Work on Good Friday?

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I know that Good Friday is not what’s considered a “holy day of obligation”. I once asked a priest years ago if shopping on Good Friday was a sin, which I was told it wasn’t. But I’ve made it my business NOT to work that day.

I’ve suddenly had to re-arrange my work schedule to accomodate a difficult-to-get appointment (made by someone else without consulting me). To humor my boss and get this day off, I offered to work Good Friday in exchange. He was originally letting me take Friday off. So, now I’m working Good Friday - just during the hours of the Passion - Noon to 5. Dreadful! Is this a sin - if so, venial? How does the Church look upon this - working this most somber day / hours on our calendar? Anyone?
 
Good Friday is not a Holy Day of Obligation, so there are no restrictions on work. While it would be more to your liking to be attending the Liturgy of the Passion during that time, you can do your work as well as you possibly can, joining your work and your disappointment at having to be there to Christ as He carries the Cross for you. Without knowing what kind of work you do, may I suggest that perhaps you work more quietly and seriously than usual, in keeping with the tone of the day. Of course, if you work with the public or in some other way helping others, you’ll have to be exteriorly cheerful while you maintain as much interior recollection as you can.

Can you go to Stations in the evening? It’s better than nothing.

Betsy
 
I agree with Betsy, sorry you can’t get the day off…it certainly a slow time for most of us already. If you have to work, try to do it with our Lord in your mind and heart. Maybe you can attend Good Friday services in the evening, that would sure help… .Peace …
 
if you are a priest that sees this and becomes pope one day, please make Good Friday a holy day!!!

But no it is not a sin although I would try not to work on such a solemn day.
 
SacredHeartFan said:
if you are a priest that sees this and becomes pope one day, please make Good Friday a holy day!!!

But no it is not a sin although I would try not to work on such a solemn day.
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Good Friday can never be a Holy Day of Obligation. All Holy Days of Obligation have Masses which we are required to attend. There is no Mass on Good Friday.
 
SacredHeartFan said:
if you are a priest that sees this and becomes pope one day, please make Good Friday a holy day!!!

But no it is not a sin although I would try not to work on such a solemn day.
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That’s how I was raised - it’s a very solemn day - no work. And while I originally asked for it off, last-minute business re-directed my plans…I had already requested Good Friday off - and got it - but then this scheduling rearranged things. (God forgive me, please.) But as to your request re making Good Friday a holy day of obligation - then one has to ask how many other holy days of obligation do we work…(other than Sunday)…December 8th and August 15th being two. Bad enough, but Good Friday is really a tough one for this spiritually poor ConservativeOne.

But as to “thistle’s” reply - it’s interesting. No Mass on Good Friday but that changed a bit (used to be not even Holy Communion and now, while there’s no Mass, there’s Consecration and Holy Communion - at least in some places).:confused:
 
ConservativeOne said:
I know that Good Friday is not what’s considered a “holy day of obligation”. I once asked a priest years ago if shopping on Good Friday was a sin, which I was told it wasn’t. But I’ve made it my business NOT to work that day.

I’ve suddenly had to re-arrange my work schedule to accomodate a difficult-to-get appointment (made by someone else without consulting me). To humor my boss and get this day off, I offered to work Good Friday in exchange. He was originally letting me take Friday off. So, now I’m working Good Friday - just during the hours of the Passion - Noon to 5. Dreadful! Is this a sin - if so, venial? How does the Church look upon this - working this most somber day / hours on our calendar? Anyone?
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I’d say that people have to work and make a living. But, I would be mindful of what day it is, and at 3:00 pm, if possible, have a quiet moment of prayer and reflection, then maybe go to a service that night.

-Jeanne
 
It’s just another day in the security business. However, because I work alone, I can pray the stations in the morning (with the recording in my MP3 player), and the Chaplet at 3.

DaveBj
 
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jeanne71350 said:
I’d say that people have to work and make a living. But, I would be mindful of what day it is, and at 3:00 pm, if possible, have a quiet moment of prayer and reflection, then maybe go to a service that night.
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Just a question:
Isn’t Good Friday - in German Karfreitag - a holiday in the US?
Karfreitag is a nation-wide legal holiday over here. Very quiet.
Though it’s mainly a very high Protestant holiday, everyone keeps quiet. (No noise of work). Nearly all official events (cinemas etc) are closed.
To me it’s a terribly sad day, and I’m very glad when 15hours is over! Good-Friday touches me a lot more than the memory-day when my son was murdered.**
 
My sympathies Bruno.

As far as I know it isn’t a holiday in the US - it is here in Australia though.

And Good Friday services do NOT have consecration - this is not permitted. Instead, they distribute communion that was consecrated at Holy Thursday Mass the day before.
 
**Thanks!

sad thing, that good Friday is no holiday in the US
its such a very importand day to think about what happened for us out of God’s love.

Of course here too as in all the Catholic world - on Good Friday is no communion - just silent service - and no Church-bells.

Even so, many Children even over here, are not brought up religious. I must rudly ay “because parents seem too stupid to do so!” sorry.

A short time ago I spoke to Catholics about the matter and gave them a hint how to speak about God to Children
I put it in a post here:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=323756&goto=newpost

I**
 
Bruno_Schulz said:
**

Just a question:
Isn’t Good Friday - in German Karfreitag - a holiday in the US?
Karfreitag is a nation-wide legal holiday over here. Very quiet.
Though it’s mainly a very high Protestant holiday, everyone keeps quiet. (No noise of work). Nearly all official events (cinemas etc) are closed.
To me it’s a terribly sad day, and I’m very glad when 15hours is over! Good-Friday touches me a lot more than the memory-day when my son was murdered.**
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Sadly, Bruno - No. The U.S. is notorious for NOT recognizing religious holidays - except for Christmas. Matter of fact, the U.S. has consolidated two secular holidays (Lincoln and Washington B’days) into “President’s Day” ! However, I think the New York Stock Exchange used to close on Good Friday (I could be wrong) = not sure around the world.

I’ve always known that Good Friday is not a “holiday” - not even an official “holy day” of obligation as is January 1st (Circumcision), August 15th (The Assumption), December 8th (Immaculate Conception), All Saints’ Day, and Christmas.

However, Good Friday is as somber and high a holy day as one can think of - be they Christian OR Catholic. Even though not observed by all - many businesses either closed due to slow day or at least closed at 3:00 (a bit too late for the important services - Noon to 3:00). This year will be a conscience issue - since I’d only worked once before when not given a choice and made it my business never to do so again. It was a day of silence (at least during the “Three Hours”) even if just at home, and I started a tradition to not even watch TV (except for news) that day. This year, my conscience will be tugging at my heart - feeling even lesser of an observant Catholic than ever before - and perhaps, reminding me WHY Our Lord died on the Cross for us. How little does one do in return?
Please, God, forgive me.
 
*Oh, I’m sorry–I feel for you:console:…I worked many moons ago, and like you, it felt ‘wrong’ to a degree, to be doing something other than praying, being silent, especially during the timeframe of when our Lord is dying upon the cross. 😦

It’s not sinful* however, to be working on Good Friday.

Is there any way at all you can get out of working this Friday? I would try try try to do so, and say to your boss that you made an error, and can you make up the time another week, maybe not take a day off another week or something to make up for this? Work through lunches?

I’m just grasping at some alternatives for you. :o
 
Good Friday is a state holiday here in Louisiana. The feasts of Christmas, Our Lady of Prompt Succor and Fr. Seelos are also state holidays! 🙂
 
Growing up in Massachusetts, Good Friday was a holiday. When I went to Michigan State, Good Friday was a day with no classes. When I moved up to Canada the Provinces of Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba all hold Good Friday as holidays.

Here in Finland, Good Friday is a solemn and quiet day with almost every business closed. Saturday is a shopping day, but Easter Sunday and Monday are both holidays.
 
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ConservativeOne said:
Our Lord died on the Cross for us. How little does one do in return?
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If we only had knocked Jesus hard with our elbow, it would have been incredible!!!
But this… !***

How incredible high are our sins!!!

A huge sin we all committed one day, is to doubt for a split second !

Let’s never never never doubt in our life - however strong Satan is tempting us to.

***remember that (funny) Queen of England. The President of France, Mitterand once knocked her accidentally with his elbow - the queen and the press made a lot of fuss about it :mad: how very silly indeed!

**
I’m off here in this thread - as I’m in too many threads already
might be we meet there - I’d be glad to
or if you like - send me a mail 👍
Mail address is
Krippenfiguren at t-online.de at as @ with no space right and left
 
LilyM said:
My sympathies Bruno.

As far as I know it isn’t a holiday in the US - it is here in Australia though.

And Good Friday services do NOT have consecration - this is not permitted. Instead, they distribute communion that was consecrated at Holy Thursday Mass the day before.
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FYI, you’re find here in the U.S., that Good Friday will be observed as a Simi Holiday mostly in the North Eastern States due to the heavy Union influence up there. As you make your way west where Unions don’t have quite a stronghold, Good Friday is treated as a pretty normal day as far as businesses go. That’s my experience anyway.

Personally, I take off Good Friday every year so I can go to Church and Adoraton Thursday night and observe some Services on Friday. Thanks be to God for that…

Have a Holy Week!
 
I’m sorry for you - but it seems like you’ve gotten some really good advice up-thread.

In Norway, both Holy Thursday and Good Friday are public holidays - on GF they don’t even allow commercials on tv, only ads for non-profit organisations. Easter Sunday and Monday are likewise holidays, giving most people a five-day weekend they really appreciate (since Norway’s so secularized, most go skiing in the mountains.) Ascension day and Pentecost Monday are also holidays, making things a lot easier for the devout Catholic! (They’re the result of Protestantism, tho - Catholics weren’t even allowed entry to Norway until 1842 after the reformation.)

However, hospitals and the like must keep open, so for many years while I was in college, I worked on Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Usually evening shifts, so I managed to get the Good Friday service (even tho I had to sneak out a bit early) but I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to finally attend Mass of the Lord’s Supper again! Hopefully, this will be a one-year occurence for you, but imagine those who can’t attend Mass on any of these days, because they are sick, or because they live in countries where being Catholic is discouraged or forbidden, or for other reasons.
 
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