Whatever happened to keeping the Sabbath day holy?

[Luvz2travel]

I work at a hotel, so it’s not like we can just tell all the guests to check out on Saturday night and not let anyone check in again until Monday. The only people who get weekends off are people with really high seniority with the company. I do the best I can to get to Mass on the weekends, but it’s not always possible.

I work two jobs one of which requires I work on Sunday. I’m the same I get to mass when I can but sometimes it’s just not possible. I look at it this way if GOD wants me there he’ll make it possible but my jobs are necessary to pay the bills and provide me with a home. If I don’t work I don’t get paid. No paycheck I don’t eat and become homeless. There’s no easy answer. For those that would say save I do but then something comes a long like car repair bills or medical stuff and wipes out the little I’ve saved.

 

[houseofsaul]

Regardless of when we attend Mass …Sunday is still the Sabbath Day.

And for the argument of those who say my Sabbath is Saturday, therefore I attend mass at Vigil…do you keep it holy all day? Or do you clean house, grocery shop, then attend Mass on Saturday night?

Just curious

 

[Mrs_Sally]

People consider their own preferences and convenience no matter which Mass time they attend. As long as you are attending a Sunday Mass (Saturday evening through Sunday evening) each week, it makes absolutely no difference which Mass time one attends.

Some chose to go to the early Sunday morning Mass because it is quieter, because they want to have the rest of the day ‘free’, or any number of reasons. Just as the person who goes Saturday evening or later in the day on Sunday might want to sleep in, or perhaps that time is better for their children.

As to how to keep the Sabbath, that is up to each person. A bit of sport, or a family meal out, or yardwork for example are perfectly allowable within the guidelines given to us by the Church.

If you decide that your own family’s schedule is too hectic on Sundays, then you need to make whatever adjustments necessary. Perhaps that means that your children play a different sport, or in a different league. Maybe the answer is to get other chores and activities done on a different day so that Sunday is just Mass and a recreational game or two that the whole family can relax and enjoy.

 

[hwriggles4]

Just out of curiosity, why do you think parishes offer a vigil Mass?

My understanding is the Saturday evening Vigil Mass was implemented after Vatican II. It’s goal was to give people a chance to attend Mass on Saturday evening for those who could not make it on Sunday. This is why the earliest this Mass can be scheduled is 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

This Mass works well for people who have to work on Sunday (retail, restaurant, hospital workers, nurse, hotel clerk, police officer, airline pilot, flight attendant, etc.) and for those who have circumstances like a travel day, such as an early flight Sunday morning, or a soccer or baseball game that begins at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning (I don’t think it was until about 20 years ago that soccer and baseball games began to get scheduled before noon on Sunday, but I digress).

I’ll admit there were times that I would make the Saturday evening Mass when I was working 60+ hours a week, with Sunday being my only day off. Attending Saturday evening Mass (or a Sunday evening Mass) gave me a chance to sleep in on Sunday.

I’ve also known a few people who regularly attend Saturday evening Mass. Some do this because they are involved in liturgical ministry at Saturday evening Mass (my mother usually lectors or is an EME at Saturday evening Mass, so that’s when she usually goes), others because they do prison ministry or teach CCD on Sunday morning, so they prefer to go to a Saturday evening Mass. I’ve also known choir people who even though they sing at Mass Sunday morning attend a Saturday evening Mass (or an extra Mass on Sunday) in order to concentrate on the readings and the homily. (Those of you reading this who have been involved in some liturgical ministries can relate to what I am saying here).

I will also admit there are times where I have taken a Catholic girl to Saturday evening Mass, and then we went out to dinner afterwards. That’s a good start for a date night, where the two of you could fulfill your Sunday obligation together.

As a little kid, my mother used to take my older brother and I to Saturday evening Mass with her, because she could leave my younger brothers (who were both under 7, and one was a baby) at home with my dad while she attended Mass. That way, my dad would go to church on Sunday by himself.

I have heard Patrick Madrid discuss this topic on Open Line on EWTN and on Catholic Answers. Mr. Madrid’s take on this is that regularly attending the Saturday evening Mass can be abused, particularly if one is just going for his or her own convenience.

 

[hwriggles4]

For what it’s worth, in college, I was the usher coordinator for the 5:30 p.m. Sunday evening Mass, so I regularly attended Sunday evening Mass in college. Even today, I know people who attend Sunday evening Mass regularly, and some do so because of work schedules, kids soccer games, etc.

For example, I know a few nurses and two emergency room physicians (one was a seminarian at one time) who are sometimes assigned to work on Sundays. A good parish near the medical center has a 7:30 p.m. Mass on Sunday evening. This Mass is convenient for these people who are assigned a 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. shift on Sunday.

Many Catholic Boy Scouts go camping once a month. Quite a few will return home on Sunday afternoon and go to the 5:30 p.m. Sunday evening Mass.

Many years ago, I had a job where I would work Saturday nights from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Sunday morning. I would go home, shower, change clothes, and go to 9:00 a.m. Mass. After Mass, I would often go back home and take a nap.

I’ve also known people who like to get up early on Sunday morning and go to the early Mass. Some like this because many of these are quieter Masses. Others like it because it leaves the day free to do other things. Whether you attend Mass early morning, mid-morning, early afternoon, Sunday night, or Sunday evening, you are fulfilling your Sunday obligation.

I could see if you are say, a pharmacist in a small town, you may have to work at Walgreens on Sunday. It may be hard for you to get to Mass if it is say, an hour drive to a place that has a later Mass Sunday evening. However, my experience living in some larger cities, it’s pretty hard not to miss Mass.

 

[MissRose73]

I do wish we could have some things like they do in parts of Ireland and the UK (mainly Northern Ireland). On Sundays, it was hard to find anything open before noon on Sundays, and some retail places open for a few hours, usually from 12 noon to 5 pm with the exception of most restaurants, petrol stations, and chemists/drug stores as examples that have are open before noon and usually past 5 pm. But I don’t think that would work here in the USA, and it was nice on Sunday mornings that it was quiet in the city centers especially.

 

[nana3]

My husband likes to go shopping on Sunday sometimes after Mass. I have told him that I don’t but we end up going and he tells me I can wait in the car. I live in Florida and it can get hot and with gas prices, I am not going to sit in the car with the engine on to have the AC running. So I go in and when I get a chance I go to Confession and one time I told a priest this and his answer was that it was not a sin, it is recreation time with my family. I disagree with him, but that is me. I have always been taught that if you didn’t need to go shopping for something that is not absolutely necessary don’t do on a Sunday.

I too, when I worked as a nurse in the military, I did not get to go to Mass on Saturday night or Sunday for weeks. I had to work 12 hours and our head nurse was not fair in scheduling and would put the new nurses every weekend. He was a Catholic, so I approached him one day and told him how I feel bad, even though I knew I was not in moral sin since it was out of my control, that I could not go to Mass on Sundays. He told me to ask the other nurses on my shift on Sunday if it was slow if they mind if I went to the on base chapel for Mass. It only lasted 30 minutes for all those who had to work on base. The nurses didn’t mind and I was happy and went, but then I got an atheist as a supervisor and she found out what I was doing and told me I could not leave the hospital anymore. My head nurse was upset and just tried his hardest to give me every other weekend off so I would only miss every other weekend going to Mass and not every Sunday.

As far as the soccer, I agree, there are too many games on Sunday. My sister, who is a single mom has to work around the soccer games as well. Where I see it as wrong is if they don’t make it to Mass. That is where I tell her that she needs to miss the game. Just today, she told me, she dropped off her daughter for her game and she can’t stay because she afford to pay to stay, you have to pay to watch your kids play, and so she went to Mass with her son, but her daughter who is 15 years old did not go today. That is when I as a parent would just tell the coach my daughter would not be going and this is a Catholic High School so they should understand. My niece called me to tell me she felt bad in not going. So she at least knew it was wrong for her to miss Mass. I told her to get her driver’s license soon so she can drive herself to Mass soon. No one wanted to take her. So it is really my sister’s fault. She said she was too tired to drive her to the church and then go back and pick her up. But yes, my niece has a soccer game every Sunday. She wants me to come to one with my camera so I can take photos, but it is usually during Mass time and I can’t. I will have to wait when I can go on a Saturday night Mass. I am her Godmother and I try to be her example.

 

[BettyBoop416]

I have heard Patrick Madrid discuss this topic on Open Line on EWTN and on Catholic Answers. Mr. Madrid’s take on this is that regularly attending the Saturday evening Mass can be abused, particularly if one is just going for his or her own convenience.

Mr. Madrid is certainly entitled to his “take” on the subject. However, Mr. Madrid is not speaking with any authority. By attending the Saturday evening Mass I am fulfilling my obligation. Good enough for the Church…good enough for me.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

Oops. I read the post wrong. Yes if you attend the vigil only because you want to sleep in, you have to wonder if you are putting your sleep ahead of God.

What do you mean?

Let’s say I go to Sunday morning mass because Saturday evening, I want to go out with my friends. Is that “putting my friends above God”?

I don’t follow at all - people have various priorities. Whether it be catching up on sleep, having a family BBQ, visiting a friend, attending some other event - whatever. Naturally they go to mass in such a way so as to be convenient to fulfill their other priorities. How is that wrong?

 

[SuperLuigi]

I’m not sure what it means anymore to keep the Sabbath day holy. It seems our society has completely lost the notion of Sunday as a day of rest. Other than going to church, Sunday seems no different than any other day. Even in our own religion, I never hear anything taught about what it means to keep the Sabbath holy. Obviously we are supposed to go to mass, but is that it? Is that all it means?

For example, I have multiple kids in recreational soccer. Once they get to age 14, all their games switch from Saturdays to Sundays. Now we run crazy trying to get them to their games all over the place and still get to Mass. We work Mass around soccer games. It seems like it should be the other way around. I want my kids to be able to participate in activities, but it seems those activities all too often take over your life.

It just feels wrong. I think we’ve lost sight of what the Sabbath is supposed to be. I think it’s supposed to be more than just going to church. Anyone else feel the same?

Family activities like sports are okay on Sunday. What is frowned upon permitted is servile work that you don’t really enjoy.

I think that if you are busy with your kids activities that is an appropriate thing to do on Sunday. It’s also good for kids to be involved in activities because it will help them go to college if that is what they want to do and it keeps them out of trouble.

It is a commitment, but I don’t see how that would be a sin.

What the Church frowns upon are things like unnecessary shopping for things we don’t need or going out of our way to work that really isn’t necessary. What this does in the market is shows businesses they can get revenue on Sunday and it gives them an incentive to have people work on Sunday.

Those are my notes. If you want know more, I would refer you to an apologist.

 

[SuperLuigi]

Unfortunately Christians have given in as well? We eat out on Sunday after Mass, we shop our local WalMart, etc.

Eating out is fine, but I wouldn’t do the Walmart shopping.

 

[HopenHappiness]

I also long for days past when on Sunday you got up went to church, the kids went to religious classes either before or after depending on which Mass you attended. Then afterwards families gathered together for a big Sunday Dinner and family fun.

It is sad that children now a days will never know this feeling. Because of the almighty dollar, and corporations in retail making people work or lose their jobs. And as traditions fall, so does the family. All we can do it hang on tight and try to teach the younger generations about past ways. Family is one thing you can’t buy or put a price on.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

I also long for days past when on Sunday you got up went to church, the kids went to religious classes either before or after depending on which Mass you attended. Then afterwards families gathered together for a big Sunday Dinner and family fun.

It is sad that children now a days will never know this feeling. Because of the almighty dollar, and corporations in retail making people work or lose their jobs. And as traditions fall, so does the family. All we can do it hang on tight and try to teach the younger generations about past ways. Family is one thing you can’t buy or put a price on.

It is certainly well within your power to create that family tradition. If you or your husband work at jobs that mean you have to work on weekends, then perhaps not every week. But whenever possible, you can do exactly that - go to Mass and have a nice family day afterwards.

We have started a similar ‘tradition’ just this year. After Mass we have dinner and a ‘grown-up’ discussion. My son is in high school and reallly loves this.

 

[Rico_S]

For example, I have multiple kids in recreational soccer. Once they get to age 14, all their games switch from Saturdays to Sundays. Now we run crazy trying to get them to their games all over the place and still get to Mass. We work Mass around soccer games. It seems like it should be the other way around. I want my kids to be able to participate in activities, but it seems those activities all too often take over your life.

1. How is ones family enjoying a sports outing for one for the kids not keeping the Sabbath holy?
2. A single game on Sunday constitutes running your kids all over the place?

 

[Rico_S]

. And as traditions fall, so does the family. All we can do it hang on tight and try to teach the younger generations about past ways.

Or simply start new traditions.

 

[Chris-WA]

1. How is ones family enjoying a sports outing for one for the kids not keeping the Sabbath holy?
2. A single game on Sunday constitutes running your kids all over the place?

With four kids in soccer it’s at least two games every Sunday, sometimes three. Saturdays there is always at least one game.

But that’s really not the point of this thread. I think many have missed the gist of the the whole topic, so hopefully I can steer it back on point. What I’m getting at is what people think it means to keep the Sabbath holy. I personnally think we have lost much of what this is really supposed to mean. I never hear this topic come up in homilies. I never hear fellow Catholics talk about it. And I find that troublesome because I do think we Catholics used to have a much better sense of keeping the Sabbath holy, but in recent times have allowed ourselves to secularize it to the point that it no longer seems special or different.

I agree with the poster who said that the Church expects us refrain from unnecessary things on the Sabbath that distract us from its true purpose and meaning as given to us by God. That is correct. I also think we as Catholics largely ignore that admonition, and I’m just as guilty. I think I can do better. Obviously some must work to support their families, and I would never begruge anyone for doing that if they are forced to work on Sunday. But for those of us that have a choice, are we really trying to keep it holy, or do we come up with a bunch of excuses to rationalize our way out of it? I’m asking myself as well.

 

[hwriggles4]

With four kids in soccer it’s at least two games every Sunday, sometimes three. Saturdays there is always at least one game.

But that’s really not the point of this thread. I think many have missed the gist of the the whole topic, so hopefully I can steer it back on point. What I’m getting at is what people think it means to keep the Sabbath holy. I personally think we have lost much of what this is really supposed to mean. I never hear this topic come up in homilies. I never hear fellow Catholics talk about it. And I find that troublesome because I do think we Catholics used to have a much better sense of keeping the Sabbath holy, but in recent times have allowed ourselves to secularize it to the point that it no longer seems special or different.

Yes, this did get derailed. I thought it was about what is acceptable on Sunday. I did want to mention that I was a kid primarily through the 70’s and 80’s. Most of the soccer and baseball games that my brothers and I had on Sundays were not scheduled until after 12:00 p.m. Today, I have friends who have kids and there are many soccer games scheduled as early as 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning. I was also on a swim team in the late 70’s and we never had a swim meet on Sundays - they were always on Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to about 1:00 p.m.

I’m also old enough to remember that Texas had “blue laws” in place where the mall was closed on Sunday. That ended in 1983. Today, I’ve noticed the public library is open only on Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and the times I have gotten a haircut on Sundays, haircut places do not open until 1:00 p.m. In Texas, beer and wine cannot be purchased before 12:00 p.m. on Sunday (ok - I worked at a grocery store years ago). I’ve noticed that some dry cleaners and oil change places are open, but with reduced hours, say 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. These reduced hours make it easier on Sundays for church attendance by Catholics and our Protestant bretheren. Several Baptist churches in Texas have an evening service too, and quite a few Methodists and Lutherans have services beginning at 9:00 a.m.

I have heard priests discuss that needless work should not be done on Sunday, but I know sometimes that can’t be avoided. Those who work six days a week sometimes find that Sunday is the only day to run errands and do laundry (been there - done that - hello). However, some people are able to arrange things where say, a dry cleaner run or an oil change could be done on a Tuesday evening instead of a Sunday. There are times I end up going to the grocery store on Sunday, but I prefer to go during the week.

It’s good to take a family day to go on a picnic, have a barbecue, or go hang out at a park or the local public pool. Attending a sporting event is good family fun too.

I once heard on Catholic radio where a professor at a Catholic University encouraged his students not to begin doing their homework on Sunday until after 5:00 p.m. That gave students a chance to use the Sabbath as a day of rest.

I know The Baltimore Catechism has a section on this question - I will have to look it up. Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut.