Closed on Sundays : The Catholic guide to Rest
“Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life” (CCC 2186).
Men,
In the fast-paced world of modernity, Sundays often become just another day to catch up on errands, emails, or even extra work. But for Catholics, Sunday holds a sacred significance that goes beyond a simple break from the hustle and bustle. It’s a day specifically set aside for rest, reflection, and reconnecting with God and loved ones. This isn’t just a tradition—it's a profound practice rooted in our faith. Let's explore why we, as Catholics, should embrace rest on Sundays and how to do so meaningfully.
The Divine Commandment
The call to rest on Sundays isn’t just a good idea; it’s a commandment. The Third Commandment instructs us to “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). In the Catholic tradition, this means setting aside Sunday—the day of Christ’s Resurrection—as a day of rest and worship. By observing this, we align ourselves with God’s rhythm of creation, acknowledging that just as He rested on the seventh day, so too should we.
Rest as Worship
Resting on Sunday is more than a physical respite; it's an act of worship. By intentionally pausing our labors, we make space to encounter God. Attending Mass is central to this practice, where we come together as a community to give thanks, receive the Eucharist, and deepen our faith. But the day’s worship extends beyond the church walls. Taking time for prayer, spiritual reading, and quiet reflection allows us to grow closer to God and gain a clearer perspective on our lives.
Cultivating Family Bonds
In our everyday busyness, family time often gets pushed aside. Sundays offer a perfect opportunity to strengthen familial bonds. Sharing a meal, engaging in meaningful conversations, or simply spending time together can reinforce the love and unity that form the bedrock of a Catholic household. It’s a time to create memories, support one another, and grow together in faith.
A Counter-Cultural Witness
Choosing to truly rest on Sunday is a powerful counter-cultural statement in a world that prizes productivity above all. It’s a declaration that our worth isn’t tied to our work, and that we prioritize our faith and family over societal pressures. By modeling this commitment, we witness to the world the peace and balance that come from placing God at the center of our lives.
Practical Ways to Embrace Rest
While the concept of resting on Sunday might seem straightforward, putting it into practice can be challenging. Here are some practical tips to help you honor this day of rest:
Prepare in Advance: Try to complete chores and errands on Saturday, so Sunday is free for rest and worship.
Limit Work and Screen Time: Avoid work-related tasks and reduce screen time to focus on more meaningful activities.
Attend Mass: Make attending Mass a non-negotiable part of your Sunday routine. (In reality, this part is really the most important, so important in fact that it is obligatory)
Engage in Leisure Activities: Enjoy hobbies or activities that rejuvenate your spirit, whether it’s reading, nature walks, or creative pursuits.
Spend Quality Time with Family: Plan family activities that promote connection and joy.
The Catechism gives us a criterion for how we are to live the obligation of Sunday rest - “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body. Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health (CCC 2185).”
Servile Works Prohibited:
Servile works listed as forbidden include “plowing, sowing, harvesting, sewing, cobbling, tailoring, printing, masonry works” and “all works in mines and factories.” Yet, as noted, “there are reasons that excuse.” For instance, “custom justifies shaving, hair cutting, knitting, crocheting, etc.”
“Servile works are forbidden even though done gratis, as a form of recreation or for some pious purpose.” For instance, mowing the lawn because one enjoys it would not be permitted.
While religious services permit an individual “to ring church bells” or “to carry banners or pictures in procession” it does not permit one to “sweep the church or decorate the altars unless necessity requires this.”
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St John Paul II
“Through Sunday rest, daily concerns and tasks can find their proper perspective: the material things about which we worry give way to spiritual values; in a moment of encounter and less pressured exchange, we see the true face of the people with whom we live. Even the beauties of nature – too often marred by the desire to exploit, which turns against man himself – can be rediscovered and enjoyed to the full” (Apost. Lett. Dies Domini, n. 67.)
Resting on Sunday is more than a tradition—it’s a gift from God that allows us to reset and refocus on what truly matters. By embracing rest, we honor God, nurture our families, and become living testimonies of a faith that values balance and reverence. So, let’s commit to keeping our Sundays sacred, ensuring they remain a cornerstone of our Catholic life.
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
Matthew 11:28
Pax Vobis
Nick | Catholic Manhood
Great article. Thank you!
I've thought about this issue quite a lot recently, as well as the Catholic tradition of holy days of obligation. I believe what the church teaches in these regards. However I think they have become nearly meaningless, not due primarily to laxity in the practising laity, but simply due to the fact that we are now minorities across societies in the modern world: even in traditionally 'Catholic' countries. What I mean is that in the 21st century, in nihilistic atheist societies, telling Catholic miners and factory workers that they cannot work on Sundays when their jobs are now nearly universally '24/7', is just totally meaningless. I live in south Wales, and one of the biggest local employers is a brewery: they employ hundreds of local people permanently and full time, and several hundreds more on agency contracts. The brewery works day and night, all week, for every single day and night of the year. Including Christmas. The workers are nearly all shift workers: 2 days, 2 nights, 4 off. What does it mean to tell a working-class Catholic, on just above the minimum wage, that paying his mortgage in this system and unavoidably agreeing to work Sundays when rostered, is forbidden? It's utterly meaningless. It would have more meaning if the church said "industrialists and factory owners must ensure that (other than safety critical roles) their workforce must be free to observe the sabbath rest each Sunday". But even that would be bordering on the absurd: which industrialists would they be talking to? Some imaginary class of obedient and conscientious Catholic factory owners? Even if upper management in the developed world consisted of a majority of practising and well versed catholics (lol! Not even a remote chance), the truth is that Industry today is owned by huge conglomerates, themselves owned by shareholders including pension funds etc. I imagine the Catholic church (or at least her prominent members) are invested as shareholders in this system (where else are clergy pensions coming from?), and presumably without sin? And yet the factory worker at the very bottom of the pile, in a nearly entirely unchristian system, is forbidden from working on a Sunday. Yes, I'm aware that in this case the Catholic worker would probably be exempt: but in what possible modern case would he not be? The rule is therefore meaningless. We do not live in Christian societies and the church needs to stop pretending that we do.
The same is true of holy days of obligation: traditionally in Catholic countries these are feast days, and therefore holidays (indeed the origin of the term holiday). But this has not been true for decades even in Catholic countries, let alone in culturally protestant (and now atheist or nihilist) countries or societies. The resulting reality is that holy days of obligation are no longer days of joy or feasting, but just a frustrating anomaly in the working week, where catholics working normal jobs in societies no longer remotely interested in Thursday being "the holy feast of the Assumption", have to find time outside of all their other obligations to also attend mass. I believe the Catholic faith, but I dislike the church selling this to me as an occasion of joy or feasting: it may be my Christian duty, but frankly in the modern world it's just a chore and an inconvenience - our feast days are nearly entirely meaningless outside of wholly Catholic societies. They are just minority interest events which levy additional duties on catholics.
I tend to think that in these questions, and related ones, the Catholic teaching should now be "Catholic societies ought/must..." etc, but that "the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath" must be the interpretation for catholics in our majority nihilist, atheistic societies.
Lastly it has to be said that the above are peeves of mine which have made me think a lot, but they don't really require much sacrifice on my part personally. However, one area in which I am affected is sport: I have three sons, and I hope all of them play rugby, as I did. But youth rugby games, like football games (soccer) in the UK, are played on Sunday morning. They have been for decades. So my boys will either have to attend mass on Saturday evening or Sunday evening (when and where this is possible, as our dioceses run out of elderly clergy), or miss out on the primary coming-of-age activity for boys and young men in Wales: representing their village or town rugby team. My parents are clear on their understanding of this: as a boy I was not allowed to play rugby on Sundays, a fact that - to be honest - still makes me angry now as a 37 year old with 3 sons of my own. My non Catholic mates were all having fun and scrapping in the mud, and I was stuck serving in a white polyester alb at the front of a folk mass with a 'wet' priest and a congregation whose idea of a good Catholic boy was the sort of person who would rather ask for more homework than play rugby. I don't think this is a solution to the problem of our church essentially being now a missionary church in thoroughly atheistic lands. 'High mass at 10am' is a result of centuries of Christendom, which has now clearly fallen. I propose we go back to the pre-medieval tradition of Sunday mass being at dawn: and if we are to make mass convenient to catholics at all, I see no reason that it must be to the advantage of middle aged or retired liberals who want a Sunday lie-in, rather than making it a amenable as possible to our youth, in whom we hope to build a habit of mass attendance where it does not yet exist other than under obligation.
Also not just service work, read Tanquery in this