Immaculate conception of Mary! Holy day of obligation. I am going through the RCIA classes right now, which I am really excited about. I am learning so much and feel like I am getting closer to God! I have just recently learned (to make it short) how not attending church is considered a grave sin, and in addition to the sunday masses that there are other days you are expected to attend. One of which is todays Immaculate conception of Mary. Now that I know this I feel like I should go. The only thing is that it is at 7:30 which is the most stressful time of the day. It's when the kids are getting cranky and it's close to all the bedtime drama. I never ask anyone to babysit, and we have asked my MIL to come over tommorrow to sit so we can get our shopping done. So I just can't bring myself to ask her to come again tonight. I was just curious who goes? Do you think it is wrong for me not to go?

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

I can't say how you should feel about going - I'm a firm believer that faith is in you, not told to you. Our kids had mass this morning (as they do every Friday) and that is their holy day obligation. My husband and I will probably not go tonight as holy days, like with you, are at a very difficult time during the day.

Yes, missing Mass is a grave sin according to the Church - but I personally believe that it's more who you are and what you do every day that makes you a good Christian and a good Catholic, not the fact that you go to Mass on Sunday and Holy Days. We attend church on Sunday and are raising our children to be good people (at least we're trying!!!) and that to me is more important than some arbitrary day on the calendar. Don't tell Father H. I said that

Well, I guess not since ours was last night at 7 or this morning at 8 and I just plain forgot! I do have to say that I am a Christian foremost and I know God has already forgiven me for forgetting to go to Mass.

I think it is more important to understand the Immaculate Conception and the importance of that event and Mary's future decision and its affect on our lives.

I am going to be taking my oldest (6 1/2) and maybe my four year old to see "The Nativity Story" before Christmas to help explain that importance to them. I have heard very, very good things about that movie.

I want to see the Nativity too. I always thoought the immaculate conception was Jesus, but you learn something new every day. Evidentally it was the conception of Mary, from her parents, and how she was free of original sin.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

My brother said he enjoyed "The Nativity Story" as much as my niece and nephew did. I hope I can go see it.

I went to confession yesterday since we were in Jackson, but because of the DD's broken ankle all mass is out for today.

One of my New Years resolutions last year was to get my family to attend church, I can proudly say we have done well! Anyway I have never been to chruch on Christmas Eve and am very much looking forward to our 11:00 p.m. service tonight. Since our boys are only 2 and 5 we think thats to late for them so my MIL and SIl are attending SILs church at the 8:00 service and will be coming to our home afterwards to watch the boys while we go. Sorry to go on but I am so happy to finaly go to a Christmas Eve service at 36 yrs old! Its about darn time.

To those of you who cant make it I would not feel guilty, we are all only human and imo God isnt going to be cracking your hands over it!

I have 3 boys and it is always hard to take them all to mass, but through the years I´ve learned that it is there where I can learn the most about God´s Love and Jesus´s sacrifize for us. I can thank him by studying and trying to follow his life as an example.

Yesterday, my husband and I where celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary, but we had to go to a business dinner. It was disappointing but I am thankfull, we where able to go to mass together and it was in mass where we where able to leave a very big missunderstanding we had had on that day.