No Catholic Church in the area - help

[chepner3]

I grew up Catholic and never imagined a day when there wouldn’t be a church just down the road. Well, we moved to central Mississippi recently and Catholic Churches are few and far between. We’re renting right now and there is a Catholic Church nearby but we are going to buy a house soon in a county where there is no Catholic Church - literally, none. It is a heavy Methodist area (not the usual Southern Baptist, surprisingly) but going to a Methodist service wouldn’t be the same. What would you do?

 

[Cristiano]

Either you are going to buy a house closer to a Catholic church or you are going to plan a long drive to a Catholic church on weekends. It is called compromising, a lot of people (not me right now) make much bigger sacrifices for their faith.

 

[Viki63]

You can go to this website for information on Catholic churches in the US. And here are all the cities in MS which have Catholic churches.
I believe that every area is included in a parish, though maybe priests have to visit from time to time.
Have you considered choosing a different area? Jackson has 17 Catholic churches.

 

[Marie77]

I grew up Catholic and never imagined a day when there wouldn’t be a church just down the road. Well, we moved to central Mississippi recently and Catholic Churches are few and far between. We’re renting right now and there is a Catholic Church nearby but we are going to buy a house soon in a county where there is no Catholic Church - literally, none. It is a heavy Methodist area (not the usual Southern Baptist, surprisingly) but going to a Methodist service wouldn’t be the same. What would you do?

Plan driving on Sundays, and Holy Days of obligation. If the Church is more than 2 1/2 hours each way, contact your new Diocese Bishop for his direction. (Only he can give a dispensation; otherwise missing Mass in a mortal sin.)

No, a Protestant Church does not fulfill Mass obligations.

EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) broadcasts Sunday and Daily Masses 3 times a day.
Some Diocese use the internet to broadcast a Sunday and Daily Masses.
Read your Catholic Bible and “CCC 2nd Ed” as part of your spiritual food for life in addition to attending Mass.
You can get CDs to pray the Rosary or the Divine Mercy Chaplet in the car so it won’t be wasted time.

 

[TraditonRules]

Try EWTN or relevant radio on the web. They have mass on their network on a regular basis.

In peace,

 

[lizaanne]

Try EWTN or relevant radio on the web. They have mass on their network on a regular basis.

In peace,

Watching Mass on TV does not, never has, and never will fulfill your Sunday obligation.

OP - you need to live somewhere else, or plan on your monthly gas and wear and tear on your vehicle into your budget.

Priorities.

~Liza

 

[Leon_Bloy]

I would find a house closer to the Church, or I would drive all the way to mass.

Don’t go to a Methodist Church or any non-Catholic services!

 

[TraditonRules]

Watching Mass on TV does not, never has, and never will fulfill your Sunday obligation.

OP - you need to live somewhere else, or plan on your monthly gas and wear and tear on your vehicle into your budget.

Priorities.

~Liza

Disagree.

Apply a kind heart not rigid ideaolgy.

I worked with many people who cannot afford to commute, are handicapped and/or elderly.

EWTN or Relevent radio are great way to make their last attempt to be with Christ and attend Catholic mass. Communion is required only once per year.

Please re consider your mindset as this is better then missing mass or joining a protestant congregation.

Always in Peace,

Mel

 

[Cristiano]

Disagree.

Apply a kind heart not rigid ideaolgy.

I worked with many people who cannot afford to commute, are handicapped and/or elderly.

EWTN or Relevent radio are great way to make their last attempt to be with Christ and attend Catholic mass. Communion is required only once per year.

Please re consider your mindset as this is better then missing mass or joining a protestant congregation.

Always in Peace,

Mel

There is a difference between physical limitation and convenience. I do not think that we are justified from our obligation to God out of convenience, we have an obligation to choose a lifestyle that keeps us close to Him.

TV is still missing participation to the Mass. It might be helpful and bring graces but it should not be considered as an alternative. If you have a dispensation then you have a dispensation nothing more is needed or required.

 

[TraditonRules]

There is a difference between physical limitation and convenience. I do not think that we are justified from our obligation to God out of convenience, we have an obligation to choose a lifestyle that keeps us close to Him.

TV is still missing participation to the Mass. It might be helpful and bring graces but it should not be considered as an alternative. If you have a dispensation then you have a dispensation nothing more is needed or required.

No one is talking about “just for convenience”.

We are talking about poor people, handicapped and elderly that cannot attend mass and this is their last resort. Would you like a 88 yr old woman to go to mass in minus ten degree weather in a wheelchair? I think you are being a bit too unrealistic. Discussion I have had even the Fr agreed that this is an accepttable atternative for many as described.

In peace,

 

[Cristiano]

No one is talking about “just for convenience”.

We are talking about poor people, handicapped and elderly that cannot attend mass and this is their last resort. Would you like a 88 yr old woman to go to mass in minus ten degree weather in a wheelchair? I think you are being a bit too unrealistic. Discussion I have had even the Fr agreed that this is an accepttable atternative for many as described.

In peace,

Choosing to live in a specific place most of the time is done out of convenience. This is what the thread is about, the poster does not say that he is stuck in a bed. I am also saying that sadly sometime poverty is a choice out of convenience too.

 

[Bezant]

I grew up Catholic and never imagined a day when there wouldn’t be a church just down the road. Well, we moved to central Mississippi recently and Catholic Churches are few and far between. We’re renting right now and there is a Catholic Church nearby but we are going to buy a house soon in a county where there is no Catholic Church - literally, none. It is a heavy Methodist area (not the usual Southern Baptist, surprisingly) but going to a Methodist service wouldn’t be the same. What would you do?

If yours is a difficult situation, consider the advice given by the poster who mentioned the dispensation.

I would probably want to look into the Liturgy of the Hours, at least as a temporary solution. Methodist services may not be terribly different. It’s far better to pray there, I’d say, than not go at all.

 

[chepner3]

Considering that we’ve moved to this state so my husband could work again, after 14 months of unemployment, I hardly consider our choice of location “a convenience”.

 

[Cristiano]

Considering that we’ve moved to this state so my husband could work again, after 14 months of unemployment, I hardly consider our choice of location “a convenience”.

First I was mainly making a comparison between the place that is already been rented and buying a house, second convenience does not always imply a simple and easy choice and I would not consider it a derogatory term, we can use “practicality” if you prefer. I agree with you that in your case the choice of location would hardly be considered “convenience” by most people. Being more comfortable (e.g. having a job) does not imply choosing an easy or decadent life.

 

[SMHW]

Most of us reading this thread cannot imagine moving to a place where there are no Catholic Churches. We would think long and hard about doing such a thing.

That said, the Church does not presume to dictate where we should live. There are all kinds of good reasons why one ought to live some place where there is no parish church nearby. It is uncharitable to say otherwise.

But the obligation to attend Mass is a serious one. There has to be a very good reason to avoid attending. In the case of distance, it has to be more than a mere inconvenience. Many people travel an hour or two each way to get to Mass. I do not know where the poster who mentioned a travel time of 2 1/2 hours came up with that time period (perhaps it is a local diocesan suggestion) but I think it shows how serious Mass attendance is.

Regardless of the distance, it is important that you contact your local diocese/parish. (It would be important even if you lived next door to your parish church.) You can then be advised as to what is expected for your specific family given your specific circumstances. You may receive a dispensation. (A dispensation means you do not have an obligation to attend Mass.) Perhaps there is a roving Mass that is not advertized online or in the phone book. Maybe local Catholics meet for a Liturgy of the Word service. And in any case, it is important for the bishop and the diocese to know that an area has Catholics so they know how to budget their resources.

As far as attendance at a Methodist Church goes… While there is nothing wrong with visiting a Methodist Church or making friends with the parishioners/pastors you are forbidden by the Church from receiving communion at such a service and are advised to take an observational rather than a participatory attitude. Such attendance does not satisfy the obligation to attend Mass.

If you cannot attend Mass and you have access to television and/or broadband you can watch a video feed of the Mass. This does not satisfy your legal obligation to attend Mass but in the case where your obligation is dispensed (formal dispensation, weather, illness, loss of transportation, need to care for children…) it is a valuable way to observe the Lord’s Day.

 

[5Loaves]

I grew up Catholic and never imagined a day when there wouldn’t be a church just down the road. Well, we moved to central Mississippi recently and Catholic Churches are few and far between. We’re renting right now and there is a Catholic Church nearby but we are going to buy a house soon in a county where there is no Catholic Church - literally, none. It is a heavy Methodist area (not the usual Southern Baptist, surprisingly) but going to a Methodist service wouldn’t be the same. What would you do?

Considering that we’ve moved to this state so my husband could work again, after 14 months of unemployment, I hardly consider our choice of location “a convenience”.

Congratulations on your husband’s new job. May this new beginning bring you many blessings.

You are in my prayers for being far from a Catholic Church. I’m not sure exactly what you mean by far. It takes me 40 minutes and bridge toll to get to my parish and I’m extremely fortunate there is an Eastern Catholic parish this close to me. It is quite different from having a number of parishes within a 15 minute drive.

It’s unlikely there are Orthodox Churches closer to you than Catholic ones, but Orthodox sacraments are valid and the Canon Law of the Latin Church allows a Catholic in a situation in which he cannot approach a Catholic priest for the sacraments, he may receive confession, Eucharist, and the anointing of the sick from a non-Catholic priest in whose church those sacraments are valid, which includes the Orthodox churches. (The Latin Church allows it but not all Orthodox will provide sacraments to Catholics.)

canon 844 §2 Whenever necessity requires it or true spiritual advantage suggests it, and provided that danger of error or of indifferentism is avoided, the Christian faithful for whom** it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister** are permitted to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

This is normally intended for situations where the Catholic truly is nowhere near a Catholic Church and will not be for an extended period of time, as is the case in some locations. If your new location allows you to get to Mass sometimes then receiving Sacraments from a nearby Ordhotox priest would not be appropriate, although worshiping there without taking Eucharist would be an appropriate option.

 

[Anna_Claire]

In this economy we often have to make decisions about jobs, moves and other things that effect our livelihood. God knows this. the Church knows this. When such serious circumstances arise which prevent a person from attending Mass, he should definitely take time to pray, read the prayers and readings of the Mass in the Missal, or watch the Mass on television and at least participate in spirit. Keep in mind when such serious circumstances arise, a person does not commit mortal sin for missing Mass.

 

[promethius]

I grew up Catholic and never imagined a day when there wouldn’t be a church just down the road. Well, we moved to central Mississippi recently and Catholic Churches are few and far between. We’re renting right now and there is a Catholic Church nearby but we are going to buy a house soon in a county where there is no Catholic Church - literally, none. It is a heavy Methodist area (not the usual Southern Baptist, surprisingly) but going to a Methodist service wouldn’t be the same. What would you do?

What do you consider far? I’m looking at a map of all the catholic churches in Mississippi and can’t seem to find any area where a church is more than an hour drive…

You should be able to find something at least REASONABLY close anywhere you live in the United States…

 

[Cristiano]

What do you consider far? I’m looking at a map of all the catholic churches in Mississippi and can’t seem to find any area where a church is more than an hour drive…

You should be able to find something at least REASONABLY close anywhere you live in the United States…

I see what you are saying. If you look at a 50 miles radius you can cover an area of about 7850 square miles, considering that the average county size in Mississippi is 500 square miles then a 50 mile radius can give you access to about 15 counties. There are 82 counties in Mississippi and at least 72 have Catholic churches thus you should be able to fine a church within a 50 mile radius.

 

[w_s_s]

Disagree.

It’s not a matter of opinion, so your ‘disagreement’ is irrelevant. Watching Holy Mass on TV doesn’t fulfill your obligation, period.

If someone is incapable of physically attending Holy Mass, then they don’t have an obligation at all. They don’t have to try to do what is physically impossible and they don’t have to watch a televised Mass if they don’t want to.

They may choose to watch a televised Mass, but they don’t have to, and a televised Mass never, ever fulfills the obligation for someone who is fully capable of physically going to Mass.