Working on Sundays and Holidays?

[nsper7]

I recently graduated from college and am now looking for work. Needless to say, it is not going well. In order to find work, one of the best ways to be a step above the other perspective employee is to have high amounts of availability. Is it okay to be willing to work on Sunday and holidays (Holy Days of Obligation) as long as I am able to make it to Mass on those days regardless of whether I work or not?

 

[utunumsint]

I recently graduated from college and am now looking for work. Needless to say, it is not going well. In order to find work, one of the best ways to be a step above the other perspective employee is to have high amounts of availability. Is it okay to be willing to work on Sunday and holidays (Holy Days of Obligation) as long as I am able to make it to Mass on those days regardless of whether I work or not?

It depends on what kind of work you do. If you are in the service industry, you can work on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.

2187…Traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure. With temperance and charity the faithful will see to it that they avoid the excesses and violence sometimes associated with popular leisure activities.

Check out this section in the Catechism.

usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt1art3.shtml

God bless,
Ut

 

[Joannm]

I work every SUnday and Holyday…but then again I work for the Church, I have to be there.

 

[jmcrae]

I recently graduated from college and am now looking for work. Needless to say, it is not going well. In order to find work, one of the best ways to be a step above the other perspective employee is to have high amounts of availability. Is it okay to be willing to work on Sunday and holidays (Holy Days of Obligation) as long as I am able to make it to Mass on those days regardless of whether I work or not?

Yes, as long as you make it to Mass (or get a dispensation from a priest that releases you from your obligation to go to Mass.)

For the sake of your mental health, make sure there is one day of the week that you have off (whether it’s Sunday or some other day), that you can spend in whatever way you see fit (including taking some time to go to Mass), without being “on call” to go into work.

 

[apromisemade]

I think the whole Sabbath thing gets a little overdone sometimes. I worked during my first semester of college at a horse stable. I worked all day on sunday, and didn’t really see anything wrong with it because my job involved feeding and watering the horses. I mean, somebody had to do it. It’s not like you can take a day of from taking care of your animals, they obviously need food and water every day.

 

[JReducation]

I think the whole Sabbath thing gets a little overdone sometimes. I worked during my first semester of college at a horse stable. I worked all day on sunday, and didn’t really see anything wrong with it because my job involved feeding and watering the horses. I mean, somebody had to do it. It’s not like you can take a day of from taking care of your animals, they obviously need food and water every day.

I agree that we have to feed animals and humans every day. The Lord’s day is not overdone. It still remains the Lord’s day. One has the obligation to celebrate it by participating the the mass, be it on Sunday or at the Saturday night vigil mass.

Just because one thinks it’s not wrong, doesn’t make it right. What we think does not change reality. Reality remains what it is. In this case, the Lord’s day remains the Lord’s day.

Did Jesus stop on the Sabbath to eat? Yes. The Jew were upset by it. But did Jesus skip the Sabbath to eat? No. He celebrated the Sabbath and the other high holy days of Judaism. There lays the difference.

Fraternally,

JR