The gap between the extremely rich and the rest of humanity seems to have widened dangerously since the dreaded “Pandemic”. Those perspicacious champions of environmentalism who profited from investments in the pharmaceutical and “personal protection equipment” industries feel no guilt in travelling to and from Davos in private aeroplanes, in the confidence that they can “offset” their own “carbon footprints” by lobbying for increasingly inflated taxes which make travelling prohibitively expensive for the jetless deplorables who must finance their existence on hard earned salaries and wages.
The cost of day to day living, fuel prices and the exorbitant fees now commanded by airline companies and hotels mean that many families will currently be struggling to make travel plans for their summer holidays.
A number of parishioners have mentioned that this year they intend to forego travelling abroad altogether, in favour of recreation and relaxation closer to home. One obvious benefit of this, for Catholics, is that within England at least it is usually possible to find a Catholic church within reasonable distance of anywhere we might be staying. The obligation to attend Holy Mass on Sundays and Holy Days is binding under pain of mortal sin. Obviously, this does not apply to those prevented from attending Mass for grave reasons of physical or mental frailty, caring for the sick or great distance. Please note, however, that Master Hugo’s tennis club fixtures and Miss Antonia’s extra maths tuition do not constitute matter for dispensation. If we miss Mass on a prescribed day without serious cause, then we must receive Absolution in the Sacrament of Penance before our next reception of Holy Communion in order to be sure of avoiding the further sin of sacrilege. The precept to attend Mass is based on the Church’s determination, divinely sanctioned, of how we should honour the Third Commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. Through the Sacrament of Baptism we are incorporated into the Mystical Body of Christ. Gathering together on the day of Our Lord’s Resurrection, we express that unity in a visible way, by participating as one supernaturally unified body in the Sacrifice of Cavalry at the altar. The graces which we receive from this are innumerable, and we cannot afford to separate ourselves from this central action of our holy Catholic religion.
Apart from Sundays, the one Holy Day of Obligation that is likely to coincide with summer travels is the feast of Our Lady’s Assumption, on Thursday 15th August. Those fortunate enough to find themselves in a Catholic country on this date will almost certainly find that this is celebrated with great solemnity and local festivities. But wherever and whenever we might happen to be travelling, we should aim to make every day of our holidays a holy day, by planning ahead so that we know where the nearest Catholic Church happens to be and at what time Holy Mass is scheduled to be celebrated. On arrival at the destination, make a visit to the local church to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, and to ask for Our Lady's intercession.
At the end of a long journey most children will of course be impatient to pursue the serious business of hunting for ice cream. But the example of parents who make visiting the nearest church and noting Mass times a priority will make a profound impression on their offspring which will not be forgotten. If you are fortunate enough to be able to take your family abroad, then consider combining your travels with a visit to a centre of special devotion. In recent months a number of the fathers of the London Oratory have considered themselves blessed beyond words to accompany separate pilgrimages to St Pio of Pietrelcina’s shrine in Apulia, southern Italy. San Giovanni Rotondo, where Padre Pio's body is exposed for veneration, and where his convent and the hospital he built provide much edifying and fascinating material for contemplation. To put it in modern terms, the “energy” of the place is something quite extraordinary. The town lies on the edge of the breathtakingly beautiful Gargano National Park, which is fringed by an unspoilt and quite spectacular coastline at the eastern tip of the “spur of Italy”, while less than an hour’s bus ride away from San Giovanni is the magnificent sanctuary of Monte Sant’ Angelo, where the Holy Archangel Michael made his first recorded apparitions in Italy in the 490s. Accommodation in the area is considerably less expensive than in Italy’s fashionable tourist destinations. Two of us were astonished to find a billet in a spacious and bright apartment with plenty of storage space for cassocks and Roman hats and within walking distance of Padre Pio’s shrine that cost us each £50 a night. A generous bowl of the local speciality orecchiette pasta can easily enjoyed for under £5.
Wherever you might be holidaying this summer, please bear in mind that parents who take a vacation from the practice of the Faith during their travels risk the most sorrowful prospect of children who end up taking a vacation from the Faith for the rest of their unfortunate lives. Thoughtfully conceived travel plans provide the perfect opportunity to make your loved ones value and love our priceless treasury of Catholic devotions.
Father Julian Large