Unnecessary vacation and mass obligation

[Tommy999]

Yes you simply ask the priest, by phone or in person. I suppose you could email.

If you have to miss mass because of a call out to work or page, correct you have not incurred any sort of sin. If there were another mass you could reasonably attend, for example later that day of if the call out happened on Saturday perhaps on Sunday, then you would have an obligation. But if there weren’t another mass, then no obligation.

Thanks for the clarification, 1ke. :tiphat:

 

[Reuben_J]

I considered asking for a dispensation last week when I had to fly to a work-related workshop.

The Saturday workshop ended before the Saturday evening Mass but the networking that goes on after those workshops is just as important so forgoing dinner with the group was not something I wanted to do. Then my flight was on Sunday morning. It would bring me back home after the only Mass on Sunday morning.

After thinking it over I decided, instead, to take my luggage (made sure to pack light) with me to the 8:30 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral and then got a cab to the airport directly from the Cathedral.

This is most commendable and a great encouragement to hear about a person not wanting to miss mass.

Having said that, it is not always practical to ask or contact a priest especially in a huge diocese and so few priests. Sometimes one has to depend on one’s honest and sincere judgment on whether one is able to attend the mass or not. If it is due to work and when there is no alternative, missing mass during these occasions are often very acceptable reason.

God bless.

 

[hwriggles4]

There’s a difference between making a reasonable effort to attend Mass when there is a church available, and being somewhere - on a ship in the middle of the Pacific, or on mountainside in Alaska, where no church is available. If one is vacationing in Ireland, it would be hard to argue that getting to Mass would be a problem. If one is mainland China, or on a cruise ship without a priest on board, different story.

First, I’m glad someone posted this. My pastor is not afraid to tell his congregation that we don’t take a vacation from Church in the summertime. Now, primarily, he is referring to those parishioners whose philosophy is, well, school is out, we are on vacation from Church, and he emphasizes that the Sunday obligation is an obligation every Sunday.

Second, Tarpeian Rock makes a good point. If one is on vacation in a city such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, or Washington, D.C., it’s pretty easy to find a Mass that will fulfill your Sunday obligation and fit into your schedule. (It might be a little harder in certain Southern cities, but I’m sure you can find a Mass).

Normally, I will make a Sunday Mass while traveling (unless I’m backpacking or out on a campsite an hour or more away from civilization), and I have sometimes flown home early enough (or my buddies and I make it home in time to clean up a little) to make a Sunday evening Mass. My city has one at 7:30 p.m., and quite a few others at 5:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 6:00 p.m.)

About cruise ships…be a little careful. I’ve heard that some cruise lines are using priests from a “dissenting group” whose members were ordained years ago, but left the priesthood to marry. That said, you may not be getting a valid Mass, so you may want to do some research on the particular priest beforehand. I’m going on a cruise this summer with a group of friends and we will be in one port early Sunday morning, and plan to go to Mass in port.

Third, with summer starting, this is a good time to bring this up. I recall as a kid we would leave for Scout camp on Sunday morning, and most of the time my mom would take my brothers and I to the Saturday evening Mass, which fulfilled our Sunday obligation.

 

[PelagiathePenit]

Hi all

Would it be a sin to knowingly go to a place on vacation where there would be no chance of going to Mass(since there would be none around), so basically I would skip it?

Or can I be excused?

Thanks

I do not know. Questions like these drive me nuts. I understand our lives should be God-centered as much as possible. Maybe I am the devil for saying, I do not think one day missing mass equals condemnation. There are way too many sins to count. Some days I wish people did not worry so much about sin but worried more about trying to do good each day. You will sin and make a mistake.

 

[Tarpeian_Rock]

First, I’m glad someone posted this. My pastor is not afraid to tell his congregation that we don’t take a vacation from Church in the summertime. Now, primarily, he is referring to those parishioners whose philosophy is, well, school is out, we are on vacation from Church, and he emphasizes that the Sunday obligation is an obligation every Sunday.

Second, Tarpeian Rock makes a good point. If one is on vacation in a city such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, or Washington, D.C., it’s pretty easy to find a Mass that will fulfill your Sunday obligation and fit into your schedule. (It might be a little harder in certain Southern cities, but I’m sure you can find a Mass).

Normally, I will make a Sunday Mass while traveling (unless I’m backpacking or out on a campsite an hour or more away from civilization), and I have sometimes flown home early enough (or my buddies and I make it home in time to clean up a little) to make a Sunday evening Mass. My city has one at 7:30 p.m., and quite a few others at 5:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 6:00 p.m.)

About cruise ships…be a little careful. I’ve heard that some cruise lines are using priests from a “dissenting group” whose members were ordained years ago, but left the priesthood to marry. That said, you may not be getting a valid Mass, so you may want to do some research on the particular priest beforehand. I’m going on a cruise this summer with a group of friends and we will be in one port early Sunday morning, and plan to go to Mass in port.

Third, with summer starting, this is a good time to bring this up. I recall as a kid we would leave for Scout camp on Sunday morning, and most of the time my mom would take my brothers and I to the Saturday evening Mass, which fulfilled our Sunday obligation.

Regarding cruise ships, Holland America has a contractual obligation to its Filipino crew to provide Mass and works with the Apostleship of the Sea, which is overseen by the USCCB, to provide valid priests, who also provide Mass for passengers. I believe some other cruise lines tend to have priests on board only at major holidays. If the priest is working through the Apostleship of the Sea, he should be fine.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

Hi all

Would it be a sin to knowingly go to a place on vacation where there would be no chance of going to Mass(since there would be none around), so basically I would skip it?

Or can I be excused?

Thanks

Enjoy your trip to China?