Sunday Obligation

[GoneAstray]

First let me say I just came back to the Church after many years and everything has changed.

I assumed it was a mortal sin to miss Mass although I can’t tell you why.

Well, I missed several masses and confessed that along with another biggie to our parish priest. He never addressed missing Mass but the other thing.

So I missed Mass again. The weather has been miserable with snow and sleet and I live where there is only one parish for two counties and only one priest.

I went early on a Saturday to confess missing Mass and there was a visiting priest. He acted like it was no big deal. I don’t even remember if he gave me absolution. I know I never said the Act of Contrition because I have to use the card since I don’t remember it any more.

He just told me my penance was to attend Mass.

Well, I missed it again last weekend. And there was a Mass on Sunday two miles from where I live and sure it looked like black ice on the hill and the road hadn’t been plowed but if I was out of cigarettes, I’d crawl into town to get them.

So I figure it’s a sin if I put cigarettes before God…

The question is it a mortal sin? Did that change?

I don’t feel particularly guilty because I figure God understands that I’m agoraphobic right now and can barely get to the post office to get my mail and stay home for any excuse.

OTOH, before I got laid off, I got to work almost every day. I ended up digging myself out of snow banks but I made it. Since I’ve been unemployed, I never go out.

I know I sound like a whack job. I feel like I am to tell you the truth and don’t need this stressing me out.

Any thoughts because I was hoping to go to church on Saturday and talk to my regular priest about this before Mass but now we’re getting another blizzard so I guess that isn’t happening.

Also, is it inappropriate to email your pastor with a question like that? I mean this man is very busy covering four churches.

 

[Ultima_Ratio]

Yes, it’s still a mortal sin to not fulfill the Sunday obligation, unless there is a serious reason to miss.

 

[GoneAstray]

What’s serious?

I mean I go to Mass and there are all these sick people blowing their noses and then wanting to hold hands during the Our Father. Are they there because a cold isn’t serious? I still don’t want it. And I’d stay home myself.

This is what is confusing and I just think there’s no common sense involved. The priests act like it’s not a mortal sin. Are you sure this hasn’t changed?

The visiting priest just stared at me when I confessed it. Like “Are you kidding?”

I don’t understand why it’s a mortal sin. I don’t understand why some other things are mortal sins too.

What about drug abuse being a sin as the new Pope has suddenly decreed? I’ve always thought it was a disease. I know drug addicts. It is too late to “just say no.” There is a 90% recidivism rate. Are they all going to hell or do they have to be Catholic?

I work in the health field. What about the diabetic who is in total denial and eats cake and candy and essentially is killing themselves? Are they going to hell?

There are murderers, pedophiles, wife beaters. How is missing Mass in the same category?

I actually wanted to go to Mass. I can’t help it if every weekend it starts snowing on Saturday and by Sunday there’s two feet and I live on an orphan road that nobody plows and drive a compact. I can’t plow through the snow and I’m not sliding down a hill on black ice either for something I don’t even understand.

 

[jmcrae]

What’s serious?

If you would be putting your life or someone else’s safety at risk by attending Mass then it’s okay to miss it. Circumstances that present themselves would be things like: stopping by the side of the road on the way to Mass to aid an accident victim; staying home to mind the baby; staying home to care for someone who is ill; treacherous weather; bad roads. And the more obvious things, like being hospitalized yourself, or being ill yourself, or being a really bratty kid who is under the age of seven.

I mean I go to Mass and there are all these sick people blowing their noses and then wanting to hold hands during the Our Father. Are they there because a cold isn’t serious?

Maybe they don’t think so.

Or maybe they only came down with the sniffles while at Mass, perhaps they are allergic to the incense, or maybe they thought they were over their cold and then they weren’t, or their ColdFX inconveniently quit working right in the middle of Mass. Whatever. I’m with you; I wouldn’t want to hold their hand or shake hands with them.

This is what is confusing and I just think there’s no common sense involved. The priests act like it’s not a mortal sin. Are you sure this hasn’t changed?

The visiting priest just stared at me when I confessed it. Like “Are you kidding?”

This is exactly why I go behind the screen. I don’t want to see the expression on the priest’s face when I confess some of the dumb stuff that I do.

I don’t understand why it’s a mortal sin. I don’t understand why some other things are mortal sins too.

It’s a discipline of the Church. To disobey a lawful authority that isn’t commanding you to commit a sin, is a sin. If we are Catholic, then the Church has authority over us, and we are supposed to do the things she tells us to do, unless for some reason they are either physically impossible or could result in harm to ourselves or someone else.

What about drug abuse being a sin as the new Pope has suddenly decreed? I’ve always thought it was a disease. I know drug addicts. It is too late to “just say no.” There is a 90% recidivism rate. Are they all going to hell or do they have to be Catholic?

I work in the health field. What about the diabetic who is in total denial and eats cake and candy and essentially is killing themselves? Are they going to hell?

It’s always been a sin to harm ourselves. How culpable we are depends on the circumstances.

There are murderers, pedophiles, wife beaters. How is missing Mass in the same category?

It isn’t. No more than lipping off your mother while she is in the middle of making you dinner is in the same category. It’s still a mortal sin, though, because it breaks a relationship for no good reason.

I actually wanted to go to Mass. I can’t help it if every weekend it starts snowing on Saturday and by Sunday there’s two feet and I live on an orphan road that nobody plows and drive a compact. I can’t plow through the snow and I’m not sliding down a hill on black ice either for something I don’t even understand.

I am just thinking that this is a case where, because it is unreasonably difficult to get to Mass, you don’t have the obligation, in this case. When the weather clears up, try again.

 

[GoneAstray]

@jmcrae

Thank you for the rational response. I agree that if it the rule then it’s the rule whether I agree, disagree or completely understand it.

My thinking was though that had I run out of cigarettes, I would have got to a store. I went on a job interview and risked wrecking my car for that. Am I not putting those things ahead of God and does that not make it a mortal sin?

I live in the Bible Belt. Catholicism is not a main stream religion. If it wasn’t for coal mining and the immigrants from Catholic European countries who came to work in the mines in the last century, there would probably be no Catholics. In fact most Protestant religions think we’re a cult.

So I’m not sure if the Catholic Church here is the same as everywhere else.

When I said the priest looked at me like was I kidding, I meant he acted like he couldn’t believe I went to confession for missing Mass.

At the last Mass i attended, the Deacon gave a bizarre homily where he confessed a wrong doing that IMHO wasn’t even that bad and ended up in tears and unable to continue.

They sometimes get into this PTL thing like the Charismatics. Well, they’re not rolling around in the aisle or speaking in tongues so I’m safe there.

I grew up in a Catholic state and there sure wasn’t anything like that happening.

Other than that, the liturgy is the same…

 

[whatevergirl]

*When in doubt, go to confession. A mortal sin has to encompass three things:

1. Intent
2. Must be grave matter
3. Full knowledge

Missing mass depending on the reason, could be #2…but only you can answer #1 and #3. Again, when in doubt…go to confession. Maybe make an appt with a parish priest, and explain how you are feeling about this…you want to make sure you understand things right. He should oblige, if you come up with a mutually convenient time to meet.

Oh, and please give up smoking. Prayers for you to kick that habit…maybe for Lent?

 

[Mrs_Sally]

That is the rule that I use also with bad weather situations. If I would go out for groceries, to see a movie, to get to work, or some similar reason, than I should get myself to Mass.

We had 2 feet of snow one weekend in December and we didn’t make it to Mass. I know other people who live closer or have 4w drive cars were able to make it, but my priest specifically told me that we did not sin because in our situation it was too dangerous.

 

[ProVobis]

Sometimes the local traffic reports will advise whether conditions are safe or not to be driving. If there are too many cars in ditches or accidents, then I’d wait for awhile before I ventured out of my driveway. If it means going to a later Mass, coming in late or missing Mass altogether, then so be it and I’ll pray at home.

 

[Malleus_01]

Its not a Sin to miss Mass for a legitimate reason. But then keep in mind - its up to GOD to Judge that and you have to reconcile that with your own conscience. If you are missing mass when you could have gone but just didnt feel like it and then using the weather as an excuse - then It is a Mortal Sin. But if you really wanted to go and were looking forward to offering the Precious Body and Blood of Our Lord in Sacrifice to GOD for the Propitiation of Sin and recieving OUR LORD in HOLY COMMUNION and then you went outside and the roads were impassible due to an Icestorm - thats another story. One thing is certain - GOD KNOWS. and YOU Know. So do accordingly. Since GOD wants you there and YOU want to be there for the right reasons then you cannot go wrong. The same can be said of the Catholic who goes to Mass every Sunday but his mind is somewhere else - preoccupied with what he is going to do with the rest of his weekend rather than on GOD and the MASS. To me - he likewise has missed. So let us not only go to mass but go to mass in all ways.

pax

 

[GoneAstray]

Everybody is making my point for me.

Winter here is always bad. If you never drove in snow or ice, you’d never go anywhere.

I have a dent down the side of my car, I’ve been in ditches and snow banks. People just can’t and don’t stay home unless it’s a blizzard. It wasn’t a blizzard.

I actually got dressed, looked at the hill which had been just wet earlier and was now black ice due to the sun setting and said to myself, “Nope, ain’t doing it.”

But then again, I didn’t see why it was a mortal sin. I know it’s supposed to be or at least used to be.

Looks like the storm this weekend isn’t as bad as originally predicted and hopefully I can get to church in the big town and go early and talk to the priest.

We’ve only got a few more weeks of this cold. In March it still snows but never sticks for long.

Btw, nobody ever told me if it’s inappropriate to email your pastor with a question like this.

Since I got laid off, I hardly ever go anywhere and if I can do it by internet then I do.

 

[puzzleannie]

What’s serious?

I mean I go to Mass and there are all these sick people blowing their noses and then wanting to hold hands during the Our Father. Are they there because a cold isn’t serious? I still don’t want it. And I’d stay home myself.

.

serious is good reason to miss Mass as in, I can’t get there because of the weather, illness, taking care of someone else who is ill.

a sin requires deliberate intent to miss Mass because you want to blow it off, you consciously reject the notion that you owe a duty of worship to God, that you intend to declare your independence from worshipping with your fellow Catholics in the manner Christ established.

IMO going to Mass and sneezing all over people is a mortal sin in flu season, but I don’t speak for the Church

 

[IrishAm]

Oh, come on. If “winter here” is “always bad” and you usually get around in it, then man-up and go to Mass. Missing Mass without true and real cause remains a mortal sin, just like it always did. With the example you are given, no one in northern Illinois or places like Minnesota would ever get to church between October and April . . .

 

[ProVobis]

IMO going to Mass and sneezing all over people is a mortal sin in flu season, but I don’t speak for the Church

If inconsideration for others causing them inconvenience **in any way **isn’t a sin, it should be.

 

[CB_Catholic]

serious is good reason to miss Mass as in, I can’t get there because of the weather, illness, taking care of someone else who is ill.

a sin requires deliberate intent to miss Mass because you want to blow it off, you consciously reject the notion that you owe a duty of worship to God, that you intend to declare your independence from worshipping with your fellow Catholics in the manner Christ established.

IMO going to Mass and sneezing all over people is a mortal sin in flu season, but I don’t speak for the Church

Sometimes the Pastor has to speak up, or people just don’t get it. Like ours did. If you’re coughing, sneezing, have the cold or flu, have a fever–STAY HOME. Period. This is a matter of common sense.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Well the weather around here this weekend is an example.

Here is what it says on the Archdiocese website:

Attending Mass in Inclement Weather

February 05, 2010

While it is not the practice of the Archdiocese of Washington to cancel Masses, dangerous travel/road conditions are legitimate excuses that might prevent an individual from fulfilling the Sunday obligation to attend Mass. Those who cannot safely attend Mass in person are encouraged to watch the Sunday TV Mass, which airs at 10:30 a.m. on CW50. Click here for details and the exact channel in your area.

Notice it doesn’t say Mass is cancelled or that watching Mass on TV fulfills the obligation. It does say that dangerous road conditions is a legitimate reason for missing Mass.

I just hope things are better in time for us to get to Sunday evening Mass.

 

[Lycorth]

I believe it is called “grave inconvenience” - in other words, a dangerous and life-threatening situation. That can bar the faithful from attending Mass. I missed Mass on both Christmas eve and Christmas day because of a nasty ice storm that rendered the roads nearly undriveable. As I have to drive 20 minutes to get to our church, and had our then-four month old son to also consider, we had to stay home.

Nevertheless, I intend to confess this sin when I finally can return to confession. Even if you didn’t actually sin, it’s not a bad thing to play it safe and confess it; at the least, it’s a good spiritual exercise and discipline to confess everything you can. It helps you grow strong in the Faith and become a better Catholic, I think.

As for a priest blowing it off in confession, that is sad but at least you confessed it and received absolution regardless. Priests, however, ought to know better in the confessional.

 

[GoneAstray]

We now have a foot of snow and it is still pouring down so that means no confession this afternoon or Mass.

Yes, it snows all winter here. However, we had about four mild winters and everybody got spoiled.

The fact that people drive on these curvy, hilly mountain roads in snow doesn’t mean that don’t wreck. We can get 4 inches of snow in 20 minutes. The ditches are full of cars and SUVs.

There is a notorious hill outside my town. I have sat on it for hours because nobody could get up it. Just spinning tires even with 4WD.

The midwest is flat. How would you like to be driving down a curvy road with a 20% grade in low gear going 10 mph. It takes you 1 1/2 hours to get to what normally would take 10 minutes.

You can’t even see where the road is.

Not making excuses, just saying. It’s not dangerous because you’re going slow but my poor old car is already full of dents.

 

[Ohiomom]

Gone Astray,

As others have noted, it is a grave sin to miss mass for no reason, but neither God or the church wants to you to risk your life and limb for mass. It is not being “overboard” to confess missing if you cannot go to mass due to the ice/severe weather. The priest’s may not address it when you confess it because they understand what the weather was like. Also if you are addressing several issues, the priest may be focusing on the ones that really need to be addressed. In other words, missing mass because you could not get down or up the sheet of ice on a hill-not necessarily the highest of the items he might want to address with you.

I am also in the MD/DC area like Ms. Sally and I am hoping that things are cleared up enough for us to go to mass tomorrow as we have no alternative but to drive and we don’t have an SUV or snow tires/chains. If we truly cannot make it I will offer up my disappointment and spiritual communion for those who want to go to mass but cannot because it is not offered in their area. I know a woman in Alaska and their area has a visiting priest 1-2 times a month…

 

[jmcrae]

We now have a foot of snow and it is still pouring down so that means no confession this afternoon or Mass.

Yes, it snows all winter here. However, we had about four mild winters and everybody got spoiled.

The fact that people drive on these curvy, hilly mountain roads in snow doesn’t mean that don’t wreck. We can get 4 inches of snow in 20 minutes. The ditches are full of cars and SUVs.

There is a notorious hill outside my town. I have sat on it for hours because nobody could get up it. Just spinning tires even with 4WD.

The midwest is flat. How would you like to be driving down a curvy road with a 20% grade in low gear going 10 mph. It takes you 1 1/2 hours to get to what normally would take 10 minutes.

You can’t even see where the road is.

Not making excuses, just saying. It’s not dangerous because you’re going slow but my poor old car is already full of dents.

If I were in similar circumstances, I’d be curling up with my Missal and a cup of hot tea in front of a warm cozy fire. Don’t feel bad about missing Mass when it’s that treacherous out.