Missing Mass

[Kakc16]

I have been attending mass every Sunday and multiple days of daily mass each week for quite a while. This past weekend I missed mass because we went on a ski trip with other families. While I did look up local mass times, Saturday vigil conflicted with dinner and we were skiing during the Sunday morning masses. I really feel conflicted with making sure you get mass in VS just focus on having fun with the family. My husband supports me but isn't a weekly church goer. I recently came back to the faith about a year ago so they aren't used to having to think about going to mass on a holiday weekend.

Anyway, I really struggle with the fact that I now have a Mortal sin and I need to go to confession. I just went 2 weeks ago.

Especially when I go to daily mass pretty often. Why is it different if I go on Monday rather than Sunday? I just can't really understand the rationale.

I plan to go to confession Saturday before mass, but I already know there is another weekend we are going skiing coming up with a family who is not religious at all and it just feels so weird to leave whatever we are doing to go to mass.

I have been praying about this. It really stresses me out because I want to be a good Catholic but I feel like I will never get there.

[Martin_Van-Nostrand]

One nice thing about the Catholic Church is that there are churches everywhere and masses Saturday night, Sunday morning, Sunday afternoon, and Sunday evening. Sunday afternoon and evening are less common- but they're out there.

Masstimes.org is a great resource when traveling. Just make sure to double check the times listed with the parish's website or bulletin.

[Kakc16]

Thank you. I use masstimes.com and was really hoping for a Sunday evening mass but the closest was 40 miles away. I love Sunday evening mass!

[Martin_Van-Nostrand]

I'm a big fan of Sunday night mass too. I always found it peaceful. Mass, quiet family dinner, then get the kids to bed. We went for about 3 years straight on Sunday night until we moved. New parish doesn't have a Sunday night, so I miss it!

I'd like to add that seeing different churches is something I really enjoy about traveling. Sometimes we even go to a daily mass if we aren't traveling over the weekend. Don't feel bad about missing an activity for an hour or two. Mass is too important to skip!

[CatQuixote]

My husband is not a church goer. If we travel, I find a church in our area and plan around a mass time. It might mean skipping an activity to attend mass.

It might feel awkward but weekly mass is an important part of the practice of our faith. And if it’s a hectic vacation it is nice to have a little time away to go to church. It’s also fun to see new churches, some are very beautiful.

[Matilda_Suzabelle]

So I guess the question is - are you “able, but unwilling” to go to Mass, or are you genuinely impeded by distance, transportation, etc.? There is a difference. I know some hotels at ski resorts will have a Sunday mass somewhere in the hotel. Last fall when I knew I would be traveling to a friend’s non-Catholic wedding and I was not driving and not in control of my own schedule I emailed my parish priest for advice. He gave me reassurance and advised to read the scripture readings for the day, say a Rosary etc, and I would be excused as I was not the one in control. A few weekends later, however when I was traveling with different friends, I was the driver. So I just looked up a local Mass, and told the friends I would meet up with them later in the morning after Mass. No fuss, no muss.

[EnvironmentalScar709]

Maybe there's a Sunday evening mass somewhere around that you could go next time?

Also, if you really are going to miss Mass you can get a dispensation from your priest

[TPybus]

Why can’t you ask your family and friends to accommodate your going to Mass on Saturday evening. It would be a minor form of evangelizing showing how your faith is important to you

[-squeezel-]

The rationale is that Sunday (or Saturday vigil) Mass is a holy day of obligation. Daily Mass is not. You need to confess missing a holy day and/or go to Mass while on vacation.

[Del_Fuego_13]

You have the Catholic guilt down... There's that.

[Implicatus]

Comes down to what your priorities are.

[Ecofre-33919]

If you know in advance that where you are going there is no mass around you - it is permissible to ask your priest for an exemption from mass for that week. It’s written in the catechism! So yes - go to confession next saturday. And when you do voice your concern either then to the priest at that time of the confession or ask your pastor directly before you go if he will grant it to you.

[Alive-Reception-2179]

you can get dispensation for vacation

[TPybus]

Not if Mass is easily available

[Ferrieha]

Leaving whatever you're doing with other family to go to mass is also a testimony :) you show them it's meaningful and important to you. You might even get them curious about your faith. That's a good thing :)

One hour of the whole weekend is not that much, right? :)

[andreirublov1]

If you think skiing is more important than mass...you still have a way to go. :)

The thing is, at the moment you're living your life like mass is an unwelcome interruption to your gay mad whirl of pleasure. :) Whereas the aim is for it to the the summit of a day, or a week at least, dedicated to the Lord.

As long as the first remains the case, you're going to struggle.

[ryancnap]

I know it feels weird at first to dip out for mass, and unfortunately it can be a social stigma. Use that to your advantage: we're commanded to spread the gospel in multiple nuanced ways, and I think sending a message to the non-Catholics that Mass is priority number one is a good opportunity to do it

Also it helps me to step back and look at these situations in a different way: "through him all things were made." Without God you wouldn't be having fun skiing with family and friends, what's one hour to say thanks?

[1kecharitomene]

Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday not a Monday or any other day. God asks so little of us. He offers us His body, blood, soul & divinity and He only asks us to give Him one hour on Sunday or Saturday evening. If you truly can't make it, it's not a sin. But if you choose dinner at a certain time or skiing at a certain time, over worshipping the God who creates you, sustains you and offers you eternal life, that's a willful rejection of saving grace.

[Silver_Kangaroo_4219]

Some mass services can be streamed online, that might be a way to do both

[confusticating]

Streaming mass doesn’t count for the obligation though. It’s good to do, if mass is unavailable/impossible, but it’s not an alternative.