Author Topic: Mass - how often ? (Read 10057 times)

Udkme · « **on:** **Today** at 08:16:54 AM »

Given the paucity of real liturgies, could we talk about Mass attendance and the factors that play into that like distance/travel time, extraordinary holy days, mobilizing families, crying babies, guilt/scruples, etc

And also, for lack of a Mass, routines for keeping THE day holy

Stubborn · « **Reply #1 on:** **Today** at 02:58:14 PM »

Quote from: Udkme on Today at 08:16:54 AM

Given the paucity of real liturgies, could we talk about Mass attendance and the factors that play into that like distance/travel time, extraordinary holy days, mobilizing families, crying babies, guilt/scruples, etc

And also, for lack of a Mass, routines for keeping THE day holy

The further the distance, the more planning may be needed, if that means you can only go a few times a year, then that's what it means, go as often as you can.

You should not have guilt or scruples about this, the Church obligates us to go to Mass every Sunday and Holy Day under pain of sin, but it is conditional upon the Church providing a Church near enough, if the Church does not provide you with a Church that is near enough, then you are not under that obligation.

I would think at minimum, you should read your missal as best as you can for that particular Sunday or Holy Day, pray an extra rosary, do some spiritual reading etc. whenever you cannot go. Listen to some traditional sermons, Youtube and a lot of other sites have a lot of those. And pray God sends you a true orthodox priest.

As for crying babies, sit in the first few pews closest to the altar, you might still hear the crying babies, but they won't distract like they can when you sit in the middle or farther back pews.

Yeti · « **Reply #2 on:** **Today** at 03:37:30 PM »

Here is a quote from a theologian named Fr. Prummer, who wrote a book of moral theology in the early 20th century. His teaching tells us what the Church considers our obligation.

Quote

Reasons that excuse [from attending Mass]. Any moderately grave reason generally excuses one from attending Mass, or any notable difficulty or harm in the goods of soul or body of oneself or another. Since the precept does not pertain to more serious matters, any truly grave cause excuses from its observation. Four kinds of causes of this type can be counted: a) moral inability; b) charity; c) duty; d) custom.

In judging excusing causes in the concrete, whether they are sufficient or not, one must pay attention both to the condition of the person we're speaking of, because something grave for one person is not grave for someone else, and also to the state of conscience, since someone of fearful conscience will not easily exaggerate the inconvenience nor seek excuses to shirk his obligation.

1. By moral impossibility, of the kind that is any grave difficulty, are excused:

a) Those who long a long distance from the church. According to St. Alphonsus, all people (even healthy people) are excused by a journey on foot of an hour and a quarter, and by a shorter distance if the weather is bad or if the person is extremely weak; but those who can be carried are not excused unless the distance is at least twice that long.

Busenbaum is right to add here, that in this matter we must consider the nature of the custom of the place, and certainly in the mountainous region where I live, i.e. the Tyrol, no one considers himself excused if he is an hour and a quarter away from the church, as long as he is not in bad health.

[...]

Those who must make a necessary journey or are unable to interrupt one already begun.

So if you had to walk to church on foot, and it took you 75 minutes each way, St. Alphonsus says it would be mortally sinful for you to omit Mass even one time. Okay, 74 minutes, since the line is drawn here at 75 minutes, each way.

I have to wonder what so many trads are going to say at the judgment when they tell God that they lived "too far away" to go to Mass on Sunday, who lived a comfortable 30-45 minutes away from church in a climate controlled vehicle where all they had to do was push one of two pedals and turn a wheel. According to St. Alphonsus, it's not going to go well for them.

Or people who go on vacation instead of going to Mass on Sunday, or head out to the mountains for the weekend all the time, and skip Mass.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #3 on:** **Today** at 04:20:08 PM »

OK, but let's not "scrupulize" people here by finding one of the strictest opinions regarding the matter.

Bishop Sanborn delivered an excellent summary of the matter. On details like the exact length of time, e.g. 74 minutes, where 75 would suddenly constitute mortal sin, those really do vary with the theologian, and, even according to St. Alphonsus, one is not obliged to go with the strictest opinion. When we get weird about details, we have to be careful not to slide over into Pharisaical legalism. Church has always been reasonable, and about common sense. I personally would be a bit stricter on some of these points than what Bishop Sanborn here cites, but not because I believe it binds anyone else's conscience, or even mine, for that matter, but just because I might want to do more than the minimum to the extent that I can do so.

Yeti · « **Reply #4 on:** **Today** at 04:26:15 PM »

Quote from: Ladislaus on Today at 04:20:08 PM

OK, but let's not "scrupulize" people here by finding one of the strictest opinions regarding the matter.

.

Okay, are you able to provide a pre-Vatican 2 theologian that gives a lower threshold? I'm not sure why you are saying the opinion of St. Alphonsus is one of the strictest. Normally St. Alphonsus was not on the strict side of most questions, and tried pretty hard to give the most lenient opinion he could.

So the 75 minute threshold is more likely the least strict opinion.

Author Topic: Mass - how often ? (Read 10057 times)

Udkme

Mass - how often ?

Stubborn

Re: Mass - how often ?

Yeti

Re: Mass - how often ?

Ladislaus

Re: Mass - how often ?

Yeti

Re: Mass - how often ?