Sunday Onligation?

[4givemeasinner]

If I come into mass late, through no fault of my own, is my. Sunday obligation still fulfilled?

 

[Warandpeace]

If you arrive after consecration your Sunday obligation is not fulfilled.

 

[Glacies]

On being late for Mass

I would rather not go into the calculation of what is “notable” because we should regard all of the parts of the Mass as important, rather than trying to rank them so that we only commit a venial sin. Nevertheless, if someone were to miss the whole of the Liturgy of the Word, they would not fulfil the obligation of attending Mass and should go to another Mass if possible unless there is a reasonable excusing cause.

 

[Zekariya]

Similar to what Glacies has said, I have always heard that one must arrive before the Gospel reading.

 

[Elizium23]

The Church has never spoken officially on this topic and for good reason. Because if there were some well-defined “cutoff time” for which we could be late, then how many people would play brinkmanship and indeed aim for the actual cutoff time rather than the beginning of Mass? After all, not a sin. So the opinions that exist out there are mere opinions and not taken to be binding.

The important thing to remember from the OP is that if you intend to be on time and something beyond your control happens to make you late, even very late, then you did not commit a mortal sin in missing your Mass obligation, because mortal sin requires full consent of the will. Perhaps you should plan better and take extra precautions so that you are not late - personally, I aim to be an hour early for Mass, so that I can make the rosary before it, and even Confession if I feel like it, so there is never a risk that I will be late because I would have to miss a lot of buses. But if your being late is a one-time occurrence and it wasn’t your fault, you committed no sin and you have nothing to confess.

 

[Domiy]

A topic well dealt with.

That should answer your query, OP.

Although we shouldn’t officially rank some parts of mass as more important than others, we can usually create a rough idea (eg - the announcements and credits at the end of the mass are definitely not as important as the Eucharist).

But yeah, the Gospel reading and translation by the Priest is one of the more prominent parts of the Mass, and seeing as it starts about 10 minutes in, one would think it important to be there for the readings. My parents often asked me which book the reading was from this week to test my concentration. Sometimes, it slipped my mind and I forgot. They often joked “they say that if you don’t remember what the reading was, it’s as if you weren’t in Mass at all”

 

[Zekariya]

My parents often asked me which book the reading was from this week to test my concentration. Sometimes, it slipped my mind and I forgot.

My parents did the same with me! I grew up in a conservative Anglican parish.

 

[AlanFromWichita]

A topic well dealt with.

That should answer your query, OP.

Although we shouldn’t officially rank some parts of mass as more important than others, we can usually create a rough idea (eg - the announcements and credits at the end of the mass are definitely not as important as the Eucharist).

But yeah, the Gospel reading and translation by the Priest is one of the more prominent parts of the Mass, and seeing as it starts about 10 minutes in, one would think it important to be there for the readings. My parents often asked me which book the reading was from this week to test my concentration. Sometimes, it slipped my mind and I forgot. They often joked “they say that if you don’t remember what the reading was, it’s as if you weren’t in Mass at all”

That’s why in my better weeks, I go to the US Bishop web site and read the readings in advance, so that I may have a couple days to think about it before hearing Father’s take on it. Plus the US bishops also have audio readings, which is fun to listen sometimes and not just read, and video meditations! I also discuss the sermon with my kids occasionally, and yes sometimes I catch them not paying attention. But just as often they will have heard some things I miss. Plus, often my wife takes one or more kids to a different Mass than I do, with a different priest – between all of us we’ve heard two different views, and when we compare notes, it helps us all.

Alan

 

[Domiy]

That’s why in my better weeks, I go to the US Bishop web site and read the readings in advance, so that I may have a couple days to think about it before hearing Father’s take on it. Plus the US bishops also have audio readings, which is fun to listen sometimes and not just read, and video meditations! I also discuss the sermon with my kids occasionally, and yes sometimes I catch them not paying attention. But just as often they will have heard some things I miss. Plus, often my wife takes one or more kids to a different Mass than I do, with a different priest – between all of us we’ve heard two different views, and when we compare notes, it helps us all.

Alan

Sounds like you have the type of God-unified marriage that people always desire. Nice to hear that! Going to different masses is a nice touch, every priest has something new to put in on the issue. I’ve found this quite interesting. Depending on their personal circumstances and experiences, they explain it in a way that reaches so many people. My local priest can’t help but put in a sense of humor in there as well.

A few weeks ago he said that he hurts over how many marriages he sees that are in such bad shape, with wives not being “subjected” to their husbands or vice-versa, how marriages seem to fall apart over little things. He said that one day he came home and his mother prepared a large meal for him. Then his brother asked why she doesn’t prepare a feed like that when he comes home. She said “you have your own wife, he doesn’t” I bet his brother learned to honor his wife just a tad more that day after seeing how lucky he really is