Questioning additional reasoning on why it is a mortal sin to miss mass

[Reyesmrivera]

You did not answer my question at all. Instead, you insulted my education and that place that I received it from.

I was luckily able to get my question answered by other people that had reasonable explanations.
You shouldn’t comment on this forum if don’t have any answers.
People on here are genuinely trying understand their faith and denomination.

 

[Reyesmrivera]

Thank you for that message!!

 

[Reyesmrivera]

It is being provided to me. My family works closely with the parish and they Eucharistic ministers. They often go to nursing homes and other places to give communion.

 

[InThePew]

Let’s make sure you’re answering the question as asked: are you claiming that the Church required donations in order to get souls out of purgatory? That’s what the OP asked, after all.

That all depends on what you mean by “required” and by “the Church”. It wasn’t exactly forced but that doesn’t really help much given the extremely unhealthy association of indulgences with money. Long story short, indulgences were sold and the abuse was definitely not an isolated thing.

I don’t go to mass because I don’t understand the readings or the homily. I don’t know if its an intellectual thing or what but I don’t understand. Which is the main reason why I don’t go because I have trouble understanding and I don’t see the point in going if I don’t understand what I’m hearing.

I can’t help much when it comes to the homily but as far as the readings go, I’d suggest that you read them in advance at universalis.com and also read a commentary like the one at Loyola Press or Living Space

 

[Gorgias]

That all depends on what you mean by “required” and by “the Church”.

They were told they had to do it.

By clergy.

(Seems pretty simple and straightforward set of definitions )

 

[poche]

This rule is based on the first and second commandments. Whether you have money or not you still have to assist at mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation,

 

[o_mlly]

I understand why not going to mass is a sin.

It is a matter of justice. The Eucharistic Prayer is the most perfect prayer of thanksgiving.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation, always and everywhere to give you thanks, holy Father, Lord of heaven and earth, through Christ our Lord (Eucharistic Prayer III).

Most wonderful of all, although our offering is in itself imperfect, joined with the offering of Christ it becomes perfect praise and thanksgiving to the Father (USCCB Liturgy of the Eucharist).

 

[AHapka]

A non-profit organization is defined legally as one that doesn’t pay taxes. It doesn’t mean they can’t make a profit. Yeah, it sounds a little weird, but that’s the legal definition even though it contradicts the common use of the word.

 

[Gorgias]

It is being provided to me. My family works closely with the parish and they Eucharistic ministers. They often go to nursing homes and other places to give communion.

Hmm… ok, according to the teaching of the Church, there is an obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and Holydays of Obligation. The obligation isn’t “go to a Mass in your native language” or even “go to a Mass and feel like you ‘got something out of it’”. It’s just “attend Mass.”

Not attending Mass because you don’t feel like it – or because you’re not “getting anything out of it” – is a grave sin, and potentially, a mortal sin. This has two implications: you should get to Confession and receive absolution. And, you shouldn’t receive Communion until you’ve done so.

Is it a mortal sin? I can’t say that, for sure. However, I think it’s best to recommend that you go to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and, if you wish to receive Communion, do so in the context of the Masses you attend.

Communion isn’t meant to be received as just a quick transaction outside of Mass – it’s meant to be something that we Catholics receive at Mass!

 

[Elf01]

That doesn’t mean the purpose of Mass is to get money. Nor does it mean that anyone is coerced or pressured to give.

I was responding to how would it work.

The primary reason for the obligation isn’t to get money, but I do believe that it helps the Church make money, and that that occurred to somebody else at some point.

 

[po18guy]

What does love - love - obligate us to do? What does love impel us to do with joy?

If it is an onerous burden, then we lack love.

 

[InThePew]

They were told they had to do it.

By clergy.

Probably. It may not have been expressed as a “requirement” (as in “pay up or you/your loved ones will remain in purgatory forever”) but more as emotional blackmail (“you wouldn’t want your loved ones to be in purgatory forever would you?”). It doesn’t really matter which way it was expressed the simple fact is that indulgences were being exchanged for money. While people may not have been exactly forced, that doesn’t really make it any better.

 

[Gorgias]

but more as emotional blackmail (“you wouldn’t want your loved ones to be in purgatory forever would you?”)

Right. That sounds more realistic. The “forever” part goes against Catholic teaching, but “for a very, very long time” works well here.

Nevertheless, it was not “forced”, as the OP asserted.

While people may not have been exactly forced, that doesn’t really make it any better.

It wasn’t good. But it isn’t what people make it out to be.

 

[InThePew]

It wasn’t good. But it isn’t what people make it out to be.

Sure it’s not as bad as some (including Luther) claimed but that’s a hopeless argument because the fact remains that it was actually pretty awful; a plenary indulgence - the remission of the penalty for sins - could be obtained simply by paying money. No doubt people didn’t need to be forced - those who could afford it would happily have paid! We gain nothing by trying to downplay the seriousness of abuses of the past or arguing of the finer details. It’s far better to accept that this was a shameful period in the Church’s history but one which was squarely addressed by the counter-reformation and which the Church is now very cautious to avoid ever happening again.