Will I have to go to mass?

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TeenageConvert

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I asked almost the same thing a few months back, buttt I wasn’t Catholic yet so I didn’t have an obligation./
I’m at my(Pentecostal) grandmother’s house right now, and normally when we come here we go to her church on Sunday’s…there is a Catholic church in the area, and they have a mass at 5:00 tonight which counts as a sunday mass.
Do I have to ask her or my dad to take me by there?(I’m too young to drive)
she might know about my conversion, but I’m not sure because I’ve never actually said anything to her about it…

I just don’t want her to freak out if she doesn’t know, and she finds out I joined the Catholic Church(she was raised Cathoilc and rejected it)

Thanks!
 
Yes, you DO have an obligation to attend Mass. However, if you are too young to drive, and the church is not within a reasonable walking distance (more than a mile away or so), and no one in your family will take you to Mass, then you may have a legitimate reason not to go.

I would discuss this with your pastor.

I would also strongly recommend that you NOT try to hide the fact that you are a Catholic. Be proud of your decision. If you stand up for your beliefs, and you really make an effort to attend Mass, you just may be an example to others in your family (including your grandmother),

I know how you feel. I converted at the age of 9, was not baptized until I was 13, and I am STILL the only Catholic in my immediate family. My sister has gone to RCIA, partly because I went to Mass on a regular basis as a teen.

You should always strive to set a good example. That is the best way to draw people into the church that there is.

As St. Paul said, “By their works, you shall know them”.
 
As Old Medic said, you do have an obligation to go to mass if at all possible, so do ask…and invite any who wish, to attend with you.

Of course if they refuse then you have done your best.
I would suggest in that case you go off for awhile and pray a rosary or divine Mercy while meditating on the Eucharist.

If granny “freaks out” - well there really isn’t much you can do about that.

Peace
James
 
Can you take a cab if they don’t drive you and if you can’t walk there?
I often ask myself about weekend mass attendance because I go a couple of times during the week. And the answer is always the same. Why risk not going unless you’re physically incapable of going. Try your best to be obedient in matters of your faith.
God bless you.🙂
 
I have some Pentecostal background as well as I married a Methodist before I converted 6 years ago. It might be worth your while to strike up some conversations about how you love Jesus and want to please him. Pentecostals are more Catholic than they realize. In most cases they have no knowledge of the sacraments, as their church does not have them except for baptism, even though they do not call it a sacrament. If your grandmother is an ex-Catholic, the conversation may turn to why she left the church. Be prepared to answer some faith questions. Tell her you will find the answers to her questions if you don’t already know them. Everyone here can help.

Most ex-Catholics leave becasue they do not know their faith as well as they could. She will probably love to have some faith conversations with you.

Of course you could bring up that it is better you want to go to church than some wild party on a Saturday night. lol

I will be praying for you.
 
Since you’re are a minor I would say your culpability is limited. You should ask an adult to drive you to mass, but if no one will then you have a reasonable excuse to miss mass. Were you an adult then obviously you would need to find a way to get to mass car or no car unless some very extraordinary circumstances presented themselves. Also, if you can’t get to the vigil mass this evening then you could always try to go to a morning mass on Sunday.

As for worrying about how your grandmother will react, if she doesn’t know you have converted yet then she’s going to find out sooner or later. Why not find out directly from you instead of through another source who might not be as informed about or charitable towards your conversion. I am sure your grandmother loves you and even if she is upset at first will eventually come around to accept your decision even if she disagrees with it. Remember, as Christians we are called to witness to our faith and sometimes that witness (even when it involves other Christians) can be difficult for us. But it is through such trials that we demonstrate our love for Christ and earn great merit.
 
Wait a minute. Don’t forget the 4th commandment.

St. Josemaria Escriva told a young Jewish woman who wanted to join the Church to obey her parents until she came of age. He told her that as a child or teen, she had a greater obligation to obey her parents and specifically told her to never argue with her parents about it.

youtube.com/user/josemariaescriva#p/u/5/34vJiib7kzs

-Tim-
 
Tim: I remember hearing that, and I made sure that my parents had no problems with me converting…they don’t, and I don’t think I am in any way dishonoring my parents by practicing my religion.
 
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