Mass while Traveling

[Guest travelingsoon]

Hello. I am concerned about missing Mass this weekend. I agreed to go with my mom on a two day driving trip (she will be spending the summer in another state and I will fly home after we get there) but did not realize at the time that it would be Saturday and Sunday. The plan is to leave early Saturday morning and arrive at the half-way stop that night. I checked Mass times in the city we are spending the night in but the latest one is 5 o’clock so we will not be there yet. On Sunday there are not Masses early enough to attend before we need to get on the road. Once we reach our destination Sunday evening there are not Masses offered late enough.

What should I do? Technically there are Masses available but based on the travel times I am doubtful that I will be able to attend (we will also have a dog with us to complicate things more). My hope is that I can convince her to delay our departure Sunday so I can attend Mass, which is deeply important to me, but I am doubtful that we will be able to because it is a full day of driving.

I am worried because I will be going into the trip fully knowing that I will (most likely) not be able to fulfill my Sunday obligation but do not want to back out because my mom already paid for my flight back. I have been praying for a solution or an opportunity to arise for Mass but I feel stuck. I also thought that if I miss Mass I will make sure to go to confession right away but feel wrong about doing that too because I would be presuming forgiveness for this.

Can anyone offer some advice? Thank you!

[CatherineM]

You haven't planned this trip specifically to avoid having to go to mass. It's okay to miss for travel or work so long as you can't avoid it, and have made an effort in good conscience to make it to mass.