No go Countries as a Catholic

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In essence, or principle, though, speaking directly to your thread title, there aren’t any “no go countries”.

This is too much of a situational matter that one ought to speak with a priest about.

One could in theory as a Catholic go and work in Saudi Arabia or travel, but it is still possible and possibly required to do some alternate kind of pious activity on Sundays. The Sunday obligation should not be taken lightly though. It’s a serious matter.
 
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JamalChristophr said:
This is too much of a situational matter that one ought to speak with a priest about.
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This is very true. I’ve heard from some priests who have in essence said that any dispensation isn’t to be given lighlty at all. Others, that in an effort to be pastoral they would. Seems very dubious that no dispensation be required. Seems like the question is better adressed as how ought a priest balance pastoral care with an obligation when exceptions to the rule arent included. Also a better understanding of the exceptions themselves. Seems as if the exceptions are for when no more virtue can be attained from being imprudent.
 
I think the other posters have already covered the main points, but I’ll chime in and say that as a general principle, there’s no such thing as a “no go country.” You can go places that might take you away from being able to go to Mass. So long as you didn’t go to Saudi Arabia to avoid having to go to Mass, then there’s nothing wrong with going there, or anywhere else where Mass attendance might be difficult or impossible.

Dispensations can be given at the discretion of the one empowered to give them. Some are very zealous about not giving them, whether for the Sunday obligation or anything else. I think in general it’s better to give them wherever there might even be the hint of a cause to do so. It’s better to be generous in this regard. There’s a canonical principle that says that favors are to be multiplied and burdens restricted. While this literally applies to how we interpret penal sanctions, I think it’s a helpful way of looking at pastoral practice. God isn’t a petty bean counter who’s just looking for an opportunity to whack you because you didn’t check this or that box. If you’re making a sincere effort at following him in the way he calls us to in his Church, that’s the key. It isn’t only about following the rules, and sometimes the rules get relaxed, even for only very basic reasons.

As for it being dubious that you wouldn’t need a dispensation, that’s no dubious at all. If you can’t go to Mass, you can’t go to Mass. An obligation cannot be binding if it would be impossible to fulfill, or even very difficult. You don’t have to confess missing Mass due to illness (yours or that of one you’re caring for). You don’t have to confess missing Mass because the weather made the roads unsafe. Going to Mass isn’t an absolute good that we must move heaven and Earth to do. There is an obligation, and we should make a reasonable effort to fulfill it. We shouldn’t blow it off lightly. But the flip side is that we don’t have to kill ourselves to fulfill it, nor cease living our lives.

-Fr ACEGC
 
goyim said:
Dispensations are for exceptional circumstances.
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I would think the exceptional circumstances are those of being in an area where there are no Catholic churches, not the circumstances that brought you to be there in the first place. The Church does not forbid us from taking strange, exotic vacations to places where we have no recourse to the Sacraments. I can’t even imagine the Church doing so since it’s not a circumstance even 1% of Catholics would find themselves in. Really, nobody takes “a 4 month expedition to Antarctica for leisure.”
 
I think there’s a Lutheran one too (or is it “generic” Christian?). I was looking a couple months ago as some friends and I are eclipse chasing.

Point stands though. When Elon Musk finally gets his squad together to go to Mars, you can go, bruh! Even if you’re doing so for leisure and fun. The Church isn’t a cult that requires you to stay within X number of miles of a diocese.
 
There may be countries you may not want to go for safety reasons, but the absence of a Catholic Church shouldn’t be a factor if you are just visiting. I have been in several countries I did not have access to a Catholic Church.
 
No one is addressing your question, either from lack of foreign travel experience or for reasons of political correctness. My experience with both is limited, but I did have some experience with attending mass (or trying to) in a majority Muslim country.
  1. There were Catholic churches there and I did attend mass. However, the service was in Arabic, a language I don’t understand. The small group of worshippers I met and talked with afterwards were mostly of European background. The priest spoke French and told me that there were some services offered in English.
  2. As the political situation in the country deteriorated and attacks on Christians intensified, I was strongly advised to stop attending church.
General comment: if you decided to stay in a country for extended periods of time, you will inevitably be connecting with a network of expatriots with similar interests and they will show you the ropes. (this was not my situation) You are likely to find a church with services, although in many countries it might be less convenient and likely to be in a language not your own.
 
ontheway1 said:
No one is addressing your question, either from lack of foreign travel experience or for reasons of political correctness.
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Or because he didn’t ask the question you seem to be answering. He asked about avoiding places on the globe where he cannot fulfill his Mass obligation, not about places he should avoid due to theoretical or actual persecution.

I’ve been to places in Paraguay where there aren’t any kind of churches for 80+ miles and I couldn’t reasonably meet my obligation. I wasn’t at any time concerned about being harassed or killed for being a Christian. The OP seems to be saying that I was not justified even going to Paraguay!
 
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edward_george1 said:
As for it being dubious that you wouldn’t need a dispensation, that’s no dubious at all. If you can’t go to Mass, you can’t go to Mass.
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Yes, I undestand this. But my point is that they can! You can go to mass, by choosing to not go in the first place. A sick person staying at home seems to be a completely polar case from that of a Catholic person skipping their Sunday obligation due to them wanting to travel to a country where there is a high chance they wont be able to get to mass. A dispensation seems apropriate when in fact they cannot change their circumstances(eg Going on deployment).

Yes, of course Mass isn’t just to be thought of as ticking off the box and fulfiling your obligation. However, given that men and women have sacrifised their very lives just to get to mass, the exceptions should point toward the grandeur of the Mass. Seems as if a ‘reasonable effort’ doesnt cut it for me. I have always been instructed that we must make “Every effort” . Jesus didnt ask the Rich man who aproached him to “Go and sell a reasonable amount your possessions and give the money to the poor”, in the same way we should give everything over as the apostles did and follow Jesus, not to be concerned with the things of this world, like holidaying.(obviously this is reference to Sundays)

Forgive me if I am being disrespectful or uncharitable. It just pains my (often cynical)heart to hear some of this and truly doesnt make much sense as best I try to understand it.
 
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Go to whatever country your heart desires. Do your very best to find a place to go to Mass. If that is not possible, then it’s not possible. It’s really not that big of a deal. As long as you’re not trying to miss your Sunday obligation, it’s okay.
 
“I really hate going to Mass. In fact, I am going on holiday to Saudi Arabia so there is no mass available, ha ha, I will out wit that silly law about going to Mass!!”

Likely this is a sinful reason to travel to Saudi Arabia.

On the other hand

“I have a desire to see more of the world, to broaden my horizons and to know people who are often misunderstood. This year I am going to spend 10 days in Saudi Arabia.”

Not sinful.

Does that make sense?
 
goyim said:
But it seems so glaringly obvious that travelling isnt a neccesity and it’s completely within the faculties of the individual to just not put themselves in such a situation, to do the opposite, seems so very imprudent.
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No, it’s not glaringly obvious at all.
 
There are priests and religious, who were missionaries in the past and some who are missionaries even now in remote areas on the earth.

Sometimes they cannot validly say Mass. Should they not minister and visit those who live in that area?

We are allowed to travel. Perhaps going to a remote area like the Antarctic allows for a new perspective in their personal life, or is required for work purposes. Sometimes we plan things and when we get there, oh the priest is suddenly not there to say Mass. Should we have never gone in the first place?

Also, what about Catholics who are involved in Space missions? They shouldn’t do that?

We would have never gotten far and never would have shared Christ with others if we all had stayed put for 100s of years.
 
I think you’re looking at the Sunday obligation a little too legalistically.
 
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Recreation is not a sin. Jesus took time away from his ministry to rest. There are people who seem to feel that holidays are somehow sinful, don’t start down that road 🙂
 
I’m not trying to be mean spirited here. But yes someone may need to rest, but do it Mexico not Mongolia. Do you see what I mean?
 
That’s fine as your personal preference. But it in no way reflects Church teaching. Nor is it anything that would reasonably be considered prudential judgment.

Based on your rationale, no new countries would ever have been settled—since explorers did not have access to Mass.
 
You may have a reason or desire to visit North Korea, others have different ideas. Don’t go binding your own personal opinions on other folks, never works out. I would not visit North Korea. I know a priest who would go in a heartbeat if offered a chance.
 
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