Stuff to do when you can't make Mass?

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On Sundays when you can’t make it to Mass for some reason, what sorts of things do you do to make the day special? I know some people watch Mass on TV, but I don’t have one of those.
 
You have the internet - to go ETWN and watch the Mass there if that is something you wish to do.

~Liza
 
DarkLight said:
On Sundays when you can’t make it to Mass for some reason, what sorts of things do you do to make the day special? I know some people watch Mass on TV, but I don’t have one of those.
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I suppose you could pray more.
 
Maybe pray the full 20 decades of the Rosary? Watch Mass, pray more.
 
Thank you to everyone for your posts, although I’m not the OP. 🙂 I’m not Catholic, but very interested to learn about other religions, and you’ve given me a great place to start!

Jala
 
DarkLight said:
On Sundays when you can’t make it to Mass for some reason, what sorts of things do you do to make the day special? I know some people watch Mass on TV, but I don’t have one of those.
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I have never been in such a situation since reverting. There are enough different Mass times that I have always been able to make it.
 
masstimes.org is a great tool for finding alternate Mass times at other parishes so that you can make it to Mass. I use it when travelling, but have also found the earliest Masses and the latest ‘last chance’ Mass in the area so that we can work around most emergencies.

If you do end up missing every Sunday Mass in the area, I would be sure to read and meditate on the readings of the day. I would also try to pray LOTH as time permitted.

Of course, if you are sick, required to work all weekend, or completely without transportation, than you have no obligation to attend Mass - and so watching it on TV, while it might be nice, is not required either.
 
Deo_Gratias42 said:
I have never been in such a situation since reverting. There are enough different Mass times that I have always been able to make it.
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The times I’ve missed have been due to illness, though I expect one or two weather ones as winter goes on. I decided last sunday that trying to walk 2 miles while feeling dizzy was probably not the best idea. 🤷 So that’s what I was thinking of.
 
If you are ill, you do whatever you feel up to doing. For me, watching TV or reading a lot are not on the list of things to do. So if I miss Mass because I am ill, I usually end up doing nothing but sleeping. If you were ill, do not worry about any compensation. Get better and stay healthy so that you can actually attend Mass. 😃
 
I would do the readings and other prayers. Include in the time you spend in prayer, a spiritual communion. If you have a missal, you may want to follow the Mass through, then pray for a spiritual communion. Sounds like you are kind of remote. It is heartening to see someone ask this. 🙂
 
DarkLight said:
On Sundays when you can’t make it to Mass for some reason, what sorts of things do you do to make the day special? I know some people watch Mass on TV, but I don’t have one of those.
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IN all normal situations, not going to Mass, if you’re a Catholic, is a mortal sin. Are you aware of this?

Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“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.119 Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.”
 
iloveangels said:
Not going to Mass, if you’re a Catholic, is a mortal sin. Are you aware of this?

Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“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.119 Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.”
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He did say “for some reason”. Of course that reason must be VERY serious, and sometimes people who are sick can not fulfill their obligation. They are therefore dispensed.

However, with that said, I would read my Missal through or watch a televised Mass. Also, pray the Rosary and honour the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy.
 
LoyalViews said:
He did say “for some reason”. Of course that reason must be VERY serious, and sometimes people who are sick can not fulfill their obligation. They are therefore dispensed.

However, with that said, I would read my Missal through or watch a televised Mass. Also, pray the Rosary and honour the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy.
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Reasons to be dispensed from mass aren’t trivial reasons. Usually when you have a reason that’s serious enough, you aren’t even home. You’re at the hospital or someplace like that where EWTN may not be available to you. If something like that’s the case, being dispensed is exactly that–there is nothing that can take the place of mass, at any rate. It’s the supreme prayer of Catholics. When the emergency is over, whatever it is, then you normally resume the Sunday obligation.
 
iloveangels said:
Reasons to be dispensed from mass aren’t trivial reasons. Usually when you have a reason that’s serious enough, you aren’t even home. You’re at the hospital or someplace like that where EWTN may not be available to you. If something like that’s the case, being dispensed is exactly that–there is nothing that can take the place of mass, at any rate. It’s the supreme prayer of Catholics. When the emergency is over, whatever it is, then you normally resume the Sunday obligation.
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And that’s correct. The Mass is the most perfect for of prayer, and is a holy Sacrifice.

But, as life takes it’s course for some people, and I think that’s what the OP was…if for those valid reasons one could not make it to Mass on one Sunday, what is the proper route to take. 🙂
 
iloveangels said:
Reasons to be dispensed from mass aren’t trivial reasons. Usually when you have a reason that’s serious enough, you aren’t even home. You’re at the hospital or someplace like that where EWTN may not be available to you. If something like that’s the case, being dispensed is exactly that–there is nothing that can take the place of mass, at any rate. It’s the supreme prayer of Catholics. When the emergency is over, whatever it is, then you normally resume the Sunday obligation.
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We are dispensed for things slightly less serious than a trip to the hospital - for example care of another person who is sick (contagious children aren’t always hospitalized), lack of transportation, dangerous weather. In those cases, one may wish to watch Mass on TV.
 
DarkLight said:
The times I’ve missed have been due to illness, though I expect one or two weather ones as winter goes on. I decided last sunday that trying to walk 2 miles while feeling dizzy was probably not the best idea. 🤷 So that’s what I was thinking of.
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Being sick is actually one of the admissible reasons, but if you’re sick enough to miss mass more than once like this, you’d probably ought to see a doctor and figure out what’s going on. Feeling like you’re going to faint isn’t a trivial thing.
 
I have missed Mass three times since the beginning of last year.

Once, my mother had just died. What did I do? Met with the funeral director, talk to the priest and hosted a dozen people at my house.

The second time, my father was dying in the hospital. What did I do? Sat by his bedside, talking to him. Listening to him.

The third and last time, I had just had minor surgery. And instead of Mass, I slept.

If I have a good reason to miss Mass, like the times above, I don’t do anything to make up for it.
 
iloveangels said:
Being sick is actually one of the admissible reasons, but if you’re sick enough to miss mass more than once like this, you’d probably ought to see a doctor and figure out what’s going on. Feeling like you’re going to faint isn’t a trivial thing.
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I’ve been, actually…the verdict is that I seem to be completely healthy according to every medical test, despite not actually feeling like it. So far the most I’ve gotten is “maybe if you were less stressed you’d feel better!” I’m very proud of myself for not punching the doctor that said that.

The illness barrier tends to go down for those of us who don’t have vehicle transportation of any sort. Usually the biggest issue with illness is whether I think I can make it there and back safely. Summer is the worst - I’ve worn myself out with heat before.
 
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