Questions about missing Mass?

[reader16]

Hi,

Uh is it true missing Mass is a sin? I have just recently started going to church I have been going for about a month now, and I have missed Mass on sSundays. Ok like reasons I missed Mass are because I took my brother back to Jackson Hole or picked him up from there it is a lodge in Yellowstone Park. And I helped my uncle paint my grandma’s deck last Sunday. And when my grandma was too tired to go to church we didn’t go. Are these really bad sins? Should I confess them to my priest? Can I still accept the eucharist when I go to Mass this Sunday? And also I know that you aren’t suppose to accept the eucharist in a state of mortal sin. I confessed all my mortal sins this summer, but I haven’t accepted the eucharist yet. Can I accept it now that I have confessed all my mortal sins? My family isn’t a big church kind of family only a few go to church. My parents don’t. But I have started going to church since my confession, or at least I have tried to go or when I had other plans made, I am praying everyday when I wake up for school and before I go to bed, I bought a Bible too and I am reading a passage at least everday. Please if you could get back to me I would really love it. And thank you and God Bless.

From, Amy.

 

[thistle]

Hi,

Uh is it true missing Mass is a sin? I have just recently started going to church I have been going for about a month now, and I have missed Mass on sSundays. Ok like reasons I missed Mass are because I took my brother back to Jackson Hole or picked him up from there it is a lodge in Yellowstone Park. And I helped my uncle paint my grandma’s deck last Sunday. And when my grandma was too tired to go to church we didn’t go. Are these really bad sins? Should I confess them to my priest? Can I still accept the eucharist when I go to Mass this Sunday? And also I know that you aren’t suppose to accept the eucharist in a state of mortal sin. I confessed all my mortal sins this summer, but I haven’t accepted the eucharist yet. Can I accept it now that I have confessed all my mortal sins? My family isn’t a big church kind of family only a few go to church. My parents don’t. But I have started going to church since my confession, or at least I have tried to go or when I had other plans made, I am praying everyday when I wake up for school and before I go to bed, I bought a Bible too and I am reading a passage at least everday. Please if you could get back to me I would really love it. And thank you and God Bless.

From, Amy.

CCC 2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

 

[LilyM]

Hi,

Uh is it true missing Mass is a sin? I have just recently started going to church I have been going for about a month now, and I have missed Mass on sSundays. Ok like reasons I missed Mass are because I took my brother back to Jackson Hole or picked him up from there it is a lodge in Yellowstone Park. And I helped my uncle paint my grandma’s deck last Sunday. And when my grandma was too tired to go to church we didn’t go. Are these really bad sins? Should I confess them to my priest? Can I still accept the eucharist when I go to Mass this Sunday? And also I know that you aren’t suppose to accept the eucharist in a state of mortal sin. I confessed all my mortal sins this summer, but I haven’t accepted the eucharist yet. Can I accept it now that I have confessed all my mortal sins? My family isn’t a big church kind of family only a few go to church. My parents don’t. But I have started going to church since my confession, or at least I have tried to go or when I had other plans made, I am praying everyday when I wake up for school and before I go to bed, I bought a Bible too and I am reading a passage at least everday. Please if you could get back to me I would really love it. And thank you and God Bless.

From, Amy.

Hi Amy. It’s good that you care enough about your Catholic faith to even ask the question!

Now it IS true, as the Canon Law quoted above states, that we all have an obligation, if possible, to attend Mass on Sundays. And that to knowingly and wilfully miss without good reason is indeed a grave, possibly mortal sin. But that’s not the end of the story. Whether in each individual case missing Mass is a mortal sin depends on all sorts of things.

Firstly you have to have have known it was a mortal sin at the time you chose not to go. Only you can answer whether or not that was the case, but I suspect not if you had to ask here to find out. If you didn’t know, it’s not a mortal sin. Unless it was a mortal sin you’re fine to receive communion, though for your peace of mind you should confess.

Secondly, you have to have freely chosen not to go. If you didn’t freely choose, then it’s not a mortal sin either. If you could have made it with a little planning and effort, and choose not to go anyway, then it IS a serious sin.

With your brother, for example, could no-one else have given him a lift on those occasions? And did he have to be taken or picked up at the time you did it? Could it have waited until a time that would allow you to go to Mass?

Same with helping your Uncle and grandma - did the painting have to be done on that day at that time and could it have been done without you? Could you maybe have helped for a while, cleaned up and gone to Mass and then helped again when you got back?

Same with her being tired - could you maybe have gone by yourself and left her to rest for a while?

I’m not asking this to imply that you sinned mortally in what you did - sounds like you didn’t know it was a serious matter, and so you didn’t. Just giving some tips for the future. I know it’s hard to get into the habit of regularly going to Mass on Sundays when you’re not used to it - I didn’t go for years!

But now that you do know that you really must go every Sunday that it’s possible for you, there’s no excuse. It’s up to you to either go if you can, or try to get a dispensation from your pastor if you know you won’t be able to.

Most plans, being changeable, aren’t really enough to take priority over the commandment to honour the Lord’s Day by attending Mass. And prayer and Bible reading, wonderful as it is and as much as I would encourage you in it, isn’t quite the same thing as going to Mass.

 

[1ke]

Talk to your priest about missing mass, he will guide you.

Clearly you did not know the serious nature of missing mass, but now you do.

Keep in mind that there are reasons that it is legitimate to miss mass, but none of the items you listed seem serious reasons. You could have gone to an early mass, or a Saturday evening vigil mass if one is available, before doing these other things you mentioned.

Since it seems you are still living at home, there could be times when your parents don’t allow you to use the car, or forbid you from going-- those would not be in your control. If you try to go to mass but are prevented, you should still talk to your priest about them.

Keep striving to do your best, God loves you and He knows your heart.

 

[Nick9]

I usually go to the Vigil Mass on a Saturday evening, at 6.30. This fulfils the Sunday obligation. You go then whenever you can’t make it on a Sunday.

 

[BobP123]

Can. 844 §2 Whenever necessity requires or a genuine spiritual advantage commends it, and provided the danger of error or indifferentism is avoided, Christ’s faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a catholic minister, may lawfully receive the sacraments of penance, the Eucharist and anointing of the sick from non catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

Can. 1248 §1 The obligation of assisting at Mass is satisfied wherever Mass is celebrated in a **catholic rite **either on a holyday itself or on the evening of the previous day.

§2 If it is impossible to assist at a eucharistic celebration, either because no sacred minister is available or for some other grave reason, the faithful are strongly recommended to take part in a liturgy of the Word, if there be such in the parish church or some other sacred place, which is celebrated in accordance with the provisions laid down by the diocesan Bishop; or to spend an appropriate time in prayer, whether personally or as a family or, as occasion presents, in a group of families.

Hope this helps.