Catholics/mass while traveling

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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 3/3/2010


Question
i have been traveling alot lately and have always attended mass even at great inconvenience....my question is what obligation is there if you know in advance there will not be service available. for ex chosing one cruise that has catholic services over a second cruise which does not have mass services even though the second itinerary is the one wanted...or going on river cruises where cruising (not stops at towns)  occurs on the saturday and sunday.

Answer
Hi, Jay:
Thanks for the question.
My understanding is that the old "moral manuals" envisioned a provision whereby a person could be reasonably excused from Sunday Mass obligation due to travel and legitimate recreation about 2-times per year.  Of course one must always keep in mind the spirit of such a law: the spirit does not point to one seeking a "vacation FROM Mass" any times per year; rather, it has to do with the genuine lack of availablity of being able to attend Mass while traveling or vacationing for a reasonable amount of time.  One is not to conclude that because he/she might miss attending Mass a couple of times in a year that they can simply choose to avoid attending Mass for long periods of tim without any good reason.  A person who would be on a cruise or vacation practically every weekend of the year might very well consider whether this is a proper use of their free leisure time, in constant pursuit of things that draw them away from a true and rooted devotional life in communion with the Catholic Church.

Fr. Timothy Johnson

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Fr. Timothy Johnson

Expertise

A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience

I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

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