Multidenominational easter sunrise service

[blaskoman]

Is it licit for a catholic to attend? My mom wants to attend this service which is being held at the local cemetery. The cemetery’s website only mentions that some non-denomination pastor will preside over the service. No mention was made of a Catholic priest being in attendance.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

It’s her personal decision to make. If she was my mum, I would advise her against it. Holy Friday is one of the most holiest days of our Calendar, she should attend Mass.

 

[Phemie]

It’s her personal decision to make. If she was my mum, I would advise her against it. Holy Friday is one of the most holiest days of our Calendar, she should attend Mass.

There’s no Mass on Good Friday.

Outdoor non-Catholic sunrise Easter Services are held in many communities. Often, in my experience, they take place near water: river, ocean, etc. Attending one doesn’t mean you won’t attend Mass in your own parish, or that you haven’t already attended the Easter Vigil.

 

[larsont7]

Is it licit for a catholic to attend? My mom wants to attend this service which is being held at the local cemetery. The cemetery’s website only mentions that some non-denomination pastor will preside over the service. No mention was made of a Catholic priest being in attendance.

One must always be cautious when attending non-Catholic religious ceremonies. Generally, there has to be a good reason to attend (wedding, funeral, etc.), and one must never participate (take part in the liturgy, sing songs, receive “communion”, etc.). Granted, there are exceptions to everything, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

 

[jackson3997]

During my conversion last Lenten season, I had read about just such of a sunrise service. It was to be held in the parking lot outside of Our Lady of Martyrs Shrine. Since it is a Catholic shrine, I thought it was going to be a Catholic mass. I didn’t realize at the time what ecumenical meant. Anyway, I probably would not have attended if I knew that it wasn’t going to be a mass. Having said that, I also didn’t see any harm in attending. They didn’t preach any heresies or do anything that would put someone’s soul in jeopardy. There were prayers and hymns, greetings from pastors and whatnot. I just made certain that I also went to MASS that day. Even Michael Voris said something to the effect of going to something like this doesn’t necessarily hurt the soul (aside from doing the really far-out **** like dancing with snakes, drinking poison , rolling on the ground and hearing heresies preached), but it fails to nourish the soul that is only properly accomplished by attending mass.

 

[ALLGIRLS]

EASTER Sunrise Services are held on Easter (at, you guessed it, sunrise! ), not Good Friday. There is no Mass on Good Friday, anywhere in the world, and, although it is good and edifying (at least for me) to attend the Good Friday service (as it’s part of the Sacred Triduum), it’s actually not a HDO.

I don’t really see a problem with going to the Sunrise Service so long as you’ve already attended the Easter Vigil Mass or will be attending an Easter Sunday Mass later in the day. Since it’s “nondenominational”, I doubt you’ll hear anything anti-Catholic or nefarious, as the minister will probably keep the preaching “light” to accomodate the different beliefs of everyone present. In other words, lowest denominator doctrine: Jesus is the Son of God, He died for our sins and rose from the dead. Alleluia!

In Christ,
Ellen

 

[thomasf]

I don’t see the point. She will still have to attend mass either on Sunday or the Vigil.

 

[CharlesinCenCA]

Coming from a different perspective with no disrespect intended, Catholics are not baptized into a “denominational church.” Catholicism stands uniquely alone upon the four pillars and says just that in our primary creeds. So, as others have cautioned, caveat emptor with these sorts of events. When in doubt, go up the ladder of subsidiarity, check with your pastor if your conscience is in question.

 

[SAVINGRACE]

Coming from a different perspective with no disrespect intended, Catholics are not baptized into a “denominational church.” Catholicism stands uniquely alone upon the four pillars and says just that in our primary creeds. So, as others have cautioned, caveat emptor with these sorts of events. When in doubt, go up the ladder of subsidiarity, check with your pastor if your conscience is in question.