Missed Mass

[keri6789]

I have a concern…I am going through RCIA and I LOVE IT! I know that it is a sin to miss mass and you have to go to confession for it. I am, as I’m sure alot of you know, not able to go to confession yet. So I’m not sure what to do.

I was babysitting my brothers friends baby Saturday night and she spent the night and her parents were suppost to pick her up at 10:00 am so I could go to 11:00 am mass. Well, they didn’t get there until 11:00 am so there was no way I was going to be able to make it to mass on time and it would have taken me 20 minutes to get there so I didn’t go. Did I commit a sin by not going? This has been bugging me all day today and all day yesterday…I prayed and told God that I was sorry for missing mass and I would try my hardest to be there every week.

I know God isn’t “mad” at me, but I’m just upset with myself. I would have taken her with me but I didn’t have a car seat and she is 9 months and I didn’t want to just strap her in and hope for the best.

 

[jtav]

Don’t beat yourself up over this. The sin is missing mass without a serious reason (CCC 2181). Caring for young infants is specifically mentioned as a grave reason. Someone correct me if I’m wrong here, but I don’t think you’re bound by the Sunday obligation because you’re not yet a Catholic. However, in the future, you should probably stress to parents that they should pick up kids promptly because attending Mass is important to you.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I have a concern…I am going through RCIA and I LOVE IT! I know that it is a sin to miss mass and you have to go to confession for it. I am, as I’m sure alot of you know, not able to go to confession yet. So I’m not sure what to do.

I was babysitting my brothers friends baby Saturday night and she spent the night and her parents were suppost to pick her up at 10:00 am so I could go to 11:00 am mass. Well, they didn’t get there until 11:00 am so there was no way I was going to be able to make it to mass on time and it would have taken me 20 minutes to get there so I didn’t go. Did I commit a sin by not going? This has been bugging me all day today and all day yesterday…I prayed and told God that I was sorry for missing mass and I would try my hardest to be there every week.

I know God isn’t “mad” at me, but I’m just upset with myself. I would have taken her with me but I didn’t have a car seat and she is 9 months and I didn’t want to just strap her in and hope for the best.

You didn’t commit mortal sin.

Mortal sin is a grave offense which you commit with full knowledge and consent. You did not consent to not going to Mass, but circumstances prevented you from going.

Relax!

God Bless
Jim

 

[LilyM]

I have a concern…I am going through RCIA and I LOVE IT! I know that it is a sin to miss mass and you have to go to confession for it. I am, as I’m sure alot of you know, not able to go to confession yet. So I’m not sure what to do.

I was babysitting my brothers friends baby Saturday night and she spent the night and her parents were suppost to pick her up at 10:00 am so I could go to 11:00 am mass. Well, they didn’t get there until 11:00 am so there was no way I was going to be able to make it to mass on time and it would have taken me 20 minutes to get there so I didn’t go. Did I commit a sin by not going? This has been bugging me all day today and all day yesterday…I prayed and told God that I was sorry for missing mass and I would try my hardest to be there every week.

I know God isn’t “mad” at me, but I’m just upset with myself. I would have taken her with me but I didn’t have a car seat and she is 9 months and I didn’t want to just strap her in and hope for the best.

Agreed, it’s not at all a mortal sin if caring for children is in question. In the future, though, even if you get there 20 minutes late it’s a good idea to go. Most Sunday Masses last at least 45 or 50 minutes, so you probably would’ve been in time to hear the Gospel. Remember that it’s a venial rather than grave sin to be late for Mass without good reason. ‘Late’ hasn’t really been defined, but if you get there in time for the Gospel you’d be fine - I think the Eucharistic prayer and Communion is the bare minimum.

 

[jmm08]

keri6789, please don’t worry greatly over this matter. But learn from it. You couldn’t leave the young children by themselves. You wanted to go but couldn’t – so it was not your will to skip Mass.

But learn from this situation and be prepared. Use masstimes.org or find out information about other Catholic Churches in your area where you could Mass in such an emergency. It is a good idea to find out where the latest Sunday Mass is in your area (especially if your Church’s latest Mass is 11 AM). You can find a Mass in another Catholic Church in your area – perhaps as late as 2, 3 PM on Sunday.

Even if the only remaining Mass you can attend is in Spanish, I think it is worth it to go. Better than not going.

 

[rwoehmke]

As a candidate or catachumen you have no obligation to attend Mass. Even once you become a Catholic there can be circumstances that you discribe that would excuse you. Once a Catholic you would be expected to make a reasonable effort to meet the Sunday obligation. It is not always easy to judge what is reasonable.

 

[dafalax]

keri6789, please don’t worry greatly over this matter. But learn from it. You couldn’t leave the young children by themselves. You wanted to go but couldn’t – so it was not your will to skip Mass.

But learn from this situation and be prepared. Use masstimes.org or find out information about other Catholic Churches in your area where you could Mass in such an emergency. It is a good idea to find out where the latest Sunday Mass is in your area (especially if your Church’s latest Mass is 11 AM). You can find a Mass in another Catholic Church in your area – perhaps as late as 2, 3 PM on Sunday.

Even if the only remaining Mass you can attend is in Spanish, I think it is worth it to go. Better than not going.

I guarantee you, there are some Churches where the mass is so “innovative” that it is the greatest motivator for not being late to your regular mass.

 

[CRW]

I have a concern…I am going through RCIA and I LOVE IT! I know that it is a sin to miss mass and you have to go to confession for it. I am, as I’m sure alot of you know, not able to go to confession yet. So I’m not sure what to do.

I was babysitting my brothers friends baby Saturday night and she spent the night and her parents were suppost to pick her up at 10:00 am so I could go to 11:00 am mass. Well, they didn’t get there until 11:00 am so there was no way I was going to be able to make it to mass on time and it would have taken me 20 minutes to get there so I didn’t go. Did I commit a sin by not going? This has been bugging me all day today and all day yesterday…I prayed and told God that I was sorry for missing mass and I would try my hardest to be there every week.

I know God isn’t “mad” at me, but I’m just upset with myself. I would have taken her with me but I didn’t have a car seat and she is 9 months and I didn’t want to just strap her in and hope for the best.

It is a pleasure to know that you, in the RCIA process, are so concerned about missing Mass. Keep true to your love of Christ and Mass. You will become a great Catholic. Merry CHRISTmas.