Obedience

[Matthew_Holford]

To what extent, does the Church teach us, is it right for us to obey what we are instructed to do by those in authority over us, such as parents, employers, military commanders, etc.

The only one of the examples above that applies to me is an employer. If an employer instructed me to do something which would prevent me from attending Mass on a Sunday (on both the day itself and the previous Saturday evening) to what extent am I obliged to obey my employer and not follow the Chuurch’s precept.

BTW for those who might ask: this is a hypothetical question; I am not facing the situation described.

 

[Dorothy]

To what extent, does the Church teach us, is it right for us to obey what we are instructed to do by those in authority over us, such as parents, employers, military commanders, etc.

The only one of the examples above that applies to me is an employer. If an employer instructed me to do something which would prevent me from attending Mass on a Sunday (on both the day itself and the previous Saturday evening) to what extent am I obliged to obey my employer and not follow the Chuurch’s precept.

BTW for those who might ask: this is a hypothetical question; I am not facing the situation described.

I remember reading about this in the past and I’ll share what I remember.

If a person is in a particular kind of employment that makes it impossible to attend Mass on Saturday vigil, or Sunday morning or evening (some parishes nearby may have 6:00 PM Masses), then it is allowable for that person to discuss it with their priest, and that person can have a dispensation to attend Mass on their day off, which would logically be a weekday.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

To what extent, does the Church teach us, is it right for us to obey what we are instructed to do by those in authority over us, such as parents, employers, military commanders, etc.

The only one of the examples above that applies to me is an employer. If an employer instructed me to do something which would prevent me from attending Mass on a Sunday (on both the day itself and the previous Saturday evening) to what extent am I obliged to obey my employer and not follow the Chuurch’s precept.

BTW for those who might ask: this is a hypothetical question; I am not facing the situation described.

I don’t think there is any moral obligation at all to obey your employer in this instance, you may actually be morally obligated to disobey him and take the consequences. In fact I cannot envision many instances in which obedience is a moral part of an employer-employee relationship. You would be morally obliged to do a decent day’s work for a decent day’s wage and to fulfill the demands of the job you agreed to do.

There may be times when your job would prevent you from attending mass. If you were required in your job to attend a conference and the travel arrangements made it impossible to attend any mass I don’t think that church law obliges you to do so.

 

[Spirithound]

If an employer instructed me to do something which would prevent me from attending Mass on a Sunday (on both the day itself and the previous Saturday evening) to what extent am I obliged to obey my employer and not follow the Chuurch’s precept.

There is no natural obligation to obey one’s employer. The relationship is solely a prudential one. The Church allows you to miss Mass if it is impossible to attend.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

I remember reading about this in the past and I’ll share what I remember.

If a person is in a particular kind of employment that makes it impossible to attend Mass on Saturday vigil, or Sunday morning or evening (some parishes nearby may have 6:00 PM Masses), then it is allowable for that person to discuss it with their priest, and that person can have a dispensation to attend Mass on their day off, which would logically be a weekday.

But it would depend on the circumstances; it’s not automatically given.

 

[Dorothy]

But it would depend on the circumstances; it’s not automatically given.

Yes, that is true. All the facts need to be pondered. Some employers may just be stubborn.

And yet some special jobs require rotating schedules that they need to follow. (Firemen, nurses, etc.)

 

[laszlo]

To what extent, does the Church teach us, is it right for us to obey what we are instructed to do by those in authority over us, such as parents, employers, military commanders, etc.

The only one of the examples above that applies to me is an employer. If an employer instructed me to do something which would prevent me from attending Mass on a Sunday (on both the day itself and the previous Saturday evening) to what extent am I obliged to obey my employer and not follow the Chuurch’s precept.

BTW for those who might ask: this is a hypothetical question; I am not facing the situation described.

There is an order in the things.

If your superior orders you to do things which can be done at other times, just for the reason to prevent you from the Mass, you have the obligation to fight for your religious rights.

If the work has to be done for the shake of community, then the church absolves you from the obligation, as those who care about children or sick people are absolved explicitly from the observance of Sundays and Holy days of obligation.

 

[MissRose73]

Some people have to work certain times and days, as some jobs need to have people available in some way at all times. I am sure God understands that some needs cannot wait like those who need a doctor, a nurse, or a police officer’s help, and they cannot make it to Mass.

 

[OraLabora]

First of all we are all called to obey earthly authority unless such authority is in conflict with God or demands that we be in conflict with God.

If an employer asks an employee to commit fraud, then obedience requires that the employee refuse the task, because that task is in conflict with the highest authority, God, and the employer has misused the authority entrusted to him by God.

On the other hand, if the employer merely asks the employee to do a necessary but distasteful task that is morally licit, then the employee is duty-bound to obey.

Being forced to work on a Sunday is not in itself morally illicit. As others have pointed out, firemen, caregivers, police officers, all have to work at least some Sundays. These are necessary and useful tasks for society. You are still acting as part of God’s plan if you miss Mass to fulfill that duty because above all we are to serve our fellow citizens in need. Even Jesus treated the sick on the Sabbath, in fact He was crucified, at least partly, for that reason.

If you work for a big-box store and you’re being forced to work on a Sunday, well you should have known better before signing on. However if it’s the only work available to you, and you need the job to feed and house your family, it is not a sin to miss Mass in order to fulfill that very necessary obligation.

This really is an issue where common sense, and not scrupulosity, needs to rule.

 

[MissRose73]

I had to and some extent still asked to work weekends at my job. My area (and state for that matter) does not have many plentiful and good paying jobs so I choose to be able to support myself without asking my parents to support a college educated adult woman who is capable of living alone & paying her own bills…

Yes, I have missed Mass because of my work schedule at various times. I have said so in confession, but the priest must have no issue because he did not make me feel bad about it.