Work and the Third Commandment

[Tracyms1974]

Hello, everybody!

  I apologize to everyone for asking yet another question, but gosh, everyone here is so SMART!  I just *know* I'll get a good answer!  

  I originally thought that the only people exempt from going to Mass every Sunday for work-related reasons were people in life-saving positions (police, firemen, and medical personnel for example.)  However, I now find myself in a situation where I must miss Mass every other week because of work.  I do shift work, and we work all weekend every other weekend for twelve hour shifts.  The only way I may be able to attend Mass these weekends would be to get off an hour and a half early so that I could make the Saturday Vigil Mass, but I'm afraid that if I do that, my co-workers will cry "favoritism," and of course, there is no guarantee that my supervisors will let me do that, anyway.  

  The nature of my work is distribution of shoes.  Nobody's lives are at stake, but like textiles, it is hard to just "shut the place down."  Our job is to get orders out the door, and there are always a lot of them.  The plant is closed six days out of the year, and it's open 24/7.  There are four-twelve hour shifts, two day shifts and two night shifts.  I'm on one of the day shifts.  I also need this job to support my family.  We are in a lot of debt, so we need the money.  To tell you the truth, I also like the job pretty well, and would really hate to leave.  

  So, what do you fine folks think?  Will God be disappointed if I keep this job, or does he understand that I'm in a pinch and I need to do what I need to do?  I eagerly await your response(s).

Tracy

 

[stbruno]

I don’t know how close parish church’s are where you live. But perhaps you could check with your diocese office about mass times. Some parishes have very early masses or even late masses. I know college towns have Newman centers with 10pm. masses many times to accomodate the night owl college students. This way you could do both.

However, if that is not the case, talk to your confessor. He can ease your conflicted conscience at the very least. In my opinion, you are not missing mass through fault of your own. But be sure and attend mass on the days when you can attend.

Pray on it.

 

[thomasf]

Talk to your priest about it. Try to get a night shift on the weekends or an alternate shift. Who cares what your fellow employees say. Isn’t mass more important?

 

[Tracyms1974]

I have a three year old daughter, so working the night shift is out of the question for me. And once you are stuck on a shift (like I’m on A shift) you work those specific days. It’s not like retail where you can pick and choose your hours. The only time you work a different shift is for overtime and even then you are still responsible for working your assigned hours. Conceivably, I could work night shift, but it would be very hard, and like I said before, it would be all the time, not just when I needed to go to Mass. Plus my husband does not want me working the night shift.

That whole thing about my co-workers - I guess I’m just afraid that they will think that I’m “using the Mass thing” to get off work early even if I’m not. I won’t deny that it’s been done before (by other people - not me.), so maybe from experience, they may think that. And of course, supervisors are interested in production, not religious rights, so for that reason, I’m afraid to ask.

Tracy

 

[puzzleannie]

work is a legitimate reason to miss Mass, I would certainly talk to my confessor, which is what I did years ago when I was on rotating shifts. I made the evening Mass on either Sunday or Saturday at distant parishes when possible, but when family demands, travel, weather etc. made it impossible, I just could not go, and my confessor told me I had no obligation as long as I had made a reasonable effort to find alternatives. the situation was working 24 straight hours, so that only every 6 weeks did I have both Sat and Sun off., so missed Mass 2-3 times a month.

 

[Tracyms1974]

I’m glad to hear that I am not sinning, at least, in this situation. That was my primary concern. I will check into those Newman center Masses and out-of-town Masses. I’ll also talk to my parish priest when I get a chance. I appreciate the responses! I learn something new every day on this forum! Thanks for your time and attention.

Tracy

 

[jmj603]

The nature of my work is distribution of shoes. Nobody’s lives are at stake, but like textiles, it is hard to just “shut the place down.”

According to the Handbook of Moral Theology, by Dominic M. Prummer, OP, (Kenedy, 1957), w/double Imprimatur, double Nihil Obstat, ss. 426-7:

All servile, judicial and commercial work is forbidden on Sundays and holy days, but cultural and ordinary work is allowed (c. 1248)

Any form of servile, judicial or commercial work prevents man from giving sufficient attention to the worship of God, since it absorbs the attention of the mind and tires his body…

The prohibition of servile and judicial work is grave but allows for parvity of matter. It is thought that servile work lasting for more than two hours (either continuously or with intervals) without any excusing cause constitutes grave matter and is therefore grievously sinful. But if the work is light in character rather than servile, a space of three hours is considered necessary before grave matter exists.

…

Servile work is that which a) requires mainly bodily activity, b) has as its immediate purpose the welfare of the body, c) was formerly done by slaves; e.g. farm work such as digging or ploughing, mechanical work like sewing or making shoes.

(Italics preserved, bolding added.)

I’m glad to hear that I am not sinning, at least, in this situation.

I would caution you against relying exclusively on the advice of this board in matters of conscience!

Edit: And just to be absolutely clear, I’m not telling you that you’re sinning at all, or that you’re not!

I should add s. 428:

Causes which excuse from this precept can be reduced to three types: 1. personal need or that of another; 2. legitimate custom; 3. legitimate dispensation.

Personal need or that of another sometimes excuses from this precept, as, for example, farmers during harvest-time, the poor, domestic servants, workers responsible for the maintenance of machines in factories. Some necessity is thought to exist if there is danger of sinning as the result of idleness.

Custom in certain places excuses hair-dressers, drivers of public vehicles, hunters, fishers, those who sell small articles.

A dispensation in this law may be granted by the Holy See and also in particular cases by bishops, religious prelates, parish priests for their own parishioners (c. 1245). A confessor has no power to dispense in this matter but in doubtful cases he may interpret the law and allow his penitents to undertake necessary work.

 

[ltbpoe43]

God Bless you Tracy - hope you find a mass.
Is it possible there is a church next to one of your deliveries? Perhaps you could deliver, got to mass, back to deliveries? Maybe use your lunch break?

Or contact the parish and a lay minister could meet you at home? They do it for the sick but maybe for you too.

good luck

 

[otjm]

According to the Handbook of Moral Theology, by Dominic M. Prummer, OP, (Kenedy, 1957), w/double Imprimatur, double Nihil Obstat, ss. 426-7:

I would caution you against relying exclusively on the advice of this board in matters of conscience!

Edit: And just to be absolutely clear, I’m not telling you that you’re sinning at all, or that you’re not!

I should add s. 428:

It might also be pointed out that the above was written in 1957 when we did not have 24/7 work shifts in most businesses; states had what are called “blue laws” which prevented many businesses from operating on Sunday. Necessity has been recognized in Moral Law as a reason that Mass might be missed with no moral guilt. what is necessity now is different from what was necessity in 1957 due to changed circumstances of work shifts that by and large did not then exist.

 

[otjm]

Hello, everybody!

  I apologize to everyone for asking yet another question, but gosh, everyone here is so SMART!  I just *know* I'll get a good answer!  

  I originally thought that the only people exempt from going to Mass every Sunday for work-related reasons were people in life-saving positions (police, firemen, and medical personnel for example.)  However, I now find myself in a situation where I must miss Mass every other week because of work.  I do shift work, and we work all weekend every other weekend for twelve hour shifts.  The only way I may be able to attend Mass these weekends would be to get off an hour and a half early so that I could make the Saturday Vigil Mass, but I'm afraid that if I do that, my co-workers will cry "favoritism," and of course, there is no guarantee that my supervisors will let me do that, anyway.  

  The nature of my work is distribution of shoes.  Nobody's lives are at stake, but like textiles, it is hard to just "shut the place down."  Our job is to get orders out the door, and there are always a lot of them.  The plant is closed six days out of the year, and it's open 24/7.  There are four-twelve hour shifts, two day shifts and two night shifts.  I'm on one of the day shifts.  I also need this job to support my family.  We are in a lot of debt, so we need the money.  To tell you the truth, I also like the job pretty well, and would really hate to leave.  

  So, what do you fine folks think?  Will God be disappointed if I keep this job, or does he understand that I'm in a pinch and I need to do what I need to do?  I eagerly await your response(s).

Tracy

It might be possible that you could arrange a schedule that allowed you to extend the time of your work shift on a day or two - add 1 1/2 hours of work - during the weeks that your shift requires you to work on Sunday. It is my understanding that the labor laws will recognize that as legitimate and not overtime work when the net is a 40 hour week. I wouldn’t worry about co-workers comments if HR approves it; and if you are willing to make accomodations while you are asking the company to do likewise, it is not as if you were asking for a “privilege”.

Asking doesn’t hurt. The only stupid question is the one that isn’t asked…

 

[Vittorio23]

I would still ask your boss to get off early, so that you are making a fair attempt to go to Mass. Do not worry what your co-workers are thinking- you know your heart and reasoning and so does God. If they misjudge you, take that suffering and offer it up for their betterment.

As such, if you are still not able to go to Mass, speak to your priest or confessor about the matter- he can give you a dispensation and/or offer other suggestions.

 

[jmj603]

It might also be pointed out that the above was written in 1957 when we did not have 24/7 work shifts in most businesses; states had what are called “blue laws” which prevented many businesses from operating on Sunday. Necessity has been recognized in Moral Law as a reason that Mass might be missed with no moral guilt. what is necessity now is different from what was necessity in 1957 due to changed circumstances of work shifts that by and large did not then exist.

God knew all about modern society when He wrote the Third Commandment. No Commandment of God ever goes out of date. Non-essential 24/7 work shifts remain intrinsically immoral. There was the same reason to have 24/7 work in 1957 as there is now, and Popes have condemned this abuse. Many Christian business owners choose to sacrifice a certain amount of “competitive advantage” in order to obey the moral law.

In any event, necessity is a personal thing. Even if it were necessary for the factory owner to keep the factory open on Sunday in order to remain in business, that doesn’t automatically mean that it is necessary for a particular worker to work that shift.

 

[jmj603]

Even if it were necessary for the factory owner to keep the factory open on Sunday in order to remain in business

And that, of course, doesn’t necessarily qualify as “necessity” for the factory owner either.