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mea_maxima_culpa
Member
| Joined: | Sat Nov 18th, 2006 |
| Location: | Concord, New Hampshire USA |
| Posts: | 16 |
| First Name: | Peter | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | U.C.C./Congregational, American Baptist, & now home in Rome! |
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Posted: Mon Apr 16th, 2007 04:18 pm |
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Hi all,
Well, I made it across the Tiber at the Easter Vigil. Woo-Hoo!
I do have a question, though. It might sound mercinary at first glance, but let me explain.
I went to the National Shrine for Divine Mercy in Stockbridge MA for Divine Mercy Sunday. Mass was @ 1PM in Sunday, in the worst weather conditions they have on record. Snow, sideways rain, hail, sleet, all at once. Did I mention it was an OUTDOOR mass?
So, my girlfriend and I struggled through the Mass, soaking wet, frozen to the bone, but the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak. We made it through the Homily and General Intentions, but did NOT make it to communion. We limped back to the shuttle bus to our car before that occured.
So, short story long, how long in to attending the Mass to count as fulfilling the Sunday obligation?
Thanks in advance
Mea_Maxima_Culpa
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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5347 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Mon Apr 16th, 2007 04:45 pm |
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mea_maxima_culpa wrote: Hi all,
Well, I made it across the Tiber at the Easter Vigil. Woo-Hoo!
Congratulations!
So, short story long, how long in to attending the Mass to count as fulfilling the Sunday obligation?
Technically, you are required to attend the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which is from the beginning of the Offertory until communion. However, given the circumstances of the weather, I think you deserve a lot of credit for staying at all! Remember, the law was made for man, not man for the law. It is the spirit of the law that truly matters, and the weather as you describe it was certainly a sufficiently grave circumstance to excuse your obligation entirely, in my opinion. I'm not a priest so I can't say that authoritatively, but I am comfortable any priest would agree.
You might want to mention it to a priest the next time you confess, more to ease your conscience than anything else, but missing mass in that kind of weather would certainly not be a grave sin (again, in my opinion). I'm surprised they didn't cancel the outdoor mass. It couldn't have been very well attended, and the people who did attend could not have gotten very much out of it. I've been to outdoor masses where it was hot enough or cold enough that I couldn't concentrate on the miracle of the Eucharist. Weather like that where I live would have shut down the highways.
This is a case where intent is more important than fact. You intended to attend mass, and you made a good faith effort. It's like having a flat tire on your way to church; the fact that you did not attend was due to circumstances beyond your control. In this case, remaining could have endangered your health or caused you to have an accident on the way home, etc.
(Intent can also cause sin. If I point a gun at you and pull the trigger, I have sinned even if the gun misfires.)
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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TotusTuus
Member
| Joined: | Tue Oct 31st, 2006 |
| Location: | Alabama USA |
| Posts: | 125 |
| First Name: | Mark | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Cradle Catholic (thanks Mom and Dad!) |
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Posted: Mon Apr 16th, 2007 06:25 pm |
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Your intention was to attend Mass. Under the circumstances it is quite understandable that you left early (wait until you start dealing with "circumstances" of small children).
cajunrick is correct; intention is the key here ....
Congratulations on your journey home!
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TTM!
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mrsbmoo
Member
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Virginia USA |
| Posts: | 307 |
| First Name: | Becky | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | former Methodist. RCA, Presbyterian, Holiness, Wesleyan... Catholic as of June ... |
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Posted: Mon Apr 16th, 2007 08:37 pm |
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| I watched part of it on EWTN and there was an amazingly large crowd for the weather. I could see how horrible it was outside: drizzling, freezing rain, snow on the ground. Brave souls to even try to attend.
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Becky
Wife of Michael(called Moo) and stay at home mom to 5 daughters between 10 months and 17
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mea_maxima_culpa
Member
| Joined: | Sat Nov 18th, 2006 |
| Location: | Concord, New Hampshire USA |
| Posts: | 16 |
| First Name: | Peter | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | U.C.C./Congregational, American Baptist, & now home in Rome! |
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Posted: Tue Apr 17th, 2007 02:06 pm |
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| Thank you every one for your reply. I feel much better.
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Current time is 12:18 am | |
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