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I have a young friend who is trying to learn more about the Church but has some questions. Not that he ever intends to leave the Church because as he says the other churches all seem do their own thing, their own interpretation of scripture, and do not have the Body and Blood of Christ present in the Eucharist. But there are some things that bother him.

He regularly goes with a friend of his on camping excursions. His friend sets them up for some college students and my friend tags along and helps his friend. They usually leave around noon on Friday and will come back late Monday. The trips are usually out of state and may travel 500 miles or more. I asked him about fulfilling his Sunday obligation and he says that where they go there are no churches around where he can make a quick exit and go to mass and some back. I have told him about the need to make certain that he attends mass every Sunday or fulfills his obligation by attention Saturday evening. He says that is one thing that bothers him about the CC, but he wants to learn more as to the why’s, etc. He feels the church is too structured and too rigid that if one misses one thing its automatically a sin. He feels the Church has too many rules that forces people to either do it or its a sin. Please help me clarify for him as to why the Church has these rules. Remember, he is really trying to learn and says he hopes one day learn enough to be able to defend the Church. He really wants to be obedient to the laws of the Church but he is asking question to learn more rather than to rebel.

Thanks.
 
The Church has these rules because she is our mother (“Holy Mother Church”), and like any good mother she wants what is best for us.

God gave us the commandment to keep holy the Lord’s day. Ever since Jesus’ resurrection on Sunday, that is the day we celebrate as the Lord’s day.

Jesus also gave the Church broad authority in determining how God’s laws should be carried out:

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19)

The Mass is the absolutely most perfect prayer. There is no better way to give honor and glory to God than to participate in the holy sacrifice of the Mass. At Mass we are actually present at Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary! He told us to “do this in memory of Me,” and that is what we do at Mass.

To emphasize the Mass’s importance, the Church in her wisdom has determined that we must attend Mass on the Lord’s day (Sunday, or now we may celebrate at the vigil Mass on Saturday evening). Good parents require their children to do things that are absolutely essential for their well-being (eating, brushing their teeth, going to school), even if they don’t “feel like it.” Holy Mother Church does the same thing.

Your friend needs to determine whether it is really impossible to get to Mass. If so, he needs to see his pastor beforehand (not after he has already missed Mass!) to get a dispensation, or permission to miss Mass. His pastor may require him to do something else as a substitute (e.g., spend an hour in prayer, or attend Mass on a different day of the week).
 
The Church does have rules. The 10 Commandments are rules.
Seeing “rules” as nothing more than restrictions and obligations misses the intentions of “rules.”

In living a life in accord with the “rules,” we become more Christ-like in the shaping of our character and thus makes us more beloved to the Trinity.

Rules are also “tests” as to what is paramount in our temporal lives. Temporal means we have an expiration date.

When the rebellion in Heaven accurred there was a refusal to obey God through selfish and false pride. Rules are an exercise in FREE WILL. No one stands over you with a cattleprod or some such…compliance has to come from within as it shows an interior allegiance to God and brings us closer.

What value has anything that has NO rules? Nothing worth attaining has no conditions attached. Be it in the workplace, personal relationships, social functions even political endeavors has RULES.

Rules are a foundation that something is built upon otherwise it would be like Jesus said, “…do not build your house on sand for it will fall…”

Anything WITHOUT rules isn’t worth having.
 
Some more on the topic straight from the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

The Sunday Eucharist

2177 The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life. “Sunday is the day on which the paschal mystery is celebrated in light of the apostolic tradition and is to be observed as the foremost holy day of obligation in the universal Church.” …

2178 This practice of the Christian assembly dates from the beginnings of the apostolic age. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds the faithful “not to neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but to encourage one another.”

Tradition preserves the memory of an ever-timely exhortation: Come to Church early, approach the Lord, and confess your sins, repent in prayer. . . . Be present at the sacred and divine liturgy, conclude its prayer and do not leave before the dismissal. . . . We have often said: “This day is given to you for prayer and rest. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” …

The Sunday obligation

2180 The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.” “The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.”

2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

2182 Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church. The faithful give witness by this to their communion in faith and charity. Together they testify to God’s holiness and their hope of salvation. They strengthen one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2183 “If because of lack of a sacred minister or for other grave cause participation in the celebration of the Eucharist is impossible, it is specially recommended that the faithful take part in the Liturgy of the Word if it is celebrated in the parish church or in another sacred place according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop, or engage in prayer for an appropriate amount of time personally or in a family or, as occasion offers, in groups of families.”​
 
TobyLue said:
I have a young friend who is trying to learn more about the Church but has some questions. Not that he ever intends to leave the Church because as he says the other churches all seem do their own thing, their own interpretation of scripture, and do not have the Body and Blood of Christ present in the Eucharist. But there are some things that bother him.

He regularly goes with a friend of his on camping excursions. His friend sets them up for some college students and my friend tags along and helps his friend. They usually leave around noon on Friday and will come back late Monday. The trips are usually out of state and may travel 500 miles or more. I asked him about fulfilling his Sunday obligation and he says that where they go there are no churches around where he can make a quick exit and go to mass and some back. I have told him about the need to make certain that he attends mass every Sunday or fulfills his obligation by attention Saturday evening. He says that is one thing that bothers him about the CC, but he wants to learn more as to the why’s, etc. He feels the church is too structured and too rigid that if one misses one thing its automatically a sin. He feels the Church has too many rules that forces people to either do it or its a sin. Please help me clarify for him as to why the Church has these rules. Remember, he is really trying to learn and says he hopes one day learn enough to be able to defend the Church. He really wants to be obedient to the laws of the Church but he is asking question to learn more rather than to rebel.

Thanks.
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All these rules and structure has saved my butt. There are/ were times when I have been just beat down and only obedience to my vows in confirmation dragged me out of the hole. This structure is the solid foundation that doesn’t wash away. Something we are to build on with the help of God. The rock Christ spoke of. His body. Hope this helps some, Tim
 
TOP said:
All these rules and structure has saved my butt. There are/ were times when I have been just beat down and only obedience to my vows in confirmation dragged me out of the hole. This structure is the solid foundation that doesn’t wash away. Something we are to build on with the help of God. The rock Christ spoke of. His body. Hope this helps some, Tim
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Amen! 👍 The first three of the Ten Commandments all relate to our relationship with God. The rest are related to our relationships with one another. The first three are 1, 2 and 3 for a reason. Does he love the Lord more than camping on the earth that the Lord made for him? Or, does he revere creation more than the creator? It’s about priorities.

Christ’s peace.
 
These are all very good answers. Thank all of you who have replied. God Bless.
 
TobyLue said:
I have a young friend who is trying to learn more about the Church but has some questions. Not that he ever intends to leave the Church because as he says the other churches all seem do their own thing, their own interpretation of scripture, and do not have the Body and Blood of Christ present in the Eucharist. But there are some things that bother him.

He regularly goes with a friend of his on camping excursions. His friend sets them up for some college students and my friend tags along and helps his friend. They usually leave around noon on Friday and will come back late Monday. The trips are usually out of state and may travel 500 miles or more. I asked him about fulfilling his Sunday obligation and he says that where they go there are no churches around where he can make a quick exit and go to mass and some back. I have told him about the need to make certain that he attends mass every Sunday or fulfills his obligation by attention Saturday evening. He says that is one thing that bothers him about the CC, but he wants to learn more as to the why’s, etc. He feels the church is too structured and too rigid that if one misses one thing its automatically a sin. He feels the Church has too many rules that forces people to either do it or its a sin. Please help me clarify for him as to why the Church has these rules. Remember, he is really trying to learn and says he hopes one day learn enough to be able to defend the Church. He really wants to be obedient to the laws of the Church but he is asking question to learn more rather than to rebel.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
Well, I like to use baseball as a metaphor…when a right-handed hitter finishes swinging he is heading towards third base…so its ony right that he be allowed to run to third base instead of first…rules are there for a reason…a form of self-discipline,a fair playing field and so what…this life is like the blink of an eye…of course the RCC does not call every bending of a rule a ‘sin’ that is not how it works…and of course only God knows when one does that breaking or stretching of a rule if it was intentional or a form of weakness etc…so many sports have changed…it seems the powers that be believe that fans need to have more and more scoring of points,runs,baskets,etc etc…the RCC has stayed pretty much the same for 2000 years…and is the largest of all religious institutions…the proof is in the pudding and longevity is a pretty good sign of something…in this case.Truth…all the best.NIno
 
Nino said:
Well, I like to use baseball as a metaphor…when a right-handed hitter finishes swinging he is heading towards third base…so its ony right that he be allowed to run to third base instead of first…rules are there for a reason…a form of self-discipline,a fair playing field and so what…this life is like the blink of an eye…of course the RCC does not call every bending of a rule a ‘sin’ that is not how it works…and of course only God knows when one does that breaking or stretching of a rule if it was intentional or a form of weakness etc…so many sports have changed…it seems the powers that be believe that fans need to have more and more scoring of points,runs,baskets,etc etc…the RCC has stayed pretty much the same for 2000 years…and is the largest of all religious institutions…the proof is in the pudding and longevity is a pretty good sign of something…in this case.Truth…all the best.NIno
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Largest church in the world? Roman Catholic.
Second largest church? Fallen away Roman Catholic.

Clearly, there is much work to be done.

Christ’s peace to all.
 
TobyLue said:
I have a young friend who is trying to learn more about the Church but has some questions. Not that he ever intends to leave the Church because as he says the other churches all seem do their own thing, their own interpretation of scripture, and do not have the Body and Blood of Christ present in the Eucharist. But there are some things that bother him.

He regularly goes with a friend of his on camping excursions. His friend sets them up for some college students and my friend tags along and helps his friend. They usually leave around noon on Friday and will come back late Monday. The trips are usually out of state and may travel 500 miles or more. I asked him about fulfilling his Sunday obligation and he says that where they go there are no churches around where he can make a quick exit and go to mass and some back. I have told him about the need to make certain that he attends mass every Sunday or fulfills his obligation by attention Saturday evening. He says that is one thing that bothers him about the CC, but he wants to learn more as to the why’s, etc. He feels the church is too structured and too rigid that if one misses one thing its automatically a sin. He feels the Church has too many rules that forces people to either do it or its a sin. Please help me clarify for him as to why the Church has these rules. Remember, he is really trying to learn and says he hopes one day learn enough to be able to defend the Church. He really wants to be obedient to the laws of the Church but he is asking question to learn more rather than to rebel.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I had many of these same questions when I started actually praticing being a Catholic. Tell your friend to check out the EWTN website, and watch the EWTN shows that explain why we do things. Also if he has questions about the faith he can post on these forums.

Remember you can point him in the right direction but you can’t make him learn about it if he isn’t willing to hear. I’ve learned a ton from EWTN. It’s a really great resource. Especially the website.
 
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