These are great thoughts to consider when bad weather hits!
Fr. Ryan Hilderbrand, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Huntingburg, Indiana, tweeted three things to think about when bad weather arises on Sundays or Holy Days of Obligation.
Is missing Mass permitted? Below are his three bullet points.
Can I Miss Mass Because of Bad Weather?
1) If the weather makes it impossible
The Church automatically allows you to miss Mass if it is impossible for you to go to Mass. You do not commit sin, you do not need to confess it, and you ought to feel free to present yourself for Holy Communion in the future.
2) Is the weather bad enough? Or could you make it to the grocery store?
If you look outside and think that you’d be fine to go to the grocery store or have your hair done, then it’s not bad enough FOR YOU to miss Mass.
Go to Mass. To miss would be grave matter.
3) Take a look. Would you be terrified the whole way there?
If you look outside and think that you’d be able to drive to the pharmacy or Emergency Room, but you’d be terrified the whole way, then it’s bad enough FOR YOU to miss Mass.
Stay home, warm, and safe. Consider saying a Rosary for the homeless who live in this weather.
Here’s the full thread on Twitter:
St. Medard, patron saint against bad weather, pray for us!
[See also: Catholic Engineering Students Build Amazing Snow Chapel, Celebrate Beautiful Mass]
[See also: Call to Resilient Faith: “Choose to Act, Even in Hopeless Moments,” Fr. Mike Schmitz Explains]