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Don’t Blow Off Mass While Vacationing

Question:

Are Catholics obliged to attend Sunday Mass when vacationing in remote areas, hours away from the nearest Catholic church?

Answer:

When vacationing, Catholics should do all they can to participate in Sunday Mass. We are aided in fulfilling our Sunday obligation not only because the Church is truly universal and therefore active in countries worldwide but also because there are typically Saturday vigil Masses and more than one Sunday Mass to choose from in most places you visit.

So if you plan on being in a remote place on a Sunday, perhaps you could participate in a Saturday vigil Mass. Or perhaps you could participate in an early Sunday morning Mass. Don’t simply see the Mass as an obligation; remember how it is “the source and summit of the whole Christian life” (CCC 1324, citing Vatican II, Lumen Gentium 11). That will help remind you that Sunday Mass, if at all possible, should be a very important part of your vacation.

If you are truly going to be in a remote place on both Saturday and Sunday during a vacation and therefore won’t be able to participate in Sunday Mass, see your parish pastor about getting a dispensation from participating in Mass on a particular Sunday. As the Code of Canon Law provides:

 Without prejudice to the right of diocesan bishops in canon 87, a parish priest, in individual cases, for a just reason and in accordance with the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop, can give a dispensation from the obligation of observing a holy day or day of penance, or commute the obligation into some other pious works (can. 1245).

If because of lack of a sacred minister or for other grave cause participation in the celebration of the Eucharist is impossible, it is specially recommended that the faithful take part in the liturgy of the word if it is celebrated in the parish church or in another sacred place according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop, or engage in prayer for an appropriate amount of time personally or in a family or, as occasion offers, in groups of families” (can. 1248.2).

Such prayer could include reading and quietly meditating on the Sunday Mass readings as a family.

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