Missing Mass Due to Vacation

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In a couple of weeks my family and I will be going on vacation. During this time I will be unable to attend Mass for a week or two. I think I will be within driving distance from a church, but me trying to go will only cause problems. I’ve already been told that I can’t go for the first Sunday. Whether or not I can attend on the second Sunday is dependent on the time we get home. There’s a good chance that even if it is on a Saturday night I won’t be able to go to Mass. Not because of my capabilities, but because I may be told I can’t. I was already told hat there was a good chance of this. So is it okay for me to miss Mass on these weeks? If so do I need a dispensation?
 
explain the situation to your pastor and he will guide you and can give you a dispensation.

I am assuming you are a minor child under the direction of your parents or other adults in this situation.

If you are an adult, I would have to question the idea that you would not be able to attend mass.
 
It’s still a grave sin. You will still have to go to Confession for these sins. Unless you’re going somewhere that there aren’t churches anywhere that are conceivable for you to go to.

Vacations can be extremely difficult to get to church, but you are still obliged to go.
 
C794 said:
I’ve already been told that I can’t go for the first Sunday. Whether or not I can attend on the second Sunday is dependent on the time we get home. There’s a good chance that even if it is on a Saturday night I won’t be able to go to Mass.
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If you are under the authority of a parent who tells you that they will not allow you to go or provide transportation to attend Mass, it is not a sin, much less a grave sin. God never holds us accountable for the impossible.

Use this time to remember what a pain it is and build a habit when you are older of always incorporating Mass attendance into your vacation, whenever possible. If in doubt, like 1ke said, talk to your priest and get him to rule. Otherwise, it is a grave moral obligation. He is the authority for such a situation. I think you will learn that locating and visiting other parishes for Mass, as well as other spiritual stops really enhances a vacation. It does not diminish it.
 
Are you a minor traveling with your parents?

If you parents are telling you that you won’t be able to, I would assume that that is fine. (Although of course, if you were in doubt, you could still confess it.)

My best advice would be to tell your parents that you really want to fulfill your obligation to go to mass. Depending on how old you are (can you drive yourself?), consider asking permission to skip any planned activities for Sunday if it will allow you go to mass.

If you can’t drive yourself and your parents are telling you that they won’t drive you, there is nothing you can do, and it’s definitely not a sin. Even if you can drive yourself, your parents might still insist that they do not want you to be alone that day and require you to go with them to whatever their plans are that day. You should probably listen to your parents - they might have a valid reason for you to not stay alone (safety in an unfamiliar area, for example).

If you’re 18, then the situation is a little more iffy, because it is harder to argue that you can’t make your own choices and forgo family plans for a day to attend mass.

Whether or not missing these masses is a sin depends on a few things. Is it feasible for you to either skip all/part of the vacation and stay home by yourself? Is it feasible for you to go on vacation but travel to mass that day on your own? Have you made it clear to your family that you would like to go to mass? Etc.
 
Yeah we don’t go anywhere until we map out a Catholic Church. If there is not one, then we don’t go. There should be no reason to not make mass. I be a little hardcore but my mom gave birth and made mass I believe two days later.
 
GangGreen said:
It’s still a grave sin. You will still have to go to Confession for these sins. Unless you’re going somewhere that there aren’t churches anywhere that are conceivable for you to go to.

Vacations can be extremely difficult to get to church, but you are still obliged to go.
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We are obliged to attend Mass each Sunday and every other Holy Day of Obligation. Sometimes, though, we just can’t be there. One’s own sickness or the obligations to care for a sick person 1, having given birth within the past 6 weeks, dangerous weather (and other safety hazards), not being able to find a way there – life happens. There is no guilt in missing Mass if the circumstances are out of one’s control (mortal sin always requires not only grave matter and knowledge, but consent of the will).

Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit grave sin” (#2181)

For it to be mortal it needs to be done with consent of the will.

Canon 1247

On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass; they are also to abstain from those labors and business concerns which impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy which is proper to the Lord’s Day, or the proper relaxation of mind and body.
-fisheaters (fisheaters.com/TLMmissingmass.html)

Canon 1248
  1. The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.
  2. If because of lack of a sacred minister or for other grave cause participation in the celebration of the Eucharist is impossible, it is specially recommended that the faithful take part in the liturgy of the word if it is celebrated in the parish church or in another sacred place according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop, or engage in prayer for an appropriate amount of time personally or in a family or, as occasion offers, in groups of families.
Since a “grave cause” is needed to excuse one from this obligation it would be a serious or mortal sin to willfully skip Mass on Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation, as the Church has always taught. Reasons such as the necessity to work to support one’s family, child care, personal sickness or the care of the sick, necessary travel etc. would excuse a person on a particular occasions. Those who have continuing reason to be excused should consult their pastor.

-ewtn (ewtn.com/expert/answers/sunday_mass.htm)

Previous quotes are for GangGreen

Personal opinion, he’s not missing it willfully he wants to go, mortal sin comes into play with full consent of the will. I would still talk to your pastor about what you can do and what he thinks is best.
 
Thanks for the replies. I’ll set up a meeting with my pastor soon.

I am 18. The thing is we’re only taking one of my parent’s cars; which I’ve been told I can’t use to go to Mass, while on vacation. As a result, I’ll be without transportation.
 
C794 said:
Thanks for the replies. I’ll set up a meeting with my pastor soon.

I am 18. The thing is we’re only taking one of my parent’s cars; which I’ve been told I can’t use to go to Mass, while on vacation. As a result, I’ll be without transportation.
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Good luck and have fun.
 
C794 said:
Thanks for the replies. I’ll set up a meeting with my pastor soon.

I am 18. The thing is we’re only taking one of my parent’s cars; which I’ve been told I can’t use to go to Mass, while on vacation. As a result, I’ll be without transportation.
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One suggestion is - sounds like you will know where you will be on Sat/Sun. Look up the closest Church and explain your situation… I would hope they would find transportation for you. I lived in a famous vacation spot and did this for those who had no transportation to Mass.

Use the link:
masstimes.org/

You may set a example got others for this effort. If in the end it does not work - you have tried everything.

May God bless your love of the faith! Prayers.
 
jediliz said:
are you the only Catholic in your family? I am assuming so…
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Not necessarily. I mean, I could easily see this happening in my family. We’re all Catholic, but I’m probably the only one who regularly attends mass nowadays. The rest of my family does not view missing mass as a mortal sin. And I’d say this is pretty normal among Catholics I know in America. Those who attend services weekly are definitely in the minority.
 
GangGreen said:
It’s still a grave sin. You will still have to go to Confession for these sins. Unless you’re going somewhere that there aren’t churches anywhere that are conceivable for you to go to.

Vacations can be extremely difficult to get to church, but you are still obliged to go.
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This is incorrect. For something to be a grave sin, it must be grave matter, you must understand that it is grave matter, and you must consent to it. The OP is not consenting to missing Mass.

It sounds like the OP is in a tough situation–non-Catholic parents and no transportation. Plus, the OP is meeting with the pastor to obtain a dispensation before leaving. I wish all 18-year olds were this committed to their faith!
 
What does receiving a dispensation entail? It it simply me explaining my situation to my pastor and home telling me I’m dispensed or is there more to it?
 
C794 said:
What does receiving a dispensation entail? It it simply me explaining my situation to my pastor and home telling me I’m dispensed or is there more to it?
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I did this myself, and this is all there is to it. In my case, it was a regular work conflict for two months at a time, every othe week. as part of my schedule. I know I am not the only one here that has ever received some dispensation.
 
TylerJordan said:
Yeah we don’t go anywhere until we map out a Catholic Church. If there is not one, then we don’t go. There should be no reason to not make mass. I be a little hardcore but my mom gave birth and made mass I believe two days later.
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That is so lovely to hear.

We need to put things into perspective. I was recently travelling in Malta. My return home was on a Sunday, I left the hotel at 4.30 in the morning, and arrived home at 8.00 in the evening. Somewhat difficult to attend Mass I think. However I was able to attend weekday Mass at 7.30am every day of my stay. Then I was able to attend Mass the next day, Monday.

I think it all depends on circumstances - if you have the possibility of going to Mass you should and must go - if it is really not possible (be honest, really not possible) then you cannot be said to be in grave sin.

The following link could help catholicism.about.com/b/2008/05/23/reader-question-travel-and-our-sunday-obligation.htm
 
eamonnroma said:
That is so lovely to hear.

We need to put things into perspective. I was recently travelling in Malta. My return home was on a Sunday, I left the hotel at 4.30 in the morning, and arrived home at 8.00 in the evening. Somewhat difficult to attend Mass I think. However I was able to attend weekday Mass at 7.30am every day of my stay. Then I was able to attend Mass the next day, Monday.

I think it all depends on circumstances - if you have the possibility of going to Mass you should and must go - if it is really not possible (be honest, really not possible) then you cannot be said to be in grave sin.

The following link could help catholicism.about.com/b/2008/05/23/reader-question-travel-and-our-sunday-obligation.htm
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no Saturday evening vigil masses in Malta?
 
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