My Bishop Gives Us The day Off!

  • Thread starter Thread starter steboyz
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

steboyz

Guest
Due to about 14 inches of snow(thats a lot for our region) our Bishop sent out a message to the faithful that Catholics were not required to attend Mass this weekend. I am sure that there will be mixed emotions for many Catholics who attend Mass regularly. My mom said that she missed mass and she asked me if I did also.Well yes I actually did miss mass as it has become my routine for Sundays.

I was just wondering what you would do if your Bishop let you have the day off.

Ger
 
Ours also sent out a message that said You’re exempt if travel is unsafe.

The way I read it, if the roads are clear, you still go to Mass.
 
steboyz said:
Due to about 14 inches of snow(thats a lot for our region) our Bishop sent out a message to the faithful that Catholics were not required to attend Mass this weekend. I am sure that there will be mixed emotions for many Catholics who attend Mass regularly. My mom said that she missed mass and she asked me if I did also.Well yes I actually did miss mass as it has become my routine for Sundays.

I was just wondering what you would do if your Bishop let you have the day off.

Ger
Click to expand...
Our bishop asked us to use our “best judgement” in regards to travel in the weather. I usually have to travel 45 minutes to get to the parish where I work as a musician, and the pastor there “cancelled” the musicians since the road conditions weren’t the best for me and others to travel. But we’re still snowed in where I live. My husband and sister are digging us out now, but I don’t think we’ll be able to make it to the noon mass, since it is 11:45 right now. Yesterday was like a blizzard and driving conditions were really bad.

To answer your question, if the Bishop gave me the day “off” and if I could actually get out and go to mass, I still will go.

P.S. Is that photo in your signature of St. Anthony of Padua in Wilimington?
 
I think that’s very thoughtful of your bishop.

As long as the Masses are being celebrated it leaves the decision up to you.
 
From someone who skidded through two stop signs at busy intersections trying to drive to Mass after an ice storm on Dec. 8, 2007, I can assure you that our loving Lord and watchful Blessed Mother know each person’s individual circumstances and knows our hearts’ intentions. We can’t hide insincerity from them, and at the same time we can’t hide devotion and love, either.

I watch the Mass on EWTN and say a few extra prayers when I’m not able to get to Mass on a day of obligation, and then I go as soon as I’m safely able.
 
Sarabande said:
Never mind, I noticed that the architecture and stone is different from St. Anthony’s.
Click to expand...
BUT WAIT…

I will give you an answer anyway because I am very proud of our church…
Its my parish church St Elizabeth. Its located in Wilmington about two miles from St.Anthony.

Ger:thumbsup:
 
Sarabande, you’re 9 months pregnant and due any day - please don’t risk a fall!! Stay home and safe, Mommy!

Betsy
 
The following is the exact message from the website;

" Bishop Francis Malooly has announced that due to severe winter weather and for the safety of our people, there is no obligation to attend Mass this weekend in areas of the Diocese of Wilmington that are experiencing significant snow accumulations. Have a safe weekend."

BTW I thought he made the correct decision. I live down the hill from my parish church and would not have made it.They would have found me face down in the snow.Maybe I would have looked like one of those snow birds.

I know my mom would have said several more prayers.

I will say the verses from todays Mass tonight.
ger
 
One of our churches in town canceled Sunday Masses; and that’s the closer one to me. . .just over a mile away which I would have to walk in 21 inches’ worth of snow, so I’m thankful that they took the decision away from me. (The other is 1 1/2 miles away, just too far to walk in these conditions and more challenging terrain (hills). Though I do not like missing Mass, at my age I’m starting to worry more about breaking something in a fall, so I’m glad not to have to risk it. Christmas Mass does not look good either as there are no buses that day (even though I have to walk about half a mile to get to the bus anyway!) though if the sidewalks are clear and not icy I’ll give it my best shot!
 
My bishop did “give me the day off”, as our diocese was also under a lot of snow. I said to my husband “If we can get out to go anywhere, we can go to Mass.” So we did, but a later Mass than usual, because of the time it took to clear the car. There were far fewer people than usual at Mass, but still some. It’s days like today that I am glad that the priests live right there at the church. If I can get there, I know that they can.
 
You have not received a “day off”, you have been excused from attending the Mass for circumstances that the Bishop recognizes is beyond your control. However, you still must spend 1 hour on Sunday in worship to God, through prayer, reading the bible, hymns, or whatever moves you to express your love of God. The Mass is not the sole excercise of honoring or keeping the Sabbath, and regardless of the circumstances in which you find yourself, that obligation is not execused as long as you have the health to at least pray.

And as for the Mass being “routine”, just meditate on how lazy and without faith that statement is. Clearly the miracle of the Mass has yet to come to fruition in your faith.
 
steboyz said:
Due to about 14 inches of snow(thats a lot for our region) our Bishop sent out a message to the faithful that Catholics were not required to attend Mass this weekend. I am sure that there will be mixed emotions for many Catholics who attend Mass regularly. My mom said that she missed mass and she asked me if I did also.Well yes I actually did miss mass as it has become my routine for Sundays.

I was just wondering what you would do if your Bishop let you have the day off.

Ger
Click to expand...
yes in the Archdiocese of Baltimore
 
Julian0404 said:
However, you still must spend 1 hour on Sunday in worship to God, through prayer, reading the bible, hymns, or whatever moves you to express your love of God. The Mass is not the sole excercise of honoring or keeping the Sabbath, and regardless of the circumstances in which you find yourself, that obligation is not execused as long as you have the health to at least pray.
Click to expand...
Well, hold on here. Yes, there is still an obligation to “keep holy the Sabbath.” However, that can be done in any number of ways and there is no mandatory time frame for prayer, reflection, etc. Let’s not make up rules that don’t exist.
 
Things must be different for us up here in Canada; I have never heard of being given the “day off” by our bishop in severe weather. We simply use our own judgement. In the great ice storm of '98 many churches had no Mass for several weeks on account of widespread power failures and sub-zero temperatures. No heat, no light, and no water in the church.
 
steboyz said:
BUT WAIT…

I will give you an answer anyway because I am very proud of our church…
Its my parish church St Elizabeth. Its located in Wilmington about two miles from St.Anthony.

Ger:thumbsup:
Click to expand...
There are a lot of lovely parishes in Wilmington. I’ve been to St. Anthony’s a number of times for music rehearsals which is beautiful and has such a neat history as well as what seems to be a great parish community. I initially thought the photo in your sig was the same one. I’ll have to check out St. Elizabeth’s some time. It looks beautiful as well. 🙂 Thank you for sharing. Merry Christmas!!!
 
baltobetsy said:
Sarabande, you’re 9 months pregnant and due any day - please don’t risk a fall!! Stay home and safe, Mommy!

Betsy
Click to expand...
Thanks, Betsy! Yes, I decided to stay home. Hubby and sis didn’t get the shoveling done in time anyway and the backs roads are still not great.
 
OraLabora said:
Things must be different for us up here in Canada; I have never heard of being given the “day off” by our bishop in severe weather. We simply use our own judgement. In the great ice storm of '98 many churches had no Mass for several weeks on account of widespread power failures and sub-zero temperatures. No heat, no light, and no water in the church.
Click to expand...
Its just the neurotic east coast that needs to be told to stay home. Most other Catholics use common sense.
 
NewEnglandPries said:
Its just the neurotic east coast that needs to be told to stay home. Most other Catholics use common sense.
Click to expand...
Just because some Bishops tell people to stay home doesn’t mean that it’s because they think all people on the east coast are neurotic and stupid. I live on the east coast and our bishop just said to use our best judgement. I would have used my best judgement and decided on my own what to do (which I did) whether or not I read the bishop’s message on the website. I think most Catholics think that way since most people I know don’t even check things out on the diocese websites or call up their parishes to find out. I didn’t even check it out on our website until I saw this thread and was interested to see what our Bishop had to say.
 
I have a sister who lives in Parkville, MD, but she regularly walks to church. My wife and I just moved to a new house, and while we have yet to settle at a parish, we have a church only a couple blocks from us. We walked there this morning, since our road did not get plowed. :confused: Hopefully that will be resolved before tomorrow morning, or I’m working from home.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top