the mountains after dark.

That sounds dangerous doing that alone. This is the situation you have created.

You said you work Sunday though Thursday. So why not the travel and “second career” all day Friday and during the day on Saturday ending with a Mass on Saturday evening. The dress comment is just a cop out. It doesn’t matter what you wear, it is more important that you go to Mass.

Curiously no one seemed to respond to my question about those that routinely travel for first or second jobs: contractors, musicians, caterers, long haul drivers. Are there jobs Catholics shouldn’t take because of scheduling conflicts with Mass?

Yes no one commented because we are not talking about them. If they have a problem with it I assume that they have taken care of it in a way that is satisfactory to them because they are not asking the questions here.

I do know some in jobs that you speak of and they find a way.

Furthermore, as at my university and I know it to be true in retail too,workers are being presented with Saturday and Sunday work schedules that would only permit Mass attendance if they didnt have to commute any signifcant distance. Should Catholics turn down all these jobs?

Moot point. Seems you are raising these issues as a way out of going to Mass and you do not really fall into this hypothetical as I believe you said you live 15 miles from work.

Why is attendance at Mass on other days seen as so inadequate?

The main form of catechsis occurs tough the Liturgy. The readings are selected for a purpose and every Sunday Mass has a homily, a teaching based on the days readings.

Daily Masses have different readings, do not always have homilies, and the Creed is not recited. Daily Mass is not a subsitute for Sunday Mass. This is what the Church teaches.

If it is a matter that people are quoting Church rules about Sunday attendance why doesn’t the Church require its members to stay out of theatres, malls, restaurants, gas stations, libraries, or sporting events on Sunday? Isn’t there an imense amount of little people caught up in making their livelyhood at the times mandated for Mass. Maybe twenty years ago one got to pick Sunday or Saturday for jobs. However, with demanding employers and two job workers the whole weekend is given over to making ends meet.

So you are of the school of thought that becuase someone else does something then its ok for you?

I can see it now, you standing before Jesus saying, “But Bill Joe did it.”

In my opinion, you came here looking for validation to help you rationalize missing Sunday Mass. When you didn’t get it you got upset.

 

[William_Bradley]

I can understand the need to sometimes be alone with God. It may reflect a work week with intensive human dynamics at work and home. Work schedules and home responsibilties have certainly brought us to an age where our very Catholic priority of worship on the Sabbath is under an insidious attack.

I have worked in the Prison system for 23 years and have a pet that believe it or not gets anxiety syndrome when the whole family leaves the residence. To work this out, I have done the following:

A. Take vacation days and other accrued time around the Mass schedule. Mind you, you’ll give up the yearly extended vacation.
**
B. Bring people to Mass at different times. My wife is handicapped and doesn’t drive.

C. Attend Mass after work which is not a perfect solution as it leaves my wife and son on their own to figure out how to get to Mass.

D. Work swaps with other individuals in the same job class.

E. If all the above falls apart, I go to Confession.

As far as the personal issues in play, I would advise discussion within the Sacrament of Reconciliation where a Doctor of the Soul could bring you healing and Grace.

Peace