When Catholicism becomes Invalid

[gelsbern]

I find it interesting that most of the solutions to this dilemma suggest that a dispensation is given so that a pious Catholic need not practice. Without receiving the Eucharist at least once yearly, no Catholicism is present.

The dispensations are supposed to be for extreme circumstances. They aren’t just handed out willy nilly and if a person is trying to obtain dispensations to avoid practicing then they could hardly be considered a Pious catholic. In fact, a Pious catholic tries as much as possible to avoid extenuating circumstances so that they can practice regularly.

As far as dispensations go, it could be simply:

“You have a dispensation from attending Mass on Sundays while you are in outer space for your mission, but here’s a pyx with 10 hosts in them for your 5 year journey to Mars. Every Sunday you will pray the rosary, read the readings for the day and spend 15 minutes reading from one of the early church fathers. I have given you a list of suggested books to help you out.”

The dispensation isn’t always a doing away with an obligation, but can be the replacing of one obligation with another. There was a general dispensation given to Catholics (at least in the United States) in regards to abstaining from meat on Fridays outside of Lent. What many are unaware of, or have forgotten, or have never been taught is that it wasn’t an abolishment of abstinence on Fridays outside of Lent, but rather gave freedom for catholics to replace the abstinence with some other form of penance. If they don’t do some other form of penance, then they should abstain from meat on Fridays outside of Lent.

And even if one is given a dispensation for the 5 year mission to Mars in that they don’t have to receive the Eucharist catholicism is still there. Remember, what is bound on earth is bound in heaven. This was given to Peter as well as the other apostles and has been passed down from bishop to bishop. If the church declares it, Christ will honor it.