Missing Mass while on vacation

[ermcma]

Isn’t the bolded just a tad over the top and uncalled for? Aren’t we all adults here? You mean to tell me that you HAVE NEVER, EVER missed Mass while out of town on vacation espcially at a place like Disney World?

I’ve never been to Orlando and to Disney World, but I can just imagine how hard it is to get around down there and to be honest, Mass would’ve probably been the last thing on my mind if i’m at that money gouging tourist trap.

Nope. Never ever have missed mass on vacation. Never. It offends God to miss mass. All our sin offends God. I have offend him greatly too, but I have repented. This is black and white. The OP should go to confession. Not judging, just saying the truth.

 

[dixieagle]

I’d like to suggest that going to Mass in a place you’re visiting can become part of your trip. I’ve been to Mass at the cathedrals in different cities, at historic churches, and at the very least, at parishes other than my own. It’s interesting to see what the churches look like and how they do things. I have fond memories of certain cities that include my experiences at Mass in those places.

Perhaps you can make picking out a church for Sunday Mass a part of your vacation planning.

This is an excellent suggestion! I love attending Mass in the various cities around the world we have visited.

There is a church near Disney World - Our Lady Queen of the Universe - at which you will see hundreds (if not thousands… it is HUGE!) of visitors to the area from around the world. There are five weekend Masses, from Saturday evening to Sunday evening, so there is really no reason to miss Mass. If you haven’t a car, then taxis are readily available.

Although missing Mass is clearly objectively grave matter, it is for the OP’s confessor to ascertain whether the matter is mortal or venial, given the fact that the OP is a recent convert and still learning.

 

[larsont7]

As most have said, missing Mass is indeed grave matter and needs to be confessed. None of the rest of us can know whether it was a mortal sin for the OP since we cannot determine intent or full knowledge, but once one is informed, then one needs to confess those sins.

SHORT RANT: I really wish people would stop saying XYZ is a mortal sin, when they should be saying XYZ is grave matter. Only God and the sinner can know if the sinner has full knowledge and intent. END RANT

For a little advice, anytime you go on vacation where there is a chance you could miss Mass, speak to a priest beforehand and see if you can get a dispensation. In some circumstances, missing Mass can be permissible (i.e.- a two-week hike through the Himalayas). The ideal would be to schedule your Mass around your vacation instead of the other way around, but like I said, a priest can grant a dispensation in certain instances.

 

[Moore11]

Good advice.
Did someone besides the OP say it was mortal sin?

 

[larsont7]

Good advice.
Did someone besides the OP say it was mortal sin?

I did see it mentioned a few times, yes. I think most understand that it requires the 3 elements, but I just think people are quick to say “mortal sin” when they really mean “grave matter.” It’s really just a pet peeve of mine, nothing more.

 

[Moore11]

I did see it mentioned a few times, yes. I think most understand that it requires the 3 elements, but I just think people are quick to say “mortal sin” when they really mean “grave matter.” It’s really just a pet peeve of mine, nothing more.

Nobody really said that. In fact many many many posts have said that it is grave matter and that it is potential mortal sin.

I think most know the prerequisites for sin to be mortal.

My pet peeve are people who go out of their way to make it sound like no one commits mortal sin. But then I’m just kinda feisty tonight.

If you read the thread you will see that it has been explained many times.

 

[larsont7]

**Nobody really said that. ** In fact many many many posts have said that it is grave matter and that it is potential mortal sin. .

Not to be argumentative, but…

Post#2: “Missing mass without grave reason is a mortal sin.”
Post#21: “The fact is, yes it’s a mortal sin.”
Post#29: “Yes it is a mortal sin not going to Mass each week unless there is a serious reason why you can’t.”

But yes, you are correct, most people in this thread were clear about what constitutes a mortal sin. I have seen several other threads that were not as clear, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen topics that begin with, “Is **** a mortal sin?”

I think most know the prerequisites for sin to be mortal.

My pet peeve are people who go out of their way to make it sound like no one commits mortal sin.

Now there is something we can both agree on.

 

[crazzeto]

Not to be argumentative, but…

Post#2: “Missing mass without grave reason is a mortal sin.”
Post#21: “The fact is, yes it’s a mortal sin.”
Post#29: “Yes it is a mortal sin not going to Mass each week unless there is a serious reason why you can’t.”

But yes, you are correct, most people in this thread were clear about what constitutes a mortal sin. I have seen several other threads that were not as clear, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen topics that begin with, “Is **** a mortal sin?”

Now there is something we can both agree on.

The difference between grave matter & mortal sin is:

“grave matter” is a sin which is objectively grave. Missing mass.

“mortal sin” is grave sin (grave matter) committed in full knowlege.

 

[aemcpa]

“mortal sin” is grave sin (grave matter) committed in full knowlege.

And with full consent.

 

[crazzeto]

And with full consent.

Yeah, the thought occurred to me after I posted. Thanks for adding that.

 

[OraLabora]

One thing nobody mentioned here. If going on vacation, and going to Mass will cause serious disruptions (as traveling with small children can do), it is always possible to ask one’s priest for a dispensation of the obligation prior to leaving. He may or may not agree, but there’s absolutely zero harm in asking.

I have done it before. Once I was participating in a charity bike ride to raise funds for cancer. It was a 2-day, 200-mile ride. Clearly going to Mass, while theoretically possible, was going to be difficult (I could have gone to a Saturday evening Mass after arriving at the overnight campsite, but needless to say after riding 100 miles I was not in top form…, and I had another 100 miles to do the next day). I spoke to my spiritual director of the abbey I am associated with prior to leaving and he dispensed me of the obligation. Of course I was doing charity work… so maybe that’s different, but one can ask.

If the priest refuses then one is to try one’s best to get to Mass. If circumstances beyond one’s control (such as getting lost and missing Mass, a sick or extremely cranky child, or a flight delay causing one to miss the last available Mass) intervene, then there’s no sin involved.

 

[aemcpa]

One thing nobody mentioned here. If going on vacation, and going to Mass will cause serious disruptions (as traveling with small children can do), it is always possible to ask one’s priest for a dispensation of the obligation prior to leaving.

A few people did mention it.

 

[ChelleyD]

I’d like to suggest that going to Mass in a place you’re visiting can become part of your trip. I’ve been to Mass at the cathedrals in different cities, at historic churches, and at the very least, at parishes other than my own. It’s interesting to see what the churches look like and how they do things. I have fond memories of certain cities that include my experiences at Mass in those places.

Perhaps you can make picking out a church for Sunday Mass a part of your vacation planning.

^This.
We absolutely make finding a parish to attend Mass a part of our vacation planning. There’s a website - Mass Times - that can aid you in the search. Really good for US parishes, not sure how accurate it is for those outside the US.

When we go to Disney, we too attend Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine. They have multiple mass times on Saturday and Sunday, so you should be able to find something that works with your schedule. Also, many resorts offer Mass on Sundays as well. My husband just returned from a once-in-a-lifetime golf trip to the Dominican Republic and Mass was offered at the resort he and his buddies were staying at.

BTW - if you ever vacation to St. Louis, MO, be sure to visit our absloutely gorgeous Cathedral Basilica. The mosaics took over 80 years to complete, and the same family did all the work.

 

[Moore11]

Not to be argumentative, but…

Post#2: “Missing mass without grave reason is a mortal sin.”
Post#21: “The fact is, yes it’s a mortal sin.”
Post#29: “Yes it is a mortal sin not going to Mass each week unless there is a serious reason why you can’t.”

But yes, you are correct, most people in this thread were clear about what constitutes a mortal sin. I have seen several other threads that were not as clear, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen topics that begin with, “Is **** a mortal sin?”

Now there is something we can both agree on. :

I can guarantee that the people in those posts understood the ingredients of mortal sin. not only that but before you came to the thread it had already been defined and dealt with. You are late to the party and I think you just wanted to vent.
perhaps to avoid future confusion “Is***** a mortal sin” topics and posts should have an automatic sticky defining mortal sin.
Not only that but those posts IN CONTEXT had qualifiers.
Are you a protestant?: Not looking at the context of the quote.

Here you go.
YES! it is mortal sin to Miss Mass in favor of Micky Mouse if you are doing so under the conditions that mortal sin would entail.

Since the OP had full consent of will on weather to go to Mass or Micky and had the opportunity to find a Mass and attend. And there is grave matter. (Missing Mass) The only thing not defined in this scenario is if they had an informed conscious about the issue. Which by the subject of the thread is unclear.
So, it is potential mortal sin that needs to be handled in the confessional.

All of that was explained and advised before you pontificated.

 

[torch621]

Yes, OP did commit a mortal sin. In all charity, I can’t help but feel a little angry when people completely ignore their obligation to attend Mass. Does “keep holy the Lord’s day” mean so little?

 

[crazzeto]

Yes, OP did commit a mortal sin. In all charity, I can’t help but feel a little angry when people completely ignore their obligation to attend Mass. Does “keep holy the Lord’s day” mean so little?

We can say that he committed objectively grave sin, we can not say he committed mortal sin and indeed this thread is evidence he did not.

 

[Moore11]

Yes, OP did commit a mortal sin. In all charity, I can’t help but feel a little angry when people completely ignore their obligation to attend Mass. Does “keep holy the Lord’s day” mean so little?

Torch torch torch…:banghead:
You are kILLING me smalls!

I just got all feisty about how the criteria for mortal sin are almost universally understood by the posters here and then you go and post this!

How can you tell if the criteria have been met?
It is much better to say there is POTENTIAL mortal sin than to go around reading others souls.

 

[aemcpa]

:banghead:

On the plus side, I learned of the existence of this wonderful emoticon.

 

[tafan]

Actually, not to hijack your thread but my family will be taking a vacation including a Sunday in a few months, our parish has a nursery which we use (for the comfort of others and our own capacity to worship undistracted) and our kids are very comfortable with the nursery staff.

If we find ourselves in an unfamiliar parish without a nursery or with a nursery our kids have a meltdown in (ages 5,4,2, 1) and keeping them in the Centrum with us is unworkable, is that a valid excuse to miss Mass? Only the five year old sits with us during Mass at our home parish.

I’m actually excited to see how a different parish operates, but I am realistic in trying to get young kids to adjust to something new for only a day.

A couple of thoughts:
It seems to me, by the time a child is 2 he should be going to mass every Sunday or else you will have problems when they are 5-6-7. 8 kids, only when they were infants did they not go to mass every Sunday and then my wife and I would just go at different times. And most of the time the infants went to mass. Yea, sometimes one of us would have to take a fussy kids out and settle them down. But I would rather do that at the age of 1 or 2, than at the age of 7. Nursuries by a Catholic parish: bad idea. Cry rooms: bad idea.

Now, its may not be a good time to start taking a kid to mass on vacation, but that does not mean is is valid to miss mass. Very easy for each spouse to attend at different times. Even on vacation.

The Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian life. How in the world can we call ourselves Christian if being on vacation is somehow more important?

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I would never consider missing Mass because of a family vacation or another family obligation. That is always something we schedule into the itinerary ahead of time, period. And the OP said they had the opportunity to go to Mass but “the parks won out”.

If you’re going to be traveling, the proper way to handle the situation is to approach your pastor ahead of time to ask for a dispensation or a commutation. We can’t dispense ourselves from the Sunday Mass obligation. We need to take our obligations seriously as Catholics - to brush them aside lightly is to reject the Church’s authority.

That being said, it’s not the end of the world. If you weren’t fully aware of the gravity of the situation, it’s probably not a mortal sin, but we shouldn’t presume on God’s mercy either. I would confess it just as Daizies said and accept God’s mercy that we know we receive in Confession, just as we should with any sin after we confess it. Just plan ahead next time.

Yep. Especially now with masstimes.org, internet connections everywhere, and gps.

As a new convert the OP (and family) may not have the habits set yet, but now is the time to start. Don’t need to beat yourself up about what has already happened, but do talk to your priest.

Next time on vacation, visiting family, or even coordinating kids weekend games, figure out when you can go to Mass first. Make it a priority every time.