Missing Mass

[Holland]

I know this has been discussed before but I need to bring it up again because of a discussion I had with several Catholic friends. I said if you knowingly miss Mass for no good reason then its a mortal sin. They all said that missing Mass does not meet the threshhold of grave matter. So does missing Mass meet the threshold of grave matter? Have things changed or have I been wrong all along? Thanks!

 

[James_Miller]

Only on Sundays and Holy Day of Obligation grave matter in the Latin Catholic Church.

 

[Joan_M]

I know this has been discussed before but I need to bring it up again because of a discussion I had with several Catholic friends. I said if you knowingly miss Mass for no good reason then its a mortal sin. They all said that missing Mass does not meet the threshhold of grave matter. So does missing Mass meet the threshold of grave matter? Have things changed or have I been wrong all along? Thanks!

Your friends are playing Pope! It is the Church that decides the “threshold of grave matter” and not individual people.

The Third Commandment requires that we Keep Holy the Lord’s Day. It is the Church, with the authority that Jesus gave it when he said “who hears you hears me”, that decides how we shall keep the Commandment. The Church requires that we go to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation, unless we are truly unable to go. If we, knowing this, decide not to go, then we are guilty of mortal sin.

You are not wrong.

 

[Jenniferolg]

Recently I discussed this issue with our parish priest in light of the fact that “good” protestants can miss a worship service on Sunday with no “penalty”. He said that missing a chance to worship at least once a week for no good reason demonstrates a break in the relationship one has with God. Who wants to do that? If I were to die next week, I sure would feel better about it knowing I’d just been to Mass. He asked how often married couples need to communicate with one another to have what is considered a good relationship. I’m thinking once a week is a bare minimum, but I sure like seeing my husband every day.

Jennifer