Question re: Mass during flu and cold season

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MysticaAngel

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I see that someone else just posted a similar question to mine.

I will just post my question about refraining from going to Mass with a cold.

I know that if one has the flu it would definitely be important to stay home and miss weekend Mass and that this would not be a sin due to illness; however, my question is when I go to Mass, I see a lot of people coming with colds and coughs who appear to be contagious and I have come down myself with colds from attending mass and coming into contact with such people. So if I get a cold and do not wish to spread it, is it wrong to stay home from Mass until I am no longer contagious? Is it a mortal sin to skip mass with a minor cold?
Thanks.
 
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MysticaAngel:
I see that someone else just posted a similar question to mine.

I will just post my question about refraining from going to Mass with a cold.

I know that if one has the flu it would definitely be important to stay home and miss weekend Mass and that this would not be a sin due to illness; however, my question is when I go to Mass, I see a lot of people coming with colds and coughs who appear to be contagious and I have come down myself with colds from attending mass and coming into contact with such people. So if I get a cold and do not wish to spread it, is it wrong to stay home from Mass until I am no longer contagious? Is it a mortal sin to skip mass with a minor cold?
Thanks.
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I would attend Mass unless I was bed ridden. I miss when I have migraines, but only when they are really bad, when they are mild I attend but do not serve.

I would say sit in back.

But having said that I would say this is between you and your pastor/spiritual director/confessor.
 
I wouldn’t say it’s a mortal sin to miss Mass with a cold but keep in mind that you’re not going to spread it any more than anyone else already has. I work in a school and if everyone who has a cold stayed home there would be very few students to teach and no teachers to teach them. I seem to constantly have a cold this time of year because all the kids are constantly sneezing and coughing on everyone and haven’t been taught to cover their mouths or wash their hands. But if you go to Mass, I would say don’t drink from the Chalice, just receive the Body of Our Lord.
 
For me, it would depend on my own assessment of my severity. If I would go, eg, shopping or about other business with the cold, then I would go to Mass too. I would, however, refrain from the Sign of Peace and from partaking of the cup, if proffered.

tee
 
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MysticaAngel:
I see that someone else just posted a similar question to mine.

I will just post my question about refraining from going to Mass with a cold.

I know that if one has the flu it would definitely be important to stay home and miss weekend Mass and that this would not be a sin due to illness; however, my question is when I go to Mass, I see a lot of people coming with colds and coughs who appear to be contagious and I have come down myself with colds from attending mass and coming into contact with such people. So if I get a cold and do not wish to spread it, is it wrong to stay home from Mass until I am no longer contagious? Is it a mortal sin to skip mass with a minor cold?
Thanks.
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Dear friend

If all a person has is a minor illness such as a cold then yes they should attend Mass, but the church advises that if you are suffering from a cold you should not when suffering from a contagious illness receive Jesus Christ in the material of the wine, but the host may be received.

I have coughed and sniffed my way through many a Mass!😃

If you currently have a cold, get well soon…

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa
 
I agree with some of the others–if you’re ok enough to go to work, shopping (other than having to make a quick trip for chicken soup and crackers–that doesn’t count in my book), or run other errands, you should go to Mass.

If you’re taking medication that recommends against using heavy machinery while being medicated, you should only go to Mass if someone else is driving. Too many people drive when they shouldn’t, and risk their lives and the lives of everyone else on the road.
 
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MysticaAngel:
is it wrong to stay home from Mass until I am no longer contagious?
Thanks.
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not only do I think it’s not wrong but I think if anyone is contagious it’s their moral responsibility to stay home…there are many elderly people and infants that attend mass, and what may a simple infection to you could be something much more sever to them if they happened to catch it from you…if you’re contagious I think the only proper thing to do is stay home…even if I felt I could go, I wouldn’t want to risk anyone else’s health while contagious…that’s selfish IMO.

God Bless
 
Sorry but this is kind of funny. I used to drive an ambulance. I transported many a sick people and managed to stay pretty healthy. Wash your hands, and take your vitamins. The truth is, you probably got sick from someone outside of mass. Most sick people are contagious long before you start seeing signs of it. But, yes, please do refrain from receiving the Precious Blood when sick.
 
Thank you for all the great responses! This was very helpful to me!

God bless,

MysticaAngel:)
 
Funnily enough, I had to decide what to do this morning, having started a humdinger of a cold yesterday. I went to the early Mass as usual, but sat apart from people, bowed rather than shook hands at the Peace, and made a spiritual communion rather than receiving the Host - Father is in his late 80s, had a heart bypass three months ago, and I didn’t want to risk anything. (I sat there throughout Mass sneezing into a handkerchief, so felt my hands were infectious. )

Sue
 
I will do everyone a favor and stay home when my cold is at the juicy stage, so as not to disgust those sitting around me, and until I have recovered with not do any hand-shaking or chalice-sipping. there is such a thing as Christian charity. My self-righteousness about attending Mass is not as great as your right not to be exposed to an active upper respiratory infection.
 
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puzzleannie:
I will do everyone a favor and stay home when my cold is at the juicy stage, so as not to disgust those sitting around me, and until I have recovered with not do any hand-shaking or chalice-sipping. there is such a thing as Christian charity. My self-righteousness about attending Mass is not as great as your right not to be exposed to an active upper respiratory infection.
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The problem is with many illnesses is that you are just as contageous, and in some cases more contageous, before symptons occur.
 
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