Catholics often commit this sin in the summer. What about the Church?

Holiday vacation last minute in sunny Croatia or a few-day trip to the Baltic Sea may thwart some plans. Catholics, for example, may wonder if it will be a big problem to miss one or two Masses. It turns out, however, that the Church has a very specific position on this subject.

“Remember to keep the holy day holy” – reads the third commandment of the Decalogue, and it is certainly not alien to practicing believers. The first church commandment reads: “On Sundays and holidays of obligation, attend the Holy Mass and refrain from unnecessary work.” Thus, according to canon law, the only circumstance exempting the practitioner from participating in the Sunday service is participation in the Saturday mass.

The obligation to participate in the Holy Mass is fulfilled by the one who takes part in it wherever it is celebrated in the Catholic rite, either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the day before

– results from the Code of Canon Law (can. 1248 §1).

Can Catholics miss Mass during the holidays? The church makes it clear

However, priests often remind us that when Catholics are unable to attend a Sunday service in person, they can listen to the prayers on the radio or watch the mass on television. In addition to the above solution, the Church exempts the faithful from attending the Sunday service due to:

• diseases
• caring for an infant or a sick person
• traveling/staying in a place where it is not possible to reach a Catholic church

The stationacja7.pl portal explains that it is impossible to discuss all such cases. However, if we are left in a crisis situation, with no way out – and at the same time we feel a deep desire to participate in the service – then our absence from mass will not be a grave sin. As we read, we should consider all exceptional situations of this kind individually and in accordance with our own conscience.

Source:station7.pl