Missing Mass Due to Work

[mellowcalico]

I tried finding my specific question in the Ask and Apologist forum but didn’t see it. I think I am okay in this, but I am not sure.

In a few weeks, I will be going to a trade show as part of my job. I fly out on Saturday afternoon (miss Saturday Mass) and start work at 7 am Sunday morning. The trade show goes until 5pm and I am required to be there. I am allowed to take short breaks, but nothing like an hour for lunch, etc. I checked out Churches in the area and pretty much my only hope is to make it to the 5:30 Mass. But I am really not sure if I will be required to stay after the show ends (to secure and prepare the booth for the next morning). Plus I will have to allow time to get to the Church from the hotel.

What I am getting at is I think I am going to miss Mass. Is this is sin or is there a dispensation because of travel and work obligations. I should note that this trade show is a once in a year event–I don’t normally work on Sundays. I also have no control over my travel (work doesn’t want me there too early due to costs and they definitely don’t want me there too late). Other than this time, Mass and work conflicts aren’t a problem.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I tried finding my specific question in the Ask and Apologist forum but didn’t see it. I think I am okay in this, but I am not sure.

In a few weeks, I will be going to a trade show as part of my job. I fly out on Saturday afternoon (miss Saturday Mass) and start work at 7 am Sunday morning. The trade show goes until 5pm and I am required to be there. I am allowed to take short breaks, but nothing like an hour for lunch, etc. I checked out Churches in the area and pretty much my only hope is to make it to the 5:30 Mass. But I am really not sure if I will be required to stay after the show ends (to secure and prepare the booth for the next morning). Plus I will have to allow time to get to the Church from the hotel.

What I am getting at is I think I am going to miss Mass. Is this is sin or is there a dispensation because of travel and work obligations. I should note that this trade show is a once in a year event–I don’t normally work on Sundays. I also have no control over my travel (work doesn’t want me there too early due to costs and they definitely don’t want me there too late). Other than this time, Mass and work conflicts aren’t a problem.

It is not a sin to miss Mass because you have to work, and you do not need a special dispensation. I have been in this situation a few times because of my profession over the past 30 years. Work is necessary for survival for most people, anyway.

 

[Spencerian]

I tried finding my specific question in the Ask and Apologist forum but didn’t see it. I think I am okay in this, but I am not sure.

In a few weeks, I will be going to a trade show as part of my job. I fly out on Saturday afternoon (miss Saturday Mass) and start work at 7 am Sunday morning. The trade show goes until 5pm and I am required to be there. I am allowed to take short breaks, but nothing like an hour for lunch, etc. I checked out Churches in the area and pretty much my only hope is to make it to the 5:30 Mass. But I am really not sure if I will be required to stay after the show ends (to secure and prepare the booth for the next morning). Plus I will have to allow time to get to the Church from the hotel.

What I am getting at is I think I am going to miss Mass. Is this is sin or is there a dispensation because of travel and work obligations. I should note that this trade show is a once in a year event–I don’t normally work on Sundays. I also have no control over my travel (work doesn’t want me there too early due to costs and they definitely don’t want me there too late). Other than this time, Mass and work conflicts aren’t a problem.

Hi.

The Church obliges you to attend Mass but does not expect you to do the impossible. See the Catechism, starting at 2180, that does have language that suggests valid reasons for occasional problems in meeting the obligation.

Your travel is for business reasons, and the Church understands the needs for sustaining a livelihood. My understanding is, as long as you have exhausted all options to attend Mass during any obligatory period where you are required to be at work or where attendance will cause a serious problem (say, Mass begins before your flight to or from home), you *should *have a valid reason to miss Mass, and without any requirement to attend Confession for this reason.

If your work tends to cause you to miss Mass often, however, this is a problem of habit as the Church still expects you to attend Mass and that you keep the Lord’s Day holy by resting.

In any case, see your parish priest for guidance and, if required, a dispensation.

 

[twf]

Hi.

The Church obliges you to attend Mass but does not expect you to do the impossible. See the Catechism, starting at 2180, that does have language that suggests valid reasons for occasional problems in meeting the obligation.

Your travel is for business reasons, and the Church understands the needs for sustaining a livelihood. My understanding is, as long as you have exhausted all options to attend Mass during any obligatory period where you are required to be at work or where attendance will cause a serious problem (say, Mass begins before your flight to or from home), you *should *have a valid reason to miss Mass, and without any requirement to attend Confession for this reason.

If your work tends to cause you to miss Mass often, however, this is a problem of habit as the Church still expects you to attend Mass and that you keep the Lord’s Day holy by resting.

In any case, see your parish priest for guidance and, if required, a dispensation.

“…this is a problem of habit…” Could you please provide a source for this? If you have a choice between two suitable jobs, and one happens to require that you work on Sundays and the other gives you Sundays off, then I think the choice is obvious…but if your job really does require you to work on Sundays on a regular basis and you are often forced to miss mass, through no fault of your own, I would hardly call it a “habit”…it is just an unfortunate circumstance. Obviously some people need to work on Sundays for the good of society, including fire fighters, police, nurses…

 

[Petergee]

IMO you need to tell your boss about your problem and ask him to make the necessary arrangements, e.g. get another employee to finish things off after the show closes or whatever. It would be very unreasonable for a boss to demand that an employee travel Saturday evening and work all day Sunday without giving him the opportunity to attend church.

Howevere if you ask your boss and he demands that you stay back so typou can’t make it to Mass, you are excused. You don’t need permission from your parish priest. The Church does not command anyone to do the impossible. But if so I would start looking for another employer if I were you.

 

[Spencerian]

“…this is a problem of habit…” Could you please provide a source for this? If you have a choice between two suitable jobs, and one happens to require that you work on Sundays and the other gives you Sundays off, then I think the choice is obvious…but if your job really does require you to work on Sundays on a regular basis and you are often forced to miss mass, through no fault of your own, I would hardly call it a “habit”…it is just an unfortunate circumstance. Obviously some people need to work on Sundays for the good of society, including fire fighters, police, nurses…

Sure thing.

Paragraph 2185 states:

**2185 **On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.*123 *

Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

The charity of truth seeks holy leisure- the necessity of charity accepts just work.*124 *

Footnote 123 refers to the Code of Canon Law #1248. Footnote 124 refers to a quote from St. Augustine of Hippo that sees the charity in caring for others when the cause is just. This article from Our Sunday Visitor (see the July 7 entry) clarifies the meaning. The full text of where St. Augustine’s quote can be found is in De Civitate Dei (The City of God), book XIX, chapter 19.

So, yes, when working in jobs where the acts of charity and mercy and sacrifice to others are clear (such as law enforcement and health care) at least one Church Father and the Magisterium sees the virtue there in light of meeting the obligations of the Lord’s Day and other days of obligation.

 

[mellowcalico]

Thanks for the answers everyone. I am going to try my best to get to Mass. This isn’t typical and this just happens to be the first time the show has fallen on a Sunday (usually it doesn’t).

I know it sounds strange, but our annual trade show is an “all hands on deck” time. With the exception of a skeleton crew to man the office, we all are expected to go and work the trade show. Typically tradeshow hours are easily 10-16 hour days over the course of several days and we each have our own particular jobs–everyone is busy and working hard. You don’t have “personal time” at a trade show–they joke, even when you sleep it’s company time. It’s brutal, but that’s the nature of trade shows. The nice part is we get comp time when we come home to make up for the extra hours and during the regular work year, things can be very flexible (for example, the boss is letting me leave early every Monday to be able to take my daughter to CCD). His logic is, he’s only asking me to give up one Sunday (and unless someone is a Catholic, I don’t think they “get it” when it comes to Mass).

 

[Spencerian]

Good luck with your trade show! Hope everything works out well for you.

 

[PermanentMarker]

I am bumping this thread because I have a similar question.

My brother will be working on an oil platform and will be away two weeks at a time. There are no chaplains or services aboard. Obviously, that situation is not ideal, but what is its moral standing?

 

[Petergee]

I am bumping this thread because I have a similar question.

My brother will be working on an oil platform and will be away two weeks at a time. There are no chaplains or services aboard. Obviously, that situation is not ideal, but what is its moral standing?

Same answers as before:

1. The Church does not command the impossible. If you literally CAN’T get to Mass on a weekend despite your best intentions and efforts, you are automatically excused from the obligation.
2. If at all possible, find another job or another shift cycle which allows you to attend Sunday Mass.

P.s.If your non-Catholic employers doesn’t “get” what’s so important about going to Mass on Sunday, then explain it to him. Maybe get a priest and/or a union delegate to help you get it through to him.

 

[MissRose73]

It would be nice if all employers recognized that some workers may wish to go to services for their Deity of choice. But not all work place types can or even more worse sometimes they are not willing to make adjustments to scheduling and staffing to make it happen.

I had to give up part of my lunch time on Saturdays to be able to make it to Mass on time as I get to leave 15 minutes sooner from work. But its a sacrifice worthwhile for me. I had to get the okay from several members of management to do so too. I cannot go to Sunday morning Mass due to my work schedule. If things change where I can have Sundays off, then that will make things better for me and I can attend Mass in either form as I will have the time needed to travel to and from Mass.

 

[AthenaC]

I am in a similar boat on nearly all Holy Days of Obligation. My employer likes to schedule mandatory trainings on those days (not that I actually believe they do it on purpose, mind). On those days I don’t get home until 8 p.m. the evening before the Holy Day (so no vigil Mass), and I have to be at the train station no later than 6:30 (so no 6 a.m. Mass), and again don’t get home until 8 p.m. (so once again, I can’t even make the 7:00 p.m. Mass).

On any other day I have more flexibility and am in control of my schedule, however.

 

[mellowcalico]

Hey, I forgot about this topic.

Just for some closure on it, I ended up getting to go to Mass at the airport! It was a quick Mass, but at least I got to go. My next conference I was able to get out in time to fly back home and go to Mass at my own Church. I have the same issue coming up again in a few months (although I don’t know what days I have to fly out/back yet). So we shall see how it goes.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Thanks for the answers everyone. I am going to try my best to get to Mass. This isn’t typical and this just happens to be the first time the show has fallen on a Sunday (usually it doesn’t).

I know it sounds strange, but our annual trade show is an “all hands on deck” time. With the exception of a skeleton crew to man the office, we all are expected to go and work the trade show. Typically tradeshow hours are easily 10-16 hour days over the course of several days and we each have our own particular jobs–everyone is busy and working hard. You don’t have “personal time” at a trade show–they joke, even when you sleep it’s company time. It’s brutal, but that’s the nature of trade shows. The nice part is we get comp time when we come home to make up for the extra hours and during the regular work year, things can be very flexible (for example, the boss is letting me leave early every Monday to be able to take my daughter to CCD). His logic is, he’s only asking me to give up one Sunday (and unless someone is a Catholic, I don’t think they “get it” when it comes to Mass).

Very familiar with this! I am very blessed that there is a beautiful church *right next door *to the hotel we stay at during our annual tradeshow weeks!

It may still be worth the effort to see if you can trade breaks with a co-worker so that you can get an hour to get to Mass. But if you can’t, you can’t. The church does not obligate us to impossibilities.

If it still bothers you, speak to your priest before you leave.