Missing Mass = Mortal Sin?

[crazzeto]

The very best advise I would give you is to enroll in the next RCIA class. I’m a convert, daughter of a Southern Baptist minister (that has since fallen away from his faith).

I LOVE being Catholic. I just don’t understand how anyone knowing that Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist can walk away from Him. He is our food for the journey home to the Blessed Homeland. Before I converted, my husband (a cradle Catholic…from birth) attended a non-denominal church with me on Sat. evenings and I would attend Mass on Sunday with him. I found the Church so boring, I just could not relate…everything seemed so strange, a real mystery to me. Then my husband indicated to me he wanted to receive an anullment from his first wife…of course I was excited mostly for my own selfish reasons. When I called the priest at our parish, I indicated to him that my husband was seeking an anullment and we needed to know the procedure.

Father ask me if I was Catholic, no I responded and then he quickly ask for my address and said I would need to attend RCIA. I was willing to do most anything for my husband to get a divorce from his ex. Little did I know that God must have been laughing at my plan. For He had a much greater one. During the RCIA classes, I was so enlightened about Catholism. So much my father had conveyed to me during so many years about Catholics just wasn’t true. I begin asking questions in class, listening intently during every Sunday session and the next thing I knew…I was being confirmed and sponsored by my husband. I really didn’t mean to go into all this but I’m still so excited that He found His lost sheep and He brought me home to the fullness of the faith.

When I attend Mass now, I know what is taking place…He gave me the grace and the open heart to accept the teachings of His Church and for that I’m forever grateful. Please…speak with a priest, pray without ceasing. With Him all things are possible.

Peace be with you always.

Not a bad idea, he really couldn’t go as a Candidate since at least I’m assuming hes a confirmed Catholic. Assuming that is the case, he could certianly be a sponsor. Fortunetly no experience or vast knowlege is required to be a sponcer, and if his parish is anything like mine they’ll let you go from day one meeting if you really want to! I’d also suggest some reading, I’d recommend the fathers as well as Where We Got the Bible: Our Debt to the Catholic Church as well as Bible Proofs for Catholic Truths and perhaps the following two works:

Catholic Controversy: St. Francis De Sales Defence of the Faith This one converted 70,000 people from Protestantism in Souther Fance.

Apologia Pro Vita Sua By Cardnal Numan, who is on his way to Sainthood.

 

[steve_b]

Hello,

I was listening to a sermon by Father Larry Richards and heard him say that missing mass was a mortal sin. Is this true? Say a Catholic misses mass, dies in a state of mortal sin. Does this mean they would go to hell forever?

I’m a bit worried. Many of you know I grew up Catholic, met an Evangelical (now my wife) and spent some time attending a Baptist church. I believed a lot of their theology but now I re-examining Catholic theology and seeing a lot of legitimacy I missed in it.

I really am worried about this though as I haven’t been regularly attending a Catholic Mass for several years. I do go to Baptist services, but I doubt that’s what is the issue at hand. My wife probably won’t go with me to mass and if she does it will be very reluctantly and probably won’t enjoy it. I might have to end up going alone.

Any advice or help?

Thank you

Missing mass on purpose is a mortal sin and scripture confirms it’s so.

Heb 10:
10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12* But when Christ * had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 then to wait until his enemies should be made a stool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16* “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their misdeeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.** 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering**, for he who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 26 For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment, and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries.* 28* A man who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy at the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29* How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the Son of God, and profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace?

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=4771450&postcount=370

Where was blood of the covenant used in the Gospels? Lk 22:20. It’s in the context of the Eucharist

 

[bmw8901]

Since some of you were speculating: I am still Catholic. I was Baptized, made first Communion, had reconcilation, and confirmation. I guess you could techinically refer to me as a sort of “lapsed” Catholic right now. I made no effort to revoke my membership or get Baptized in another church. I simply attend church with my wife. Not to use these exact words, but if I attend a Baptist service with my wife, do I still need to attend a Catholic mass as well? I know it’s not really the greatest way to phrase it and I’m not trying to cover my bases, but I was just curious.

Also, as a sidenote. We got married in a Protestant church by a Pastor. No priest was there. I’ve heard several conflicting statements with regard to this. I was unaware at the time that this was not the best or ideal situation for a Catholic. I found out a year or so ago.

• Is our marriage consider valid in the eyes of the Catholic church?
• If not, what would it take to obtain that validity? A letter to the Bishop? A priest’s blessing?
• Am I (we) living in sin if the marriage is not recognized? I was under the assumption Catholics accepted other churches sacrament of marriage as valid.

Thanks.

P.S. I’m thinking about scheduling an appointment with a priest to talk about all of these things. I did few years ago as well, but really didn’t get much out of him. He wasn’t that engaged and seemed to think that everyone was fine after Vatican II (he really didn’t say this) but that’s the impression I got.

 

[crazzeto]

Since some of you were speculating: I am still Catholic. I was Baptized, made first Communion, had reconcilation, and confirmation. I guess you could techinically refer to me as a sort of “lapsed” Catholic right now. I made no effort to revoke my membership or get Baptized in another church. I simply attend church with my wife. Not to use these exact words, but if I attend a Baptist service with my wife, do I still need to attend a Catholic mass as well? I know it’s not really the greatest way to phrase it and I’m not trying to cover my bases, but I was just curious.

Also, as a sidenote. We got married in a Protestant church by a Pastor. No priest was there. I’ve heard several conflicting statements with regard to this. I was unaware at the time that this was not the best or ideal situation for a Catholic. I found out a year or so ago.

• Is our marriage consider valid in the eyes of the Catholic church?
• If not, what would it take to obtain that validity? A letter to the Bishop? A priest’s blessing?
• Am I (we) living in sin if the marriage is not recognized? I was under the assumption Catholics accepted other churches sacrament of marriage as valid.

It could be valid, but it’s at best illicit. The problem is that I’m guessing at least, that you didn’t bother talking to your Bishop about this and getting permission. If you didn’t, then what you need to do is have your marriage Convalidated. It’s a very simple process, you do get to have a priest there from what I’ve been told, and most people who’ve done it tell me it’s a very beautiful, very emotional experience. Almost like getting married again, but not quite. Think of it as renewing your vows.

Thanks.

P.S. I’m thinking about scheduling an appointment with a priest to talk about all of these things. I did few years ago as well, but really didn’t get much out of him. He wasn’t that engaged and seemed to think that everyone was fine after Vatican II (he really didn’t say this) but that’s the impression I got.

This is a terrific idea, though are you talking to this same Priest who seems to not fully grasp Vatican II? Because Vatican II didn’t change hardly anything, about the only thing it did was allow for mass in the venacular. If it’s the same priest, I would do some searching, find a more conservitive/orthodox priest to talk to. That way you get real answers.

Edit
BTW, you’re quite right. You can never lose your Catholic faith. Once Catholic always Catholic. Though like I posted in my last post, this doesn’t mean you can’t participate in RCIA as suggested. You would do so as a Sponsor, rather than Candidate. I’m doing this my self now actually, no matter how much you know about your faith, the experience is terrific, if you’re weak in knowlege then it’s even more terrific because you’ll still learn a bunch.

 

[jmcrae]

Since some of you were speculating: I am still Catholic. I was Baptized, made first Communion, had reconcilation, and confirmation. I guess you could techinically refer to me as a sort of “lapsed” Catholic right now. I made no effort to revoke my membership or get Baptized in another church. I simply attend church with my wife. Not to use these exact words, but if I attend a Baptist service with my wife, do I still need to attend a Catholic mass as well? I know it’s not really the greatest way to phrase it and I’m not trying to cover my bases, but I was just curious.

In whatever way it works, what you need to do is attend a Sunday Liturgy of the Mass once a week. How you deal with your relationship with the Baptist church is up to you.

Also, as a sidenote. We got married in a Protestant church by a Pastor. No priest was there. I’ve heard several conflicting statements with regard to this. I was unaware at the time that this was not the best or ideal situation for a Catholic. I found out a year or so ago.

• Is our marriage consider valid in the eyes of the Catholic church?

Not yet - but if this is the first marriage for both of you, the process for making it valid is relatively simple - a ten-minute ceremony in the Rectory with your best friend and her best friend in attendance as witnesses is all that is required. The priest will want to interview you beforehand, and make you aware of the requirements of Catholic marriage - again, if this is the first marriage for both of you, then this process should be short and painless.

• Am I (we) living in sin if the marriage is not recognized? I was under the assumption Catholics accepted other churches sacrament of marriage as valid.

Only where both parties to the marriage are not Catholic. For example, although my marriage is mixed, at present, we were “equally yoked” at the time of the wedding - both of us were Protestant, and neither of us had ever been Catholic - so our marriage is considered valid.

P.S. I’m thinking about scheduling an appointment with a priest to talk about all of these things. I did few years ago as well, but really didn’t get much out of him. He wasn’t that engaged and seemed to think that everyone was fine after Vatican II (he really didn’t say this) but that’s the impression I got.

Yeah, there are some doozies out there - I suppose he was worried about scaring you off if he actually told you what’s involved - what you want to do is go to a Mass, listen to the homily, and if the priest seems to have his head on straight, then set up an interview with him. But if he seems too liberal, then just keep looking, because at this point, you really don’t want to be confirmed in your sins (unknowingly committed) - what you really want is to know how you can fix your situation - but you can’t do that if someone is being all “la-de-dah, I’m okay, you’re okay.”