Question about Sunday Obligation

[cradlecatholic5]

goodgirl,

I’m in a “mixed” faith marriage. When my husband wants, I will attend his church services, but the rule is, I have to go to Mass first, either by 5:00P on Saturday or early on Sunday morning. I wouldn’t feel right NOT attending my Mass first.

It works for us.

Good luck & God bless

 

[jmcrae]

Hello,

I’m so sorry to also post my question here.

I’m Roman Catholic who attends mass every Sunday. I also happen to have a boyfriend is a Baptist. Because neither of us would like to convert to the other faith, he said that the best case scenerio would be to raise our family in “both” faiths. He would be willing to miss his church service (every other Sunday) to attend mass with me and our future kids. However, in return, I would also have to miss going to mass to be able to attend his church service the following Sunday. Is this something a Catholic priest would allow me/us to do??? Will the priest understand our situation?

Kindly advise and thank you in advance.

Mixed marriages are extremely difficult. I would advise you to think long and hard about it before agreeing to marry him. 50-60 years of marriage, if you are serious about remaining together for life, is a long time to disagree about something as important as religion.

Think about it - your religion tells you how to wake up in the morning, how to go to bed at night, how to eat your meals, what to eat, when and where to go to Church, and how to behave in ordinary everyday situations. You probably don’t think of it at the time, because you are so used to doing everything the Catholic way - and he is probably not thinking about the fact that he does all these things the Baptist way - but these are the kind of differences that will make living together for the rest of your lives difficult, at times.

I also don’t think it’s possible to raise children with two contradicting sets of beliefs. Raising children with one coherent set of beliefs is difficult enough, as it is.

 

[g00dgirl]

To me it’s like asking you to choose between visiting your family or his - why on earth should you be forced to make any choice if you can visit both? Even if he doesn’t always come along with you to see your family?

And if a child is to be raised in both faiths, then it needs to be taught exactly what each faith truly teaches - and yours teaches that the Sunday obligation is sacred and binding for Catholics.

To make any other arrangement, especially when the kids come along, would be to give them a false idea of what your faith entails.

Thank you!! This makes a lot of sense!

All i want is to be able to continue to hear mass every Sunday and then I can to his church service after that. He wasn’t happy with this proposal and even said that i was selfish. To him going to the his church service is good enough (satisfies my obligation) and I wouldn’t have to go to church twice. He told me that God will not be “mad” at me for missing mass and all that matters is the bible, 10 commandments and to accept Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

I really pray that this will work out – we’ve been together for 3 yrs. I can’t sleep at night and I have this heavy feeling in my heart. Any more advice on this matter is greatly appreciated.

 

[Bookcat]

Thank you!! This makes a lot of sense!

All i want is to be able to continue to hear mass every Sunday and then I can to his church service after that. He wasn’t happy with this proposal and even said that i was selfish. To him going to the his church service is good enough (satisfies my obligation) and I wouldn’t have to go to church twice. He told me that God will not be “mad” at me for missing mass and all that matters is the bible, 10 commandments and to accept Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

I really pray that this will work out – we’ve been together for 3 yrs. I can’t sleep at night and I have this heavy feeling in my heart. Any more advice on this matter is greatly appreciated.

I posted a bunch of things up there…it can be a difficult boat to row…and you need to work these things out NOW before you are married…

It may also be true that he may not be the guy for you…I was with a girl for 3 years and even engaged to her…we did not marry (though she did become Catholic which was good) …I am married to someone else…I know this is not what you wanted to hear…but just trying to be honest with ya…it may not be the choice you all will make…

 

[5Loaves]

If she really has to work on Sundays, hopefully a chaplain comes around for the Catholic patients to give them communion, and she should make sure she receives at the same time they do.

Receiving Holy Eucharist outside of Mass would not fulfill the “Sunday Obligation”, because the “obligation” is to assist in Sunday Mass. One need not receive Holy Eucharist in order to fulfill the Sunday Obligation. If one is not properly disposed to receive Communion one can still assist in Mass and fulfill his/her “obligation”.

I would suggest she consult her parish priest.

 

[jmcrae]

Thank you!! This makes a lot of sense!

All i want is to be able to continue to hear mass every Sunday and then I can to his church service after that. He wasn’t happy with this proposal and even said that i was selfish. To him going to the his church service is good enough (satisfies my obligation) and I wouldn’t have to go to church twice. He told me that God will not be “mad” at me for missing mass and all that matters is the bible, 10 commandments and to accept Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

This is actually the official teaching of his church. If you marry him, this is what he will teach your children, and it is what he will try to wear you down to believe in, as well.

I really pray that this will work out – we’ve been together for 3 yrs. I can’t sleep at night and I have this heavy feeling in my heart. Any more advice on this matter is greatly appreciated.

How did you come to choose to have a Baptist boy friend instead of a Catholic boy friend? Surely a Catholic boy would have been easier to get along with.