Unable to attend Masses of the Sacred Triduum

[jayphillip]

Hi, I’m new here.

This week is, of course, Holy Week.

My family departs for a holiday over the Easter Break until ANZAC day on Good Friday. The day before we will pack the car, etc.

On Holy Thursday, one of the three churches in my Parish are celebrating Mass, bringing the whole community together. It begins at 7pm. Preceding the Mass is work, and I can get a bus straight there. I’m able also to get a bus home — though my mum refuses to let me catch a bus home, by myself, of a night. Nor am I allowed to rely on friends for a lift. My mum won’t come and pick me up after the Mass, either, because “we’ll be packing the car”. So I have no way of attending and getting home, which is greatly upsetting me. I ask a simple 10 minutes out of her time to come and pick me up, unfortunately she won’t. What am I to do?

Good Friday- we leave for the holiday, arriving in the afternoon. I have researched that there is a nearby Church. However, there is no guarantee that I am allowed to attend, for my parents might have plans. Again, deeply troubling. What am I to do?

Holy Saturday and Sunday we are in a different location and the nearest Church is 7km. However, we will be doing activities. I offered to walk to Mass, but my offer was declined.

I simply want to celebrate the Holiest days of the year, but I am unable…

I am very distressed at this, and I seek your counsel on what I can do instead, considering I cannot worship/mourn/celebrate with others.

Thank you most kindly in advance and God bless.

 

[PaulfromIowa]

You don’t say how old you are. If you are an adult, you don’t need your mother’s permission to attend Mass. If you are a child, you should explain to her how important it is to Catholics to attend Easter Mass and ask her to please help you attend. If you cannot arrange it, you cannot, and may have to settle for watching Mass on TV or internet.

 

[quiet52]

Hi, I’m new here.

This week is, of course, Holy Week.

My family departs for a holiday over the Easter Break until ANZAC day on Good Friday. The day before we will pack the car, etc.

On Holy Thursday, one of the three churches in my Parish are celebrating Mass, bringing the whole community together. It begins at 7pm. Preceding the Mass is work, and I can get a bus straight there. I’m able also to get a bus home — though my mum refuses to let me catch a bus home, by myself, of a night. Nor am I allowed to rely on friends for a lift. My mum won’t come and pick me up after the Mass, either, because “we’ll be packing the car”. So I have no way of attending and getting home, which is greatly upsetting me. I ask a simple 10 minutes out of her time to come and pick me up, unfortunately she won’t. What am I to do?

Good Friday- we leave for the holiday, arriving in the afternoon. I have researched that there is a nearby Church. However, there is no guarantee that I am allowed to attend, for my parents might have plans. Again, deeply troubling. What am I to do?

Holy Saturday and Sunday we are in a different location and the nearest Church is 7km. However, we will be doing activities. I offered to walk to Mass, but my offer was declined.

I simply want to celebrate the Holiest days of the year, but I am unable…

I am very distressed at this, and I seek your counsel on what I can do instead, considering I cannot worship/mourn/celebrate with others.

Thank you most kindly in advance and God bless

jayphillip, I understand your distress.

Thank you for loving our Lord, and for wanting to participate in the liturgies of these most holy days of the year.

Have you calmly and respectfully explained to your parents why these liturgies are important to you?

Do your best to arrange to attend Easter Mass either on Saturday night or Sunday morning. However if you are a minor, or even if you’re a young adult subject to your parents’ care, you probably won’t be sinning if you can’t meet your Mass obligation this coming weekend. You can’t be expected to walk nearly nine miles round trip. Make sure you spend time alone reading the Scriptures and praying though. I advise you to phone a priest first thing in the morning to discuss this situation with him. He might be able to help you do some problem-solving, suggest ways to celebrate the Paschal Mystery if you cannot attend the liturgies, and/or provide some spiritual and emotional reinforcement.

As for taking the bus on Thursday night, if you’re a minor, you’re subject to your parents’ discipline. If you are 18 or older, you can calmly tell them you would like them to respect your adult decision to exercise your faith that evening, and that God is highest priority to you. But if there is going to be heated family strife over Holy Thursday Mass and Good Friday liturgy, bring a missalette with you, or prepare in advance the appropriate websites to link on to, and set aside some time to worship. Offer the pain of not being in church to our Lord.

Remain prayerful and loving during your journey of faith this week, no matter what, and celebrate and rejoice in the glory of our King!

Welcome to the CA forums, dear brother in Christ.

I will remember you in my prayers these next several days.

 

[Dorothy]

If there is no way you can reasonably get to Mass on Thursday and Sunday, and to Good Friday service, then pray interiorly and offer it up to the Lord that you would so much rather be there in person.

I feel your pain…have a very blessed Holy Week and be at peace in the Lord!

 

[Celtic_Maiden]

I would ask the Priest does he know of anyone who could give you a lift there and back, and then tell your parents how important it is and letting them know you have organised a lift there and back so no worries - well its worth a try.

 

[zz912]

I would ask the Priest does he know of anyone who could give you a lift there and back, and then tell your parents how important it is and letting them know you have organised a lift there and back so no worries - well its worth a try.

Absolutely!!! Call the parish and ask for help. There may be someone who would be glad to give you a ride.

 

[jayphillip]

Apologies for my failure to mention: I am 17.

I have calmly explained to my mother that my faith, placing God before worldly pursuits and keeping the Paschal season holy through congregating with others in worship/mourning/celebrating is incredibly important to me, to no avail. Her reply was that: “You have to choose between Church and a holiday”. I love the Lord and attending Mass is very important, and I also love my family + friends whom we’re visiting on the holiday — of course, I love the Lord more, for through His most divine Grace we are redeemed from Sin. Yet, considering there is a fairly nearby Church, I oughtn’t have to choose, and it would he nice if my mother could make an allowance - 10 minutes out of her time to drop me off, and 10 minutes to pick me up.

I shall take as much time as possible on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday to be prayerful and worship. As per quiet52’s suggestion, I will contact my Priest and speak with him about this situation.

Re: Celtic Maiden’s lift suggestion, I have asked if I would be allowed to obtain a lift home from a Parishioner. It has been the same case As our parish’s Thursday night home group - i am not allowed to rely on anyone for a lift, only mother herself.

Thank you all for your kind words. God bless.