Planning to miss Mass... what do I do?

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Anilorac

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Our family will be on a trip next weekend and will be missing Mass due to how difficult it is to get to a church without a car & carseats for our small children. (We are flying, then taking a shuttle to our hotel). We could try to get 2 taxis & haul 4 carseats (really don’t want to), but it would be very costly and a huge pain to deal with 4 carseats that we weren’t planning to haul otherwise. We have never missed Mass for any reason other than illness before and I’m not sure how to handle this.

I was going to talk to our parish priest, but my husband is insistent that we don’t need to and that the Church should not consider that a sin to miss since it would take us extraordinary effort and cost to get to Mass. I don’t know how the dispensation thing works. I also don’t want to go against my husband’s wishes and still talk to our priest (however silly that may seem to just want to talk to the priest). I’m just not sure how to handle all of this.
 
I would get a dispension from the priest. Better be safe than sorry.
 
No, and the OP’s husband is also correct.

Yes, a dispensation can be obtained, but is not necessary. By the law itself, the obligation lapses when it becomes impossible to fulfill. “Better safe than sorry” is not a theological principle, and the Church is very wise in her laws.

OP @Anilorac you do not have to do anything. You’ve done your due diligence and nothing else is required of you.

@edward_george1 to vet this answer.
 
If you can’t go, you can’t go. It doesn’t sound like you can go. It’s not the same as deliberately skipping Mass, the circumstances just make it very difficult to go. Be at peace. Porthos is correct.

-Fr ACEGC
 
Perhaps the next time, it may be worthwhile to ensure that you’re able to attend mass during a trip.
 
ioannes_pius said:
Perhaps the next time, it may be worthwhile to ensure that you’re able to attend mass during a trip.
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Again, no. No one is required to have to limit one’s travel, even if it’s “just” vacation. One is not limited to Holland Cruises even if Royal Carribean is the only one that can offer the itinerary you want (Holland Cruises has an Apostleship of the Sea priest; RC does not).

I always plan for Mass on any trip, but I also know the Church does not require me to twist into knots over the impossible. One is permitted to vacation in Saudi Arabia or China if they so want (and for the latter, they are NOT to look up the underground church, both for one’s own safety and theirs).
 
I said it may be worthwhile.

I don’t know where the OP likes to travel, but if it’s somewhere in North America or Europe, it is not difficult to schedule mass in. Is it really worth missing mass for a vacation when you could probably fit it in? I wouldn’t think so.
 
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OP, please listen to Father’s and porthos advice and be at peace
 
ioannes_pius said:
Is it really worth (risking) missing mass for a vacation when you could probably fit it in? I wouldn’t think so.
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There is no risk, because there is no obligation if travel makes it impossible to attend Mass. One is not obliged to sign up for a higher airfare on a different day, or choose a different itinerary, or forego a vacation, in order to attend Mass. And that’s regardless of whether the trip is for business, to attend a family funeral, or for pleasure.

The OP should be at peace. God is not a tyrant.
 
ioannes_pius said:
I said it may be worthwhile.

I don’t know where the OP likes to travel, but if it’s somewhere in North America or Europe, it is not difficult to schedule mass in. Is it really worth (risking) missing mass for a vacation when you could probably fit it in? I wouldn’t think so.
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Yes, it is. North America is a huge continent it is very possible and desirable to go back-country camping for the adventure of it. That can take you hundreds of kilometres from the nearest hamlet, and much less the nearest church. One is not morally obligated to avoid gathering the family for such an outing, even if it can be foreseen that Mass will be missed. The same principle goes for the choice of cruise line.

It is CAF who imposes burdens where the Church does not.
 
Okay, I’ve removed the word “risking.”

And I am not saying that someone is morally obligated to do any of the things you listed in order to attend mass. I’m saying that it may be worthwhile to schedule mass in the next time. I don’t see where I imposed a moral obligation on the OP.
 
We travel a lot. Are you going anywhere outside your hotel that day?
 
It’s because of the car seats, not because of where they are going though or because they couldnt fit mass in.
 
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Most taxi companies have bigger vehicles as well. And uber offers solutions. I’m just wondering if they are traveling and are shutteling from the airport to the hotel are they staying at the hotel the whole time? This is possible for instance if you are traveling to a hospital in an area or a conference. But how are they planning to go anywhere if this is the issue? I travel with kids often. Sometimes internationally, I’ve never had a situation that I couldn’t get to mass, especially with such advanced notice. Is there a walking option?
 
Not everyone can/wants to drag 4 car seats and 4 kids around. Father said they were fine missing mass. I am happy you are able to juggle all the seats you need, but some people aren’t, Hoosier. Personally, I can’t picture how that’s is done… 2 parents, 4 kids and 4 car seats. There aren’t enough arms.
 
It’s not that hard. Honestly. We did Disney with 5 kids, and recently Italy with 6. My point is yes, if a priest gives a dispensation but it wouldn’t sit right with me, doing other things going other places instead of Mass. I absolutely enjoy going to Mass other places. I live in a hungry place to be a Catholic, traveling offers great experiences. I find Mass one of the things that Makes travel easier. But we don’t know the whole situation. That is true. But if I was finding rides to other places outside my hotel but not Mass, that would certainly bother me. Like I said, we often travel, we have little kids. We’ve never found ourselves in a situation we couldn’t attend Mass.
 
Yeah, I don’t want to drag carseats and kids around either… but alas… I must…
 
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