What is the procedure for when you miss Mass

[ClairUK]

Hi, I’m not Catholic yet, so under no obligation, but I don’t like to miss Mass anyway - however I missed it this morning because I’ve been poorly on and off for a week and not being sure what is wrong with me I didn’t like to risk passing anything on (have had sickness and kidney pain but not sure if it’s a kidney infection or a stomach bug, am going to doctor’s tomorrow).
I’m just wondering - when you are a Catholic and obliged to attend Mass, what do you do when you can’t, and cannot give advance notice about it…do you confess it and what is a dispensation?
Many thanks in advance

 

[Little_One0307]

Hi,

First and foremost if you are sick, then you are excused from Mass. If one misses Mass for a personal illness than that is not a sin and therefore would not need Confesssion.

If however one for example drinks a lot the night before and wakes up with a hangover or is throwing up the next morning and claims that as a reason to miss Mass, well then that is a sin and needs to be confessed. That “sickness” could have been avoided.

Dispensation in this case is when you would ask the priest if you could miss Mass becuase of something that might come up in your life, hosptial stay or another emergency and the priest would release you from fulfilling your obligation. [Again Missing Mass for these too would not need Confession.]

If something akin to emergencies or personal illness come up than no you don’t have to Confess it.

God bless.

 

[novusCatholic]

I’m not Catholic yet, so under no obligation, but I don’t like to miss Mass anyway…

It’s great that you want to attend Mass even though you are not yet officially obligated. Just as God loves a cheerful giver, I’m sure that he also appreciates a joyful attender!

 

[odile53]

I had to miss Mass this spring when I developed a really disgusting case of pinkeye and woke up with it one Sunday morning. The procedure was to go to urgent care and get it taken care of! Then I came home, put on a pair of sunglasses, and watched the Mass on TV. Not the same, obviously, but at least I could hear the word of God.

I’m sure my fellow parishioners appreciated me keeping my highly contagious infection to myself.

I have heard somewhere that if you are required to be present to care for an ill person (and can’t get away for a couple of hours to attend Mass,) you are excused. However, I’d check this out with my parish priest before assuming it’s okay.

 

[ClairUK]

Thanks for the replies all, that’s a relief, I tend to get ill a fair bit and also have a 4 year old who catches every bug going…good to know I’m not going to be in confession every 5 minutes over it!

 

[puzzleannie]

Hi,I’m just wondering - when you are a Catholic and obliged to attend Mass, what do you do when you can’t, and cannot give advance notice about it…do you confess it and what is a dispensation?
Many thanks in advance

if something comes up, illness, severe weather, whatever prevents you from getting to Mass you use your own prudential judgement. If it is something you know about in advance–you will be on a cruise for instance–you may ask for a dispensation, or again use your best judgement and make every effort to find a Mass or adjust your plans, but if you cannot get to Mass with reasonable effort there is no obligation. If this starts happening on a regular basis it’s time to speak with the priest. For instance if your work schedule changes, then you probably want to ask for a dispensation since it will be a regular thing.