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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Re: Okay to miss Mass on Sunday	Christina	Thursday, July 12, 2012
Question: Brother Ignatius Mary, Pride is one of those sins that I thought I had no problem with. Maybe, my thinking of such a thought is actually pride itself. I am not sure. I did not want to sit in the pew not because I was embarrassed of what others thought or that I sinned. But, rather because my sin was such a sin that I should know better and that I felt that I let my fellow parishioners down. (We are a very small group that attend daily Mass). I think if they knew that I missed Sunday Mass, they would be shocked. - So in this way I was embarrassed. Is this still pride? By the way, the priest was recently missioned elsewhere. Acting in an entirely different capacity. Thank you for your reply.
Question Answered by Dear Christina: You are contradicting yourself. You say that you are not embarrassed by what others think, and then describe how you are embarrassed by what others think. Stop your pride. You are at Mass for God, to worship God, not to impress others. If this is causing such angst in daily Mass, then you need to stop going to daily Mass. A little over 100 years ago the Church did not allow the laity to go to Mass daily, precisely because of the problems it causes like what you describe, plus the problems of self-righteousness, and the problem that a person may not be properly disposed. We are not required to go to Daily Mass. Going to daily Mass does not automatically make us holier or more devout. It is none of the people's business why you must remain in the pew. If they are of the type to look at you as if you let them down, then they are arrogant and sinning. It is God you let down by improperly missing Sunday Mass. If you cannot resolve these issues, then stop the daily Mass. As an exercise to rid yourself of Pride, I advise not attending Daily Mass for three months. Instead, during that time you should mediate at home on the issue of pride and pray to God to help you overcome it. That pamphlet has some prayers you can use. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Re: Okay to miss Mass on Sunday

Christina

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Question:

Brother Ignatius Mary,

Pride is one of those sins that I thought I had no problem with. Maybe, my thinking of such a thought is actually pride itself. I am not sure.

I did not want to sit in the pew not because I was embarrassed of what others thought or that I sinned. But, rather because my sin was such a sin that I should know better and that I felt that I let my fellow parishioners down. (We are a very small group that attend daily Mass). I think if they knew that I missed Sunday Mass, they would be shocked. - So in this way I was embarrassed. Is this still pride?

By the way, the priest was recently missioned elsewhere. Acting in an entirely different capacity.

Thank you for your reply.

Question Answered by

Dear Christina:

You are contradicting yourself. You say that you are not embarrassed by what others think, and then describe how you are embarrassed by what others think.

Stop your pride. You are at Mass for God, to worship God, not to impress others. If this is causing such angst in daily Mass, then you need to stop going to daily Mass. A little over 100 years ago the Church did not allow the laity to go to Mass daily, precisely because of the problems it causes like what you describe, plus the problems of self-righteousness, and the problem that a person may not be properly disposed.

We are not required to go to Daily Mass. Going to daily Mass does not automatically make us holier or more devout. It is none of the people's business why you must remain in the pew. If they are of the type to look at you as if you let them down, then they are arrogant and sinning. It is God you let down by improperly missing Sunday Mass. If you cannot resolve these issues, then stop the daily Mass.

As an exercise to rid yourself of Pride, I advise not attending Daily Mass for three months. Instead, during that time you should mediate at home on the issue of pride and pray to God to help you overcome it. That pamphlet has some prayers you can use.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum