Mass attendance based on caregiving

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Mike1w

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After how much time does Mass non-attendance become a mortal sin, if it’s based on someone else’s needs? Caregiving doesn’t allow me to attend Mass often.
 
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I understand that caregiving is a legitimate reason to miss Mass, even if the situation endures.
 
Is there any chance that you could talk with your priest and find somebody in the parish willing to help you with caregiving so that you can still attend Mass on Sunday? I find caregiving without any spiritual support soul crushing and really put you at high risk of burn out. That’s the reason why even sisters of Mother Teresa in Calcutta have a set time for prayers/Mass in order to get more strength and grace for their caregiving mission,
 
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the “patient” won’t really accept such help, but thanks for the idea.
 
Does watching or listening to mass count? Or going to weekday masses?
 
It’s part of the ministry of the Church to bring Communion to the sick and homebound. Have you contacted anybody at your parish?
 
I don’t think so. I was a caregiver myself and for a while I was skipping Mass on Sunday and going instead on Monday (!), until a priest told me it was not ok and I should try to find a hour Saturday night or Sunday during the day to attend Mass. I talked with my family about this need and after a bit of struggle we found a compromise so that I could attend Mass.We all survived just fine. Of course I don’t know your situation but as they say if there is a will there is a way.
 
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Ps I see you wrote ‘patient’ in this way so maybe your caregiving is not taking care of sick people or minors in a home setting. If your ‘caregiving’ is instead something like working as police, firefighter, nurse, on call doctor etc. you probably need instead to discuss your specific situation with your priest and maybe also with HR or with your supervisor.
 
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Watching or listening to Mass does not fulfill the obligation, but if you are caring for another person and have no possibility of stepping away to attend Mass then you may not have an obligation, depending upon the nature of the caregiving. Do speak to your pastor about this. He will be able to guide you in your specific situation.

Watching televised or streamed Mass, or listening to an audio broadcast, is still a good idea for those times when you can’t participate in person even if it doesn’t fulfill the obligation, however. 🙂 As @aroosi said, it is hard to take care of someone else day in and day out without spiritual support. You could even watch/listen daily, if your schedule permits and you find it beneficial.
 
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Mike1w said:
Caregiving doesn’t allow me to attend Mass often.
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This is very common for caregivers. Some of the priests at my parish were getting frustrated at the number of people who were leaving Mass right after communion and before the final blessing. I recommended that they inquire about the reasons before making any assumptions, because I was pretty sure these individuals were caregivers and needed to go.

Sure enough, that was the case. The priests and deacons shortened their homilies by a few minutes and invited caregivers to remain for the final blessing. They also made sure to include our parish caregivers, along with those taking communion to the sick, in the final prayer before the blessing.

This made a huge difference for our caregivers who were able to leave Mass in a timely manner and get back home to relieve the person who had stayed with their loved one. It also built community, because Eucharistic ministers reached out to these caregivers and made sure to bring their shut-in communion.
 
Care for the sick is a valid reason to miss Mass. There is no “time limit”. You are doing a work of mercy.

Speak to your pastor about receiving the Sacraments at home if you need to.
 
the sick is a family member. I am certainly not the ideal caregiver, though the person is able to live at home, so I guess I’m doing okay.
 
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Mike1w said:
the sick is a family member. I am certainly not the ideal caregiver, though the person is able to live at home, so I guess I’m doing okay.
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If you can’t get to Mass, I would see if you can get on the Parish list yourself to receive Communion at home. That’s what I would do.

If the ill person in your home is also a Catholic and they would like to and are able to receive Communion, then I would see if you can both get on the sick call list to receive Communion at home. 🙂
 
missing because
  1. So much to do at home
  2. the person can stand, walk, and sit, but not for a long duration.
 
Seriously, try to get help for a much needed break (even if just one hour a week to go to Mass). When as caregivers we perceive ourselves as absolutely indispensable we are at a very high risk of burn out. You cannot care for an other if you don’t take care first of yourself (remember the classic example that if there is an emergency on a plane the parent needs to put on the oxygen mask before putting on the oxygen mask to the child).
 
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I was on the list to receive communion at home when I was getting chemo.
 
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