No Transportation to Church

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GloriaDei

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If my transportation is cut off from it even being possible to attend Mass, would it be sinful to attend an Episcopal Church until the situation is reconciled? (maybe a few months) I feel this would be much more ideal than my family’s Southern Baptist Church (which I can readily attend with them) as they are extremely anti-Catholic fundamentalists.

I’ve contacted my Parish, but nothing appears to be working out. I was going through RCIA, and that too is no longer possible for a good while. I’m tight on money (low-paying job), so Uber or such like is not really a possibility either: especially because the Church is about ~30-35 minutes away (and the closest one at that).

I know I cannot take Communion, but the Episcopal church is about 5 minutes from my house and the closest thing to Catholicism that it appears I may be able to find a ride to.
 
In my opinion, you would be better off watching Mass on TV or online.
 
You could watch Mass on TV, read religious books like sermons from the saints or the Bible, or do a devotion. I think you’ll get a lot more out of doing something Catholic than by going to a Protestant service.
 
CCC 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.”
 
GloriaDei,
Given your circumstances, I think what you propose is a good idea.
 
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No to attending the Episcopal Church.

Can you take public transportation (ie: bus)? If not, you’d be better off watching Mass on TV and making a spiritual communion until your transportation issues are resolved.
 
All of that is well and good except that I bound myself to a contract with my family that requires church attendance every Sunday: this was fine until I was unable to get there. And no, public transportation does not exist in my area (it’s in the South in the country).
 
GloriaDei said:
All of that is well and good except that I bound myself to a contract with my family that requires church attendance every Sunday: this was fine until I was unable to get there. And no, public transportation does not exist in my area (it’s in the South in the country).
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Yes, attending a nearby Episcopalian church would be okay as a TEMPORARY stop-gap measure, but be sure to supplement this by watching an actual Catholic Sunday Mass on TV or through the internet.
 
Perhaps then, you’d better attend church with your parents until your transportation issues are resolved. Your witness of your Catholic faith may help them convert.
 
@GloriaDei

My heart goes out to you regarding your transportation issue. I myself have been without a car for 7 months now. Fortunately my parish is only a little over 3 miles away so I get rides from Lyft affordably. Pray about your need for a car. God cares, listens and answers prayer.
❤️🙏
 
I live with them and they do see my faith: when I go to their church, refuse communion, and won’t give in to their opinions on the Solas of the Reformation (though it more of their tradition’s logic, as they do not personally know the history of the Reformation, and believe themselves to be free of its influence), they think I’m being rebellious, not obedient. I almost feel that, at least on Sundays it may be better not to go to their church for their own sake and my witness’s sake as well.
 
Are you old enough to live on your own? If not, you must do what your parents say until you’re old enough to live on your own inc going to their church if they wish you to do so. (But don’t receive their communion since that is the same as saying you believe as their church believes.)

If you are old enough to be on own but finances prevent that, you must still obey their rules while under their roof.

Is there another church you could go to besides theirs and the Episcopal Church? (Right now, you’re only assuming that transportation will be temporarily cut off. It may not be.) If not, I still say you should go to theirs rather than the Episcopal church.
 
Not a Catholic Church or Orthodox Church: only a non-denominational church, and probably about 10 Baptist churches.

And I am old enough to be on my own, and they do not prevent me from being Catholic: I merely lack any way to make it to the Parish.
 
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I have an ancestor who kept a diary over 150 years ago. almost every Sunday he went to mass. However on those occasions when it wasn’t possible to go to mass he read the prayers from his mass book.
I recommend using a Sunday missal.
 
How far is the parish from where you live? If it isn’t too too far, perhaps you could ride a bicycle? I don’t drive, and ride my bike to work, which is a couple of miles down the road, weather permitting…

That being said, I live in Myrtle Beach, and it hardly ever snows here!

However, I don’t go to Mass either, even though the closest parish is a couple of miles more down the road. Even though I could technically ride my bike there, I’m just too lazy. Shame on me!
 
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It’s about a 30-35 minute car drive down the Interstate, or about 40-45 on backroads. A bike ride would take a few hours at least (because I have no ‘street bike’) and there exists no ‘bike lane’ or wide shoulder to accommodate people riding bikes. It’s actually kind of dangerous with all the hills and curves on our narrow roads.
 
GloriaDei said:
I’ve contacted my Parish, but nothing appears to be working out. I was going through RCIA, and that too is no longer possible for a good while.
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It sounds like the Catholics in your area are few and far between. I say try again, contact your RCIA leader and your sponsor, and the priest at your parish. Beg them, until they ask around, and one of them will find the person or family that is able to give you a ride to the Catholic Church. Jesus said “ask and you will receive.” Tell them that, you are asking for help to go to church.

I pray Jesus answers your prayers.
 
I figured that was the case. If safety is an issue, then of course I wouldn’t recommend it.
 
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