There is a bit of planning that goes into visiting a theme park whenever you decide to go. However, this planning is complicated when you are considering going on a Sunday or another holy day (inside or outside of the pandemic). In this entry, I will describe some of my own experiences both before being ordained and after being ordained.
I suppose there is always the question, “Is it morally permissible to go to a theme park on a holy day?” As a type of entertainment, our approach should be similar to questioning whether we attend a sports game, a theater show, or a movie on a holy day. I think most of us don’t have scruples about going to any of those on a Sunday, so it seems like it would be morally permissible to go to a theme park on a holy day. All Christians are instructed to keep holy the Lord’s Day (i.e. the Third Commandment). For Catholics, this is specifically lived out through going to Mass on Sunday. How does a Catholic stay faithful to attending Sunday Mass while also going to a theme park on a Sunday? In this day and age, almost every parish (outside of the pandemic) has a Saturday vigil Mass. This can be a good choice especially due to the relatively high cost of going to a theme park for a day (for a family of four, it could be about $500 for tickets alone). When you got to a theme park, you want to make it as much of a full day as possible, so fulfilling your Mass obligation on Saturday evening is helpful. Another option is to go to Mass early on Sunday morning and then go to the park. I chose this option in Paris as a deacon/seminarian before going to Disneyland Paris Resort. I knew I was going to be at the Resort until 10 p.m. (so option 3 wasn’t going to work). In addition, the evening before I was busy hanging out with friends, so I couldn’t do option 1. Going to Mass early on Sunday makes a long day even longer; however, it does give a real good grounding to the day. A third option is to go to Mass on Sunday evening (assuming there is a Mass like that near the park). The advantage to this option is that you get to the park near to when it’s opening when the crowds are very light, which allows you to do a lot of rides in a short time. However, unless you are used to going to Sunday evening Mass, your Sunday might feel a little out-of-whack. In addition, you are more likely to fall asleep during the priest’s homily after a long day at the park. In summary, I think option 1 is best, then option 2, and finally option 3. The most important thing, though, is that you get to Mass. In college, I once spent a Good Friday at Disneyland during a trip with my college pep band (for the NCAA basketball tournament). It was the only day that we could spend at the parks. True, Good Friday isn’t a Holy Day of Obligation but it falls in the Holy Triduum, the holiest days for Christians. Although I did not go to a service on Good Friday, I went to The Mass of the Lord’s Supper the day before. I fasted and abstained from meat at Disneyland that Good Friday. If possible, I would try to avoid going to an amusement park on Good Friday due to the focus that should be on prayer and fasting that day. Now as a priest, I have greater flexibility as to when I say Mass and pray on a day I’m going to an amusement park. My preferred time to say Mass is before I leave for the park, although I’m willing to do it after being at the park (such as what I did when I drove directly from LAX to Six Flags Magic Mountain. If I’m saying Mass for others, I also ask for input from them. Well, I think that covers what I wanted to talk about. Some other time I’ll write a post on praying in a theme park (especially discussing how I am faithful to my times of prayer while at a theme park).
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