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I’m a practicing Roman Catholic. Its impossible for me to travel to China without failing the Sunday obligations for Mass. I’ve had to turn down jobs, convent

I’m a practicing Roman Catholic. Its impossible for me to travel to China without failing the Sunday obligations for Mass. I’ve had to turn down jobs, conventions, study abroad opportunities, and networking events because my religion requires me to go to Mass. When I explain this to people, I get this weird look like, “Hey that’s your choice, but you must not take your career that seriously.” I have very little sympathy for anyone involved in this.

transcriptase 3y ago
Surely you must be aware that being unable to attend mass is not the same as intentionally not attending it, according to the church itself. It’s widely accepted among even the most religious Catholics that travel and work obligations (among other situations) are acceptable reasons for not attending Sunday mass. It’s not impossible for you to do those things as a practicing Roman Catholic in the slightest.
- pyuser583 3y ago
  If there’s no Mass to go to, then you’re not obligated to go. If there’s a Mass next door, but there’s a 50% chance the attendees will be arrested and spend 10 years in jail, you take your chances and trust God. All it takes is fellow Catholic letting me know when/where Mass is and I have an obligation to risk my freedom and life. Kind of cowardly of me to say, “hey the locals can risk their butts to praise God, I’ll just sit it out.”
  - toyg 3y ago
    But not travelling at all is equally righteous? Sounds like a cop-out to me... Then again I'm not a theologian, and growing up in Italy taught me not to expect any actual consistency from any multi-millennial institution.
    - pyuser583 3y ago
      I love traveling. Just not to places where going to Mass is illegal.
defrost 3y ago
What's the problem with the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Chengdu ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception_Cathedral,_Chengdu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception_Cathedra...
- pyuser583 3y ago
  For most of my career, there was both an above ground and outlaw Catholic Church. But it was hard for a foreigner to tell which is which. More recently the situation has changed, but I’m not sure how. I don’t keep up to date.
- lmz 3y ago
  I'm not a Catholic but the relationship between the Vatican and China hasn't been great - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Patriotic_Association https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Patriotic_Association
surfingdino 3y ago
How does your faith have anything to do with the Hugo Awards?

transcriptase 3y ago

Surely you must be aware that being unable to attend mass is not the same as intentionally not attending it, according to the church itself. It’s widely accepted among even the most religious Catholics that travel and work obligations (among other situations) are acceptable reasons for not attending Sunday mass. It’s not impossible for you to do those things as a practicing Roman Catholic in the slightest.

pyuser583 3y ago
If there’s no Mass to go to, then you’re not obligated to go. If there’s a Mass next door, but there’s a 50% chance the attendees will be arrested and spend 10 years in jail, you take your chances and trust God. All it takes is fellow Catholic letting me know when/where Mass is and I have an obligation to risk my freedom and life. Kind of cowardly of me to say, “hey the locals can risk their butts to praise God, I’ll just sit it out.”
- toyg 3y ago
  But not travelling at all is equally righteous? Sounds like a cop-out to me... Then again I'm not a theologian, and growing up in Italy taught me not to expect any actual consistency from any multi-millennial institution.
  - pyuser583 3y ago
    I love traveling. Just not to places where going to Mass is illegal.

defrost 3y ago

What's the problem with the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Chengdu ? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception_Cathedral,_Chengdu https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception_Cathedra...

pyuser583 3y ago
For most of my career, there was both an above ground and outlaw Catholic Church. But it was hard for a foreigner to tell which is which. More recently the situation has changed, but I’m not sure how. I don’t keep up to date.
lmz 3y ago
I'm not a Catholic but the relationship between the Vatican and China hasn't been great - see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Patriotic_Association https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Patriotic_Association

surfingdino 3y ago

How does your faith have anything to do with the Hugo Awards?