§ II. On Causes Excusing From Mass

407. • Any moderately grave cause excuses from hearing Mass, or one which involves some notable inconvenience or damage in the goods of soul or body of oneself or one's neighbor. This is established from the common interpretation and custom, which is the best interpreter of laws. - Thus commonly.¹

408. You will resolve. - 1° The sick, the infirm, and convalescents are excused, whom either going out or being in church harms. (A) p. 474. Likewise those who must guard the sick.²

2° Travelers are excused, to whom no place occurs where they may be present at Mass, or who cannot interrupt the journey, because public drivers, or companions on the way, without whom the journey would not be without inconveniences or danger, refuse to stop.

3° Those are excused who guard the flock or house, or who must prepare food, or perform similar necessary things; yet if several Masses are held, all ought successively to hear Mass, insofar as it can be done.³

4° Mothers and nurses are excused who have no one to whom they can leave little children, nor can they lead them to the Church without great disturbance of those standing by. But if there are only two spouses, they will conveniently be able to be present at Mass by alternate turns.⁴

5° They are often excused who are distant far from the Church, so that they cannot go to it without great difficulty, especially in wintertime.

6° Those who dwell in the country and enjoy the supply of a priest once in a month in a church which is for them as if parochial, according to Kenrick,⁵ are not bound to make the journey elsewhere on feast days and Sundays on which the priest is absent, unless, I would except, they are distant less than three miles from some other church.

7° Those seem to be excused, for the sake of demonstrating affection toward parents and relatives, who sometimes betake themselves to places in which there will be no faculty of hearing Mass. For the rest, this must not be done often, nor lightly, nor for a long time.⁶

8° Those who, for the sake of health or of lawful recreation of mind, betake themselves elsewhere for some fixed weeks, as is the custom of many here, are excused from violation of the precept, even if the supply of hearing Mass will be lacking to them while making the journey; for that leisure and relief of mind is sometimes necessary and very often useful, nor are they compelled always to remain in a place in which there is a supply of Mass.⁷

9° In some rural places there is a custom that neighbors, especially non-Catholics, visit others in the morning of the Lord's Day, to remain with them the whole day, whereby Catholics are detained from hearing Mass. Whether in this case those are excused who remain at home lest they seem to be lacking in company and friendship must be defined from circumstances. Thus, if there is the faculty of going to church and returning to furnish the rights of hospitality, it is clear that Mass must be heard by most members of the family, although someone can remain at home for the sake of companionship; but scarcely do we judge, says Kenrick,¹ that all can ever remain at home, especially if guests have come by design, not once or twice, but rather often. - This must especially be said if Catholics visit Catholics. "For the rest," he adds, "we do not condemn him who, to avoid grave offense of others, sometimes remains at home with guests."

10° Innkeepers are not excused who on Sunday neglect Mass so that they may receive those going to the inn and are going to obtain great gain; for this is done with detriment of religion and great offense of all.²

11° Servants are excused if they cannot omit their service without grave detriment of the master, or if they are prohibited by him, nor can they easily find another master. Resolve the same concerning a wife and a son of the family, for whom grave indignation of the husband or parents is to be feared.³

12° Almost the same, proportion observed, resolve concerning those who accept or retain an office - for example in railroads - or are occupied with a trade - for example of a barber - by which ordinarily or very often they are impeded from Mass. Namely, they seem to be excused, provided: a) by leaving the office or trade they would suffer a grave inconvenience, or certainly would obtain a much worse or doubtful condition of life; b) from neglect of Mass they have not fallen or will not fall into indifferentism. Yet in every case they are to be exhorted to devote themselves to exercises of piety at home on that very day or on other days; but they are not easily to be admonished concerning a grave obligation of renouncing the office or trade, both because often this will be established only with difficulty, and because the admonition will often not be profitable.

409. Questions. - Quaer. 1° What distance excuses from Mass?

Resp. It cannot be assigned absolutely, but must be determined from the adjuncts of persons, places, and times. But regularly a distance of three miles, or a walking journey of one hour and a quarter, excuses, and even somewhat less, if it is raining or snowing, or another cause is present.¹

Yet Kenrick² judges that those who can be carried by horse or carriage are not always excused for this reason, that they are distant even ten miles from the church; "for a journey of this sort," he says, "they perform almost daily for the sake of their business; but generally," he adds, "six or seven miles are for an excuse for women, boys, and others who have not grown accustomed to a longer journey." I would add that attention must also be given to the condition of roads and of rainy or very cold weather, etc.

Quaer. 2° Is a sick person excused from Mass in doubt whether the inconvenience is sufficiently grave?

Resp. In this case one must stand by the counsel of a physician, Superior, Pastor, Confessor, or another prudent man. Indeed the sick person can also acquiesce in his own judgment if he judges thus prudently. But what if, counsel having been sought, he still remains doubtful? - Absolutely he is not bound to Mass, because while the danger of grave harm stands, one must judge that Mother Church does not obligate. - Thus very probably, says St. Alphonsus.³ - In practice it is better that dispensation be sought if it can easily be sought. Cf. n. 66. 2° and 67. c).

Quaer. 3° Does the occasion of making notable gain excuse?

Resp. Affirmatively, probably, because precepts of the Church do not obligate with very grave inconvenience, as is established from what was said n. 137. But a gain of this sort ought to be extraordinary (n. 417. 9°).⁴

Quaer. 4° Are the following excused: a) women not having clothes becoming to their state; b) girls dishonorably pregnant; c) those whose banns before marriage are being made; d) women after childbirth?

Resp. to a) Affirmatively, unless they can hear Mass very early in the morning, or in a church in which they are unknown.

Resp. to b) Affirmatively, unless they can be present at Mass secretly and without notice.

Resp. to c) Affirmatively, if either 1) they suffer notable shame because of them, or 2) somewhere there is a custom of this sort, unless nevertheless they can easily be present at Mass in which the proclamations are not made.

Resp. to d) Affirmatively, for the time determined by the custom of places,¹ unless they are already going out from the house to other places. (u) p. 474.