To clarify things beyond my control. I am in a period of transition where I am a new Catholic so I try to attend mass every week but at the same time, I go when I feel called or I want to go. I used to attend a Pentecostal church where it was very ingrained into the doctrine that it was necessary to attend church every week. I got tired of this “have to attitude” that when I began to explore the Catholic church, I went to mass because I enjoyed it and not because I had to attend -it’s for that reason that I don’t attend every week. I try but I am not perfect.
During the school year, there is a place that offers Saturday mass, so I would go then and then whatever happened on a Sunday happened. Now that school is finished for the summer, I’ve had a stream of things happening on a Saturday so I haven’t been able to attend a plan B location. On Sunday I try to go whenever I can but every once in a while I crave a Protestant service, or I want to support a friend so I attended her church or I have a family event. Plus my church isn’t in my city so if there is a lot of construction, sometimes I will go to a local protestant church or I will try for a weekday mass. The construction will triple my transportation time (one hour to three hours) My family is Protestant, I will sometimes attend church with them as well. The possibilities are endless.
I don’t like the idea of being forced to go. Sometimes I only have time for one service. It’s difficult because the Catholic teaching teach the importance of attending mass every week, yet realistically I can’t always when there are other things happening. I still attend a Christian church. It is still the word of God. I love my new home but I don’t want mass to become an obligation because if it does, I know I will rebel and stop going.
First and foremost: It is NOT Catholic teaching that Sunday Mass is an obligation. It is GOD’S teaching, “relayed” through the Church.
I understand how you don’t want the Mass to become something of a burden. But that’s the thing, it shouldn’t be. You should go not because you want to or because it feels good for you, and you shouldn’t go to a Pentecostal service in place of a Sunday Mass because you “crave it.” You should go to Mass because it is key to having a loving relationship with Christ. He wants nothing more than to be with you, so why would you turn away from the Eucharist, the Real Presence of Christ, for a Pentecostal, feel-good service? And, even though you may not want to hear it, part of being in that loving relationship IS going to Mass even when you don’t want to do so, or because it seems inconvenient. You don’t go because you
have to; you go in order to show your love to God and show that you want to be with HIM just as he wants to be with you.
I cannot tell you that you are in a state of mortal sin, but I can tell you that NOT attending Sunday Mass every week IS grave matter. A Pentecostal service is NOT a Mass and DOES NOT and CAN NOT replace it (you CAN go in addition to Mass). Whether or not your justifications for travel restrictions are valid reasons for missing Mass, however, is an issue that you should take up with your pastor.
Go to Sunday Mass. Go to it even when you absolutely want to be somewhere else. I can attest to the amazing graces it will bring to your life, even though it may be a pain in the short-term. A year ago, I had already become pretty complacent and nonchalant about my faith, only 2 years after converting. Now I’m absolutely on fire again and I
know that had I not gone to Mass on those days when I could barely leave my room - even if all I thought about during the entire liturgy was how much I didn’t want to be there - I would not be where I am now.
