Weekends away and mass

[Atreyu]

My parents have a shack that is located in quite a remote part of my state and not very close to a Catholic church. Is there any way that I can spend an entire weekend there (and hence miss church)? I don’t want to miss church, but I would also like to be able to use the shack for more than a single night… Any ideas?

 

[DavidFilmer]

You may be excused from your obligation to attend Mass for a variety of reasons. One of them is if you are so far from a Church that your attendance is not realistically possible. It would be good to at least spend some time in prayer in lieu of Mass.

Have a nice time.

 

[Didi]

You should ask your priest to give you a dispensation to miss Mass. By the way, what is a very remote area? Is it an hour to a Church, two hours or more?

I remember many times being on vacation with my family as a child and we would often drive two hours out of our way to make Sunday Mass. Really made an impression on me. How far is too far to go?

 

[Atreyu]

I guess it’s not that far, and it was something I was considering (driving an hour or so each way). Actually I guess it would be quite nice to visit a small parish in a country town, if I can find one. Thanks for your help

 

[DavidFilmer]

Atreyu:

…a small parish in a country town, if I can find one. Thanks for your help

Check out MassTimes

 

[Atreyu]

Thanks David, but it doesn’t really help me as I’m Australian… But it’s all good, I know the website to go to Thanks anyway!

 

[StCsDavid]

When we go camping over the weekend we will take some time on Sunday to read and discuss the readings of the mass. It’s by no means a substitute, but it’s a way to observe the Lord’s day.

 

[Didi]

Atreyu:

I guess it’s not that far, and it was something I was considering (driving an hour or so each way). Actually I guess it would be quite nice to visit a small parish in a country town, if I can find one. Thanks for your help

I think you’ll be really glad you did!

I remember a story a good priest friend of mine told about an elderly lady who lived in the boundary waters in Canada. She had to first walk several miles (with her canoe on her back), then canoe for a few hours, then walk again with her canoe a few more miles to make it to Church every Sunday. It took her something like 4 hours each way. Really inspiring.

 

[Mt19_26]

If we’re too far from a church on the weekend we ask our priest for a dispensation. When we get back we attend one of the weekday Masses.

My wife’s sister’s family who lives about 2 1/2 hours away and visits quite often routinely uses the “excuse” that they have to travel back home on Sunday so they don’t have “time” for Mass. I find that as one of the worse excuses I’ve ever heard and I think they look as Mass as an “inconvience” which is pretty sad. My son who sometimes travels back up with them to spend the week there asked one time when he realized that they wouldn’t attend Mass to bring him to the Vigil Mass. I think that made an impression on them since I heard they were going attend Mass when they got home…I asked my son when he got back if they attended Mass and sadly he said no because they had no time .

 

[LouiseL_SFO]

Atreyu, do you have a college or university nearby (in your hometown)? They will often have mass late on Sunday afternoon or evening, because student are away for the weekend and may not go to mass otherwise.

I attended Niagara University and there was one at 11 pm which got billed “The last chance mass”. Holy Cross College in Boston apparently has 7 and 10 pm on Sunday. These are both Catholic colleges but at the local secular college in my home town our pastor is the chaplin. He celebrates mass there at 4 pm. I attended that when I worked from 4:30 pm to 1 am as I had to work on Sat evening. I had Sun night off but getting home after 1 I was rarely in bed before 3 so it was easier then getting up for an am mass.

 

[Atreyu]

Atreyu, do you have a college or university nearby (in your hometown)? They will often have mass late on Sunday afternoon or evening, because student are away for the weekend and may not go to mass otherwise.

Well, the university life is a bit different in Australia; the vast majority of students go to a local University, so they don’t do a lot of travelling over the weekend. Certainly my state (which is an island state) is a bit expensive to travel to and from every weekend so not a lot of people do it. I’m a student myself and our campus only has one mass every week, on a thursday. It’s a great little service, usually less than 10 people go and it’s really nice.

Anyway, it is a good idea; to go to a late mass on a sunday. I know there’s a 5:15pm mass near me, I’ll have to check if there are any ones later on. Thanks everyone for their suggestions and thoughts (I love the canoe story)!