Missing Mass=Sin?

[Rachel_1]

I have a quick question. Since I started going to Mass (before RCIA) I’ve never missed Mass, not once. I actually like to go daily if possible, but I’m aware that missing Sunday Mass is a mortal sin except for certain cases.
Here’s the situation. I was ready to go tonight to Mass, dressed and on my way out the door, but I thought I should check on my kitty (who’s pregnant) and noticed that she was in the middle of delivering her first kitten! Needless to say I didn’t make it to Mass tonight.
She’s had two and seems to be stalled (she’s got at least 3 more inside her), and I read that sometimes they can stall out like this for up to 24 hours.
If she doesn’t finish her labor by tomorrow morning and I miss Mass tomorrow, is that one of those certain cases that wouldn’t be considered a mortal sin?
Normally I’d just go anyway, but with the first two kittens she didn’t clean off their faces and if I hadn’t been here, they would have died so I’m afraid to leave her for the remainder of the labor.

 

[1ke]

No, a cat having kittens is not a serious reason that necessitates missing mass.

.

 

[Sarah_Angel]

Hmm, I don’t know if I would say that, 1ke. It’s not just any cat, it’s HER cat, and she has a responsibility as a pet owner to make sure that her cat is doing OK during labor. She shouldn’t neglect her…

That being said, I’m SURE that there are people you know who would be able to watch your cat tomorrow while you are at Mass. I would look into that before you plan on missing.

 

[karennascargo3]

Since that cat is a creature of God’s and is entrusted to the OP, I think God would very much appreciate her love and responsibility to watch over it when it was in danger – especially knowing that her intention was to honor Him in attending Mass. She made a choice, not between the cat or God; but honored both commitments in her heart. Anything else is legalism.

 

[1ke]

The obligation to attend mass exists unless we are excused for a **serious **reason or a dispensation from our pastor.

A cat having kittens is not a serious reason. A cat is not a person. Mass is one hour.

I can’t even believe people are saying it’s fine to miss mass because a cat is having kittens. have i landed in an alternate universe?

 

[LilyM]

Don’t get me wrong, I grew up in a house full of pets and love all of God’s critters to bits. But I don’t think the situation is serious enough to warrant missing Mass.

The cat is doing what cats do perfectly naturally without human aid - and usually completely successfully. Animals giving birth is not a medical emergency - doesn’t even require vet attention for the most part. There is not even cause for the slightest worry, as OP said, until 24 hours have elapsed. Leaving kitty for an hour or two is most unlikely to change the situation.

Go to Mass! If you are concerned, perhaps ask a friend or neighbour if they would step in for the time you’re gone. Or find a 24-hour vet clinic and call them to see if there’s any reason kitty needs watching.

 

[Rachel_1]

The cat is doing what cats do perfectly naturally without human aid - and usually completely successfully. Animals giving birth is not a medical emergency - doesn’t even require vet attention for the most part. There is not even cause for the slightest worry, as OP said, until 24 hours have elapsed. Leaving kitty for an hour or two is most unlikely to change the situation.

Go to Mass! If you are concerned, perhaps ask a friend or neighbour if they would step in for the time you’re gone. Or find a 24-hour vet clinic and call them to see if there’s any reason kitty needs watching.

Ok, first off… I’m NOT trying to make an excuse not to go to Mass… I WANT to go to Mass…
Secondly, my cat is “not doing what cats do perfectly naturally without human aid”… My cat is not cleaning the bag off the kittens, anyone that’s ever delivered an animal before will tell you that if that doesn’t happen, the kitten dies.
I was actually ON MY WAY to Mass tonight when I saw a kitten being born, had I left and went to Mass anyway (which I almost did), the two kittens born would be dead when I got home.
I’m hoping that the other kittens are born sometime tonight so that this isn’t an issue in the morning… so cross your fingers please people, because if not, I will have to take her to a vet tomorrow.

Ok so for future reference, does anyone have a list of things you can miss Mass for?
Also, I have nobody to watch the cat tomorrow as my husband works and I have no close neighbors. I also have no real friends now that I’m Catholic.

 

[LilyM]

Ok, first off… I’m NOT trying to make an excuse not to go to Mass… I WANT to go to Mass…
Secondly, my cat is “not doing what cats do perfectly naturally without human aid”… My cat is not cleaning the bag off the kittens, anyone that’s ever delivered an animal before will tell you that if that doesn’t happen, the kitten dies.
I was actually ON MY WAY to Mass tonight when I saw a kitten being born, had I left and went to Mass anyway (which I almost did), the two kittens born would be dead when I got home.
I’m hoping that the other kittens are born sometime tonight so that this isn’t an issue in the morning… so cross your fingers please people, because if not, I will have to take her to a vet tomorrow.

Ok so for future reference, does anyone have a list of things you can miss Mass for?
Also, I have nobody to watch the cat tomorrow as my husband works and I have no close neighbors. I also have no real friends now that I’m Catholic.

I never said that you were trying to make an excuse, I’m very sorry if I came across as implying that you were.

And I’m afraid I mustn’t have read that last paragraph the first time round, I didn’t see the bit where she hadn’t cleaned the faces of the kittens. Mea culpa

Hmmm … maybe take her to the vet now? It would spare you and Kitty some agony, and with luck everything would be resolved in time for you to go to Mass.

 

[MarkThompson]

Ok, first off… I’m NOT trying to make an excuse not to go to Mass… I WANT to go to Mass…
Secondly, my cat is “not doing what cats do perfectly naturally without human aid”… My cat is not cleaning the bag off the kittens, anyone that’s ever delivered an animal before will tell you that if that doesn’t happen, the kitten dies.
I was actually ON MY WAY to Mass tonight when I saw a kitten being born, had I left and went to Mass anyway (which I almost did), the two kittens born would be dead when I got home.
I’m hoping that the other kittens are born sometime tonight so that this isn’t an issue in the morning… so cross your fingers please people, because if not, I will have to take her to a vet tomorrow.

Ok so for future reference, does anyone have a list of things you can miss Mass for?
Also, I have nobody to watch the cat tomorrow as my husband works and I have no close neighbors. I also have no real friends now that I’m Catholic.

Assuming you have the opportunity and can connect, call the church in the the morning and ask your pastor (a) if this is a legitimate reason to skip Mass, and (b) if not, whether he will grant you a dispensation if you wind up needing to stay and care for the cat. Dollars to doughuts he will say it’s fine, but if not, then go to Mass and offer a prayer to Saint Francis for your cat’s well-being.

 

[Dylpickleh8]

Cats do this sort of thing in Nature sans humans, so I don’t think your cat would miss you for an hour.

 

[Rachel_1]

Cats do this sort of thing in Nature sans humans, so I don’t think your cat would miss you for an hour.

She’s still stalled out on her labor.
Normally, I’d agree with you, well, she probably wouldn’t miss me anyway… but her kittens may miss me if there’s nobody to clean them off and they suffocate from the bag being over their face like the one’s this evening would have done had I not been there.

 

[stephe1987]

Is it just me or do people keep missing the part where the newborn kittens would have DIED if the OP didn’t go to Mass?

Yes, cats can and do give birth in nature. But in nature there are times when the kittens die within an hour of being born. As a pet owner of a domestic cat, we have responsibilities to care for our pets.

IMO, it looks like it was God who made you suddenly remember to check on your cat in the first place! You checked on her and noticed she was giving birth. Something wasn’t right. That was indeed a sign that you needed to stay home that day to care for the kittens who would have died without your help. Ignoring God’s signs leads to trouble.

 

[1ke]

Is it just me or do people keep missing the part where the newborn kittens would have DIED if the OP didn’t go to Mass?

They’re cats, they are not people.

And, unless she plans to stand watch all night, kittens could be born and die while she is asleep tonight.

It’s not a serious reason, IMHO.

 

[Rachel_1]

I just hope that her labor picks back up sometime tonight, if not I’m going to have to try to find a vet open on a Sunday to see her. My husband is working tomorrow so he can’t sit with her or take her to the vet if she needs to go. The last Mass time I know about is miles away (1 hour drive) and starts at 12:30pm with the earliest being 8am… so hopefully, sometime tomorrow I’ll be able to sneak off to a Mass somewhere one of these times and will just hope that no kitties are born during that time because if one dies because I’m not there I’m going to feel awful.
It’s too bad there’s no middle of the night Mass, since she’s all stalled out right now! lol

 

[Rachel_1]

They’re cats, they are not people.

And, unless she plans to stand watch all night, kittens could be born and die while she is asleep tonight.

It’s not a serious reason, IMHO.

Yea, they are cats… but they are my cats. No, it’s not like a person will die, but it’s still death, and I would feel extreme guilt about it if a kitten died and it could be prevented.
and yea, just FYI, I DO plan on staying up as long as it takes to make sure no kitten dies, even all night if needed.

 

[LilyM]

They’re cats, they are not people.

And, unless she plans to stand watch all night, kittens could be born and die while she is asleep tonight.

It’s not a serious reason, IMHO.

True.

Put it this way, the cats I had growing up weren’t indoor cats, so they could and did sneak off anywhere and go into labour without us even knowing, losing God alone knows how many kittens in the process.

It’s not like we were obliged to lock them indoors for the last stages of their pregnancy. In fact to do so would’ve freaked them out no end, they wouldn’t have liked it one bit, and the stress may’ve made things worse for them. Nor were we obliged to drop everything and follow them around wherever they went just in case they got into trouble during their labour.

Much as we love our pets, they are not made in the image and likeness of God, nor do they have God’s own breath breathed into them as Adam’s was. We simply don’t have anywhere near the same obligations towards them and their welfare that we do our fellow man.

In fact, we kill and eat (and/or wear or turn into handbags or whatnot) some of the same animals God has entrusted to our care and stewardship. Does He mind us doing so? Not a bit, as long as we are humane in our treatment of them. And it’s perfectly within the bounds of humane treatment of animals to euthanase them, for example, where it wouldn’t be for humans.

By the way, Rachel, you said your husband has to go to work - and he is, it seems, OK with doing so in spite of the what has happened to your cat. Is his obligation to his employer so much more important than your obligation to God? Not trying to gang up on you here, far from it. But it’s something to think about.

 

[1ke]

By the way, Rachel, you said your husband has to go to work - and he is, it seems, OK with doing so in spite of the what has happened to your cat. Is his obligation to his employer so much more important than your obligation to God?

Yes, I was thinking this as well.

 

[LilyM]

Yea, they are cats… but they are my cats. No, it’s not like a person will die, but it’s still death, and I would feel extreme guilt about it if a kitten died and it could be prevented.
and yea, just FYI, I DO plan on staying up as long as it takes to make sure no kitten dies, even all night if needed.

Extreme guilt?

Let me tell you a story. My parents farm cattle. And own farm dogs. Cattle and dogs alike die for various reasons - diseases, injuries and whatnot.

Does Dad feel extreme guilt? Of course he does, he loves his critters like I do. Does his feeling mean he’s done anything wrong or failed in any way in his obligations to those animals? Never, as far as I am aware.

 

[Rachel_1]

Extreme guilt?

Let me tell you a story. My parents farm cattle. And own farm dogs. Cattle and dogs alike die for various reasons - diseases, injuries and whatnot.

Does Dad feel extreme guilt? Of course he does, he loves his critters like I do. Does his feeling mean he’s done anything wrong or failed in any way in his obligations to those animals? Never, as far as I am aware.

See, this is where you and I differ. You’re a farm girl or so it seems. I’m not. I’m a city chick. As a matter of fact, when I moved from California to Iowa years ago (yea, I know, it was like night and day) I tried to call a cow to pet it. Since them I moved to the Louisville area (more city like). I don’t think of animals like “farm folk” do.
You and Ike made your point… I will be the worst person in the world should I not go to Mass tomorrow, even if that means a kitten may die and I will feel awful about it.
As far as my husband goes and his job… he’s going to work because he assumes I’ll be here… I’ll have to make him think I’ll be here so he’ll go to work, and then leave to Mass or else he would be furious with me. Just FYI, my husband is NOT Catholic.

 

[benedictgal]

I just hope that her labor picks back up sometime tonight, if not I’m going to have to try to find a vet open on a Sunday to see her. My husband is working tomorrow so he can’t sit with her or take her to the vet if she needs to go. The last Mass time I know about is miles away (1 hour drive) and starts at 12:30pm with the earliest being 8am… so hopefully, sometime tomorrow I’ll be able to sneak off to a Mass somewhere one of these times and will just hope that no kitties are born during that time because if one dies because I’m not there I’m going to feel awful.
It’s too bad there’s no middle of the night Mass, since she’s all stalled out right now! lol

Go to your diocesan website and check for the Mass times in your area. Surely, 12:30pm can’t be the last option for you. Many parishes have evening Mass.

Inasmuch as I love my dachshunds, they cannot be more important than my obligation to God. Remember, the first commandment is to love God. Loving God means putting him ahead of everything, pets included. When we start making our pets more important than our commitment to God, then there are some serious issues regarding priorities.

I don’t want to sound judgemental, but, a cat in labor is not a serious enough excuse to miss Mass. Inasmuch as we have a responsibility as pet owners, we have a greater responsibility and duty to God. He needs to come first. Just pray that your cat will be okay for that one hour.