Sunday obligation at other parishes?

[Binary]

On Sunday I woke up sick enough to miss mass in the morning. Somewhere around me (let’s say within a ~30 minute drive) there’s a church that offers mass at 5 pm and another that offers one at 7 pm. By that time I was feeling well enough that I could have attended, but I didn’t. Was I obligated to go?

 

[1ke]

Yes, I would say so.

You should discuss this with your pastor.

 

[fermat]

I would say yes. The decision to attend is really a point-in-time decision. Regardless of how the rest of your day has gone, if you feel well enough to attend at that moment then you should go.

I deal with this frequently. My wife is a cantor at a parish on the other end of town. I will stay at home with the kids while she sings and then I will take them Mass at our local parish. There are days when the four of them just have me completely wiped out and I just can’t make it to the noon on Sunday. But there is a 7 p.m. at the parish across town on Sunday night I will attend that one instead. It is a little disruptive for the family, but we make it work.

 

[TheMc]

It does not matter where you go to Mass, but if you are able, you should go.

 

[Binary]

Thanks, all. Always good to know another method by which I can fall into mortal sin.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Your obligation is to attend Mass, not to attend at a particular parish. It is always helpful to know where the last Sunday Mass in your area is (or the earliest, the one Saturday evening, etc.), then if your schedule doesn’t permit you to attend the Mass you normally would, you know where else you can attend.

Also, we are not required to receive communion every Sunday (although it is good to do so if you are not in a state of mortal sin). So if you were concerned about receiving, but thought that you could sit through Mass despite not feeling well, you should attend. Basically, if you are well enough to do anything else outside the house – shopping, visits, etc. – you are well enough to attend Mass.

Please do go to confession before you receive communion again. And check out the Mass times at the surrounding parishes for next time.

 

[Binary]

Oh don’t worry, I’ll confess. I know that because I didn’t feel like going to mass one day, I’ve essentially nullified my entire spiritual life up until now.

 

[Joe_5859]

Oh don’t worry, I’ll confess. I know that because I didn’t feel like going to mass one day, I’ve essentially nullified my entire spiritual life up until now.

Don’t be discouraged. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That doesn’t negate any good we have done throughout our whole lives.

1ke gives the best advice: talk to your pastor. He will be able to guide you much better that us armchair theologians. Perhaps what in your mind constituted “well enough” to attend Mass would still have been a justifiable reason to miss. We cannot really work out those things with you the way your pastor can.

 

[ANNE_2]

Never be discouraged.

God has great Mercy when we ask for it. (Thank goodness )
All of us are sinners in one way or another.

Here is a link to good examiniation of conscience.
fathercorapi.com/Examination-of-Conscience-Making-a-Good-Confession-W13C85.aspx

Confession at least once a month is very helpful in our struggle against sin, as is daily prayer.
Some people go more often.

CCC - " 1458 Without being strictly necessary, confession of everyday faults (venial sins) is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.
Indeed the regular confession of our venial sins helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ and progress in the life of the Spirit.
By receiving more frequently through this sacrament the gift of the Father’s mercy, we are spurred to be merciful as he is merciful:
Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear “man” - this is what God has made; when you hear “sinner” - this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made. . . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light. "

Missing Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligations through our own fault is a Mortal Sin, that must be confessed prior to receiving Holy Communion.

 

[Bookcat]

I know that because I didn’t feel like going to mass one day, I’ve essentially nullified my entire spiritual life up until now.

*If *you committed a mortal sin…

via contrition (especially with love…etc) and confession one can be restored…

if a person is following Christ and living a spiritual life…and falls into a mortal sin…but quickly repents and confesses…the fall need not set them back much at all in the spiritual life…and he may even return to pretty much where he left off…or even advance further… depending on the grace of contrition at the time of confession…etc

So do not give in to undue concern…

Make an act of contrition out of love now…to start with (I imagine you have sought to do so already)

and turn in hope to the Lord! the* Good Shepherd *who loves you…

He gives us true life.

 

[valentino]

One should always make an effort to attend Mass of Sunday’s.We have to realize even though it may be inconvenient at times we have to set aside a little time for God.A one hour obligation certainly isn’t to much to ask for out of a whole week.that one hour is the most important hour of the week.Since we depend on God for everything we have to ask for His continued support we are doing our selves a favor.

 

[Binary]

Thank you all for the encouragement. I’m not going to continue to air my current bitterness. It would only bring down the level of discussion in this thread and besides, I know all of you are right anyway.

 

[ConstantineTG]

On Sunday I woke up sick enough to miss mass in the morning. Somewhere around me (let’s say within a ~30 minute drive) there’s a church that offers mass at 5 pm and another that offers one at 7 pm. By that time I was feeling well enough that I could have attended, but I didn’t. Was I obligated to go?

Yes you are. As long as the next parish is within reasonable distance then you are obligated to go.

 

[Bluegoat]

Thank you all for the encouragement. I’m not going to continue to air my current bitterness. It would only bring down the level of discussion in this thread and besides, I know all of you are right anyway.

Well, honestly man, I don’t think they are, but that is not a Catholic position. I agree that you ought to have gone - I also think that it in no way nullified your spiritual progress up until now. I think it would be a real shame if you believed that.

With all the problems that seem to pop up on here with regard to scrupulosity, it seems clear to me that there is something about the way the CC commonly deals with this that doesn’t work all that well.

 

[Binary]

Well, honestly man, I don’t think they are, but that is not a Catholic position. I agree that you ought to have gone - I also think that it in no way nullified your spiritual progress up until now. I think it would be a real shame if you believed that.

With all the problems that seem to pop up on here with regard to scrupulosity, it seems clear to me that there is something about the way the CC commonly deals with this that doesn’t work all that well.

The church has defined the sunday obligation as a grave matter. To my mind, knowing that fact alone satisfies the “full knowledge” component of mortal sin. As for full consent, I was under no duress to make my decision one way or another. I had the choice to make a short drive to go to church, or stay home for the evening and play videogames with my friends. Oh, and remove myself from being in a state of grace and put myself in great spiritual peril. I don’t really understand this teaching, but I accept it with all the docility that is required of me. Not that it does me any credit.

 

[Bookcat]

Take heart – make an act of contrition out of love …get to confession and live in the reality of the life we share in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! He loves you!

Read these…these are great!

vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/youth/index_en.htm

 

[Scott_D_1]

Here is a question… what is “reasonable distance” ? I know some Sundays I have woken up late, or not feeling well, or sick and don’t want to get others in my parish sick.

But if Sunday evening I am feeling much better, and there is a 5pm (or even 8pm) Mass that is 35 miles away or so - plus handling gas at $4 a gallon, is that reasonble distance?

What if the only Mass is one of the “Teen” masses?

 

[Bluegoat]

The church has defined the sunday obligation as a grave matter. To my mind, knowing that fact alone satisfies the “full knowledge” component of mortal sin. As for full consent, I was under no duress to make my decision one way or another. I had the choice to make a short drive to go to church, or stay home for the evening and play videogames with my friends. Oh, and remove myself from being in a state of grace and put myself in great spiritual peril. I don’t really understand this teaching, but I accept it with all the docility that is required of me. Not that it does me any credit.

I was not commenting on it being a grave matter - in some cases it could be. (Although my understanding is that the CC does not actually have any official list of mortal and venial sins, and it is a mistake to think you can divide them up in an absolutist way.) I was commenting on the idea that being in a state of Grace is the kind of binary system the CC teaches. That is not as far as I can see the teaching of the historic Church, nor that of the Orthodox or other groups that maintain that kind of teaching.

And I think the focus on this paradigm leads to a lot of unhealthy spirituality, and you seemed to be resentful in a way that looks to be heading in that direction.

But accepting the authority of the Church is almost always a good spiritual exercise.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Here is a question… what is “reasonable distance” ? I know some Sundays I have woken up late, or not feeling well, or sick and don’t want to get others in my parish sick.

But if Sunday evening I am feeling much better, and there is a 5pm (or even 8pm) Mass that is 35 miles away or so - plus handling gas at $4 a gallon, is that reasonble distance?

What if the only Mass is one of the “Teen” masses?

You don’t have to like the music, homily, or architecure. You just have to be there. If however, getting there is a hardship (truly can’t afford gas, need to take 3 buses, etc., you may be excused. We should always make a reasonable effort though. Make sure alarm is set the night before, consider whether you might drive that far to see a friend, perhaps an asprin and a bit of fortitude will get you through a “not feeling well” morning.

 

[Spirithound]

On Sunday I woke up sick enough to miss mass in the morning. Somewhere around me (let’s say within a ~30 minute drive) there’s a church that offers mass at 5 pm and another that offers one at 7 pm. By that time I was feeling well enough that I could have attended, but I didn’t. Was I obligated to go?

I think a pertinent question is what you were sick with in the morning. If it was a virus of some sort, frankly I think it’s an act of mercy if you don’t impose yourself on everybody around you while you’re still contagious.

Here is a question… what is “reasonable distance” ?

That is a good question. I’m not sure the answer is absolute, but I do believe that a well-formed conscience could discern it.

What if the only Mass is one of the “Teen” masses?

Definitely not just cause to miss Mass.