Sunday Obligation

[H_Opey]

What is the obligation when you are traveling and you will not be attending Mass? I thought you could ask if you could make up the obligation on another day, someone told me I was mistaken.

It is long and complicated but the bottom line will be all 5 will not be able to attend nor will we be able to find rides for our children who won’t be with us. One is quite determined that she MUST attend mass, which is a GREAT thing, but is not possible because we will not be here and sitter is not catholic. So she insists that she wants to go another day, during the week, to make up. Do we have to get permission from the priest? Or would this be considered the pious thing to do, go during the week, since we will not be able to on Sunday?

 

[1ke]

What is the obligation when you are traveling and you will not be attending Mass? I thought you could ask if you could make up the obligation on another day, someone told me I was mistaken.

This is correct, you cannot “make up” the obligation. Either you have the obligation to go or you don’t. If you cannot go-- illness, travel, what-have-you-- then you are not obligated. If your priest dispenses your obligation, you are not obligated. There’s no such thing as “making up” the obligation.

One is quite determined that she MUST attend mass, which is a GREAT thing, but is not possible because we will not be here and sitter is not catholic.

I’m not sure why you think this is an impediment. Have the babysitter take her. The babysitter can go to Mass, or you can arrange for your daughter to sit with people you know.

I’m not sure why you are insisting that they cannot go, when it doesn’t seem that complicated for the sitter to get them there.

So she insists that she wants to go another day, during the week, to make up.

You need to read with her from the Catechism regarding the Ten Commandments and the obligation for Mass. It discusses dispensation from obligation and also that there is no obligation when you **cannot **attend.

Of course, going to an extra weekday Mass is not a bad thing, and you should do it.

Do we have to get permission from the priest?

You should discuss it with your priest. Travel can be a reason to miss Mass-- but you should make a reasonable attempt to attend. When I traveled to Egypt I did not go to Mass because there was no Mass. But, last weekend I traveled for work in the US and of course I went to Mass-- there were plenty of opportunities.

Or would this be considered the pious thing to do, go during the week, since we will not be able to on Sunday?

Going to Mass is always spiritually beneficial.

 

[AHapka]

Can you make the Saturday Vigil Mass?

Perhaps some could attend Saturday night, and some on Sunday?

Not sure of the situation, but just wanted to suggest it.

Andy

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

What is the obligation when you are traveling and you will not be attending Mass? I thought you could ask if you could make up the obligation on another day, someone told me I was mistaken.

It is long and complicated but the bottom line will be all 5 will not be able to attend nor will we be able to find rides for our children who won’t be with us. One is quite determined that she MUST attend mass, which is a GREAT thing, but is not possible because we will not be here and sitter is not catholic. So she insists that she wants to go another day, during the week, to make up. Do we have to get permission from the priest? Or would this be considered the pious thing to do, go during the week, since we will not be able to on Sunday?

I don’t know if you are asking about your obligation while traveling or your childrens while you are not home?

I’ll answer both yours first while traveling you need to make a reasonable attempt to plan Sunday Mass into your travel arrangements.

If your children do not have the ability to get to Mass themselves then they have no obligation. It would be nice if an adult who is watching them for you would take them. If they are not Catholic, I’m sure that they will not be made to stand outside!

 

[kage_ar]

Sounds here like you have 5 children, you and your spouse will be out of town and are leaving these children in the care of a sitter.

As other posters have said, you can get the Priest to give dispensation from Mass.

As a mom, my bigger question, is the baby sitter unable or unwilling to take the kids to Mass. If the sitter has never handled 5 kids in public and they are afraid - what will happen if one falls and needs to go to the Emergency Room? Will the sitter be able to handle them there?

If the sitter is unwilling to take them to Mass “I will not go to Mass, but will take them to MY first Mega Church on Sunday” that is a different question. If there were a severe emergency, would this person be willing to call a priest for that child? I would not leave my Catholic child in the care of someone who was simply unwilling to take them to Mass.

 

[H_Opey]

Thank you all so much.

What does dispensation from mass exactly mean? So we do need to speak with our priest about this?

We will make every effort while we are travelling to go to mass. Since we are crunched for time and will be looking at homes in an area we are unfamilar, yet, we are not sure if we can. Would it be selfish to ask for a dispensation from mass for that reason?

We have not even asked the sitter because of the behavior of our youngest at mass. We do not feel comfortable at all with this. And if the older ones go with someone else, then there is the younger one left crying for hours, with sitter. He has done this before. So we just were not going to ask. We do not feel comfortable with the situation.

 

[1ke]

Yes, do talk to your priest.

 

[pprimeau1976]

Are you paying the sitter to watch your kids? If so, I would make this a requirement in order to get paid. If she is still hesitent, hire a different sitter or pay her extra to take your kids to mass.

As far as your situation, you would have to talk to your priest.

 

[Sir_Knight]

This is correct, you cannot “make up” the obligation. Either you have the obligation to go or you don’t. If you cannot go-- illness, travel, what-have-you-- then you are not obligated. If your priest dispenses your obligation, you are not obligated. There’s no such thing as “making up” the obligation.

That is incorrect. Last summer something very similar happened to me. I even posted it on this forum.

The bottom line was that I explained my situation to our Monsignor. He gave me a dispensation from attending mass on that Sunday BUT told me to “make it up” by attending mass on another day upon my return informing me that failure to do so would constitute a mortal sin requiring sacramental confession to absolve.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Thank you all so much.

What does dispensation from mass exactly mean? So we do need to speak with our priest about this?

We will make every effort while we are travelling to go to mass. Since we are crunched for time and will be looking at homes in an area we are unfamilar, yet, we are not sure if we can. Would it be selfish to ask for a dispensation from mass for that reason?

We have not even asked the sitter because of the behavior of our youngest at mass. We do not feel comfortable at all with this. And if the older ones go with someone else, then there is the younger one left crying for hours, with sitter. He has done this before. So we just were not going to ask. We do not feel comfortable with the situation.

If your cildren cannot get themselves to Mass then they have no obligation.

An hour out of your house hunting time for Mass is not to much to ask.

 

[Aramis]

That is incorrect. Last summer something very similar happened to me. I even posted it on this forum.

The bottom line was that I explained my situation to our Monsignor. He gave me a dispensation from attending mass on that Sunday BUT told me to “make it up” by attending mass on another day upon my return informing me that failure to do so would constitute a mortal sin requiring sacramental confession to absolve.

It is up to your pastor (or bishop) to set the conditions of the indult.

Since your pastor transferred the obligation, so be it.

If, however, you had gone, and like me a few years ago, found that the Mass scheduled was not happening. I had gone, in good faith, and there was no mass within a hundred miles (and none that I could then make it to before scheduled time). I got there on time, finding a note posted canceling mass, a note that had not been there the night before.

By the law itself, I met the obligation. Even tho’ I did not “make it” to a mass, I was where a mass was to be when it was to be, and unable to make it to another in time.

Now, if I had sought an indult, I’d have expected some substitutiary activity.

 

[puzzleannie]

What is the obligation when you are traveling and you will not be attending Mass? I thought you could ask if you could make up the obligation on another day, someone told me I was mistaken.

?

Catholics are obliged to assist and Mass on all Sundays and Holy Days of obligation. Unless you are travelling to a place where no Catholic Church is present–highly unlikely in this country unless you are on a wilderness back-packing hike–yes, you must just pick up a phone book or go on the web before you leave, or ask the concierge of your hotel and find a place for Mass. vacation is not a reason, just an excuse

if you have a babysitter for your children who have received first communion and are thus also obligated to assist at Mass, you certainly would have someone who drives and who has been instructed in her duties regarding the children, including the duty to take them to church. what am I missing? would not the sitter be expected to take them to soccer practice, band concert, birthday party and other weekend obligations?

 

[H_Opey]

We will make every effort to attend mass while we house hunt.

Since our oldest daughter was down right insistent to be dispensed and go another day during the week, which we are in total agreement no matter what, we thought, maybe selfishly, we could all be dispensed and go together during the week (regardless if the dispensation has a stipulation to it or not). Now in thinking more about this, and seeing it in writing, it seems that I am being selfish and lazy. And although our children would not be obligated since they can’t drive themselves, we would.

 

[H_Opey]

if you have a babysitter for your children who have received first communion and are thus also obligated to assist at Mass, you certainly would have someone who drives and who has been instructed in her duties regarding the children, including the duty to take them to church. what am I missing? would not the sitter be expected to take them to soccer practice, band concert, birthday party and other weekend obligations?

---

I haven’t asked because we do not feel comfortable with the whole situation of sitter driving the children and because of our youngest and his behavior at mass. I don’t feel comfortable with the situation at all and no, the sitter is not Catholic.

 

[PeterMichael]

About once every five weeks I volunteer to serve breakfast on Sunday mornings, at a soup kitchen, which is part of a ministry of my parish. this causes me to miss Mass on that particular Sunday. Since I work on saturday and can not attend the evening Mass, Would this still be considered a sin to miss Mass on Sunday while I am volunteering to work at a soup kitchen. I am not intentionally missing Mass, and this soup kitchen is in partnership with my parish.

                                        In Christ
                                            Peter

 

[Seatuck]

About once every five weeks I volunteer to serve breakfast on Sunday mornings, at a soup kitchen, which is part of a ministry of my parish. this causes me to miss Mass on that particular Sunday. Since I work on saturday and can not attend the evening Mass, Would this still be considered a sin to miss Mass on Sunday while I am volunteering to work at a soup kitchen. I am not intentionally missing Mass, and this soup kitchen is in partnership with my parish.

In Christ
Peter

Discuss this with your Priest. You do have an obligation to attend Mass every Sunday. Not sure if volunteer work suffices as a just reason. Perhaps you can do clean up or early prep work instead.