what should i do

[spirocatania]

hi i have a problem where a parent of mine has missed mass the last 2 weeks. the problem is he works on Sundays so his only chance is the saturday evening mass. we meaning me or my brother would drive. he drives but not as much as before.

the problem is he has done it before and taken commuion. i do not want to be judgmental. i have asked him if he wants to come to confession with me a few times and he simply says that he doesn’t need to because he has not done anything wrong. I did not say anything like you missed mass or you took communion at the next mass. he thinks because he works on sunday the lord understands he said to me once.

what do i do i think it is wrong of my to say to him you have commited mortal sin and should go to confession i would think that would be a sin for me. i can not tell him what to do and it will be on my mind when we go and receve comunion.

so is it a mortal sin if he thinks what he has done is ok.

 

[Trishie]

Hi,
From The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Sunday obligation

2180 The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass."117 "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day."118

2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor*.119 Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.123 Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.

*Perhaps you could suggest to your Dad that your peace of mind would be assured if he would just ask your priest if his reason is sufficient.

 

[Trishie]

Regarding your conscience and your Dad’s.
This is what the Catechism of the Catholic Church proclaims regarding sin.

1857 For a sin to be mortal, three conditions must together be met: "Mortal sin is sin whose object is grave matter and which is also committed with full knowledge and deliberate consent."131

1858 Grave matter is specified by the Ten Commandments, corresponding to the answer of Jesus to the rich young man: "Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and your mother."132 The gravity of sins is more or less great: murder is graver than theft. One must also take into account who is wronged: violence against parents is in itself graver than violence against a stranger.

1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart133 do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.

1860 Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offense. But no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man. The promptings of feelings and passions can also diminish the voluntary and free character of the offense, as can external pressures or pathological disorders. Sin committed through malice, by deliberate choice of evil, is the gravest.