Amor, Jasmine, Lucia, Nicole, Alexa, & Eliza
Precepts of the Church Small Group Discussion Questions
Create a document that you can all write on. Only one document needs to be submitted but
please make sure everyone’s name is included in the document as well as your group number.
Discuss these questions in your group and have each person write down his or her answers.
Designate a leader and a writer/recorder.
Precept 1. “You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation
and rest from servile labor.”
1.What are the times of Sunday (and Saturday night/vigil) Masses in your parish? Which ti
me do you prefer to celebrate Mass? Why?
Lucia: There is a 2pm mass and a 6pm one. I like going at night because I can reflect on
my day.
Alexa: 1:00 PM mass, 5:00 PM mass and 8:00 PM mass. I prefer to celebrate mass at 1:00
because I like starting my day honoring God
Amor: There are multiple masses on Sunday there is one at 7:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10:00
a.m., 11:30 a.m.(Spanish), 1:00 p.m., and at 5:00 p.m. My family and I prefer to either go at
8:30 or at 11:30 because if we decide to go to mass at hear it in English we go early because
it’s always pact at 10 & 1 but if we want to hear it in Spanish than we go at 11:30.
Jasmine: There are 10AM mass, 11:30 AM, and 8AM mass. I prefer 10AM mass because I am
more of a morning person.
Nicole: 5:00 pm on Saturdays and, 7:00 am, 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 5:00 pm on Sundays. I like
to go at 5:00 pm because I’m in not in a rush like in the mornings
Eliza: The mass is at 5pm, I tend to go later in the day when there is no hurry.
2. What are the times of Masses (and vigil Masses) on holy days of obligation in your parish (or
a Catholic parish in San Diego/Tijuana)? Make sure you name the Parish.
Which of these times do you prefer to celebrate Mass? Why?
Alexa: St. Rita’s Church, 6:00 PM, 8:00 AM. I prefer to celebrate mass at 6:00 PM because it is
the time all my family can go.
Lucia: El Espiritu Santo, 7pm and 8am. To me I don’t mind at what time.
Amor: The times for the vigil masses are 5:00 p.m. The parish I go to is St. Charles Catholic
because that is where I went to school for my elementary years. I prefer to celebrate earlier
because during the afternoon I’m really tired and never really pay attention to the mass.
Nicole: Tuesday, Thursday and 1st Friday 5:00 pm and 1st Saturday 8:00 am Prayer Service with
Holy Communion Monday and Wednesday 5:00 pm, I would like to go in the morning to get my
day started correctly
Eliza: The church is Saint Charles in Imperial Beach and the mass is at 7:30 am and 5:30 pm.
Precept 2. “You shall confess your sins at least once a year.”
3. If the Church did not require you to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation at least once a
year, would you take part in this sacrament voluntarily? Explain.
Alexa: I would take part in this voluntarily because it is necessary for my salvation, and it
strengthens my relationship with God
Lucia: I would because it gives me the option to be able to express myself or share
something that has been bothering me. It also helps me create a stronger bond with God
Jasmine: I would do it voluntarily because it gives me comfort to know that God will always
forgive me when I make mistakes.
Amor: I would take part of this sacrament voluntarily because I always feel way better when
God forgives me from my sins.
Nicole: I would not take this sacrament voluntarily because sometimes it gets awkward and.
Scary.
Eliza: I would take apart in this voluntarily because it will strengthen my relationship with God.
4. When do you plan to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation next?
Lucia: I plan to celebrate it when I attend my next mass
Alexa: I am planning to celebrate it on Sunday when I go to mass
Amor: I am going to plan on celebrating it on Sunday next time I go to mass.
Jasmine: I plan to celebrate the sacrament during Easter Season
Eliza: I am planning on celebrating this sacrament during Sunday mass when I attend.
Nicole: I’m planning it on celebrating it the next time I go to mass with my family.
Precept 3. “You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during
the Easter season.”
5. Using a Church calendar for this/next year, what are the dates when you can fulfill your Easter
Duty?
Lucia: I will fulfill the eucharist and attending mass on Sundays
Alexa: I can fulfill it every time I go to Mass on Sunday
Jasmine: I would fulfill Eucharist on the first Sunday of the Easter Season.
Amor: I can fulfill it every time I attend mass and take the Eucharist this Easter Season.
Eliza: I would fulfill the eucharist every time I attend mass on Sunday.
Nicole: I can fulfill my ester duty by participating on Mass during easter season
6. When do you plan to receive the Eucharist next? If you are not Catholic, you can simply write
“N/A” which means “not applicable.”
Lucia: I plan to receive the eucharist on Sunday or when I next attend mass
Alexa: The next time I go to mass.
Jasmine: I plan to receive Eucharist next Sunday
Amor: I plan on receiving the Eucharist not this Sunday but the following when I go to mass
with my mom, brother, grandma, grandfather, and aunt.
Nicole: I plan on receiving the Eucharist next time attend Mass
Precept 4. “You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence
established by the Church.”
7. What does it mean to fast? To abstain?
Lucia: Fasting is to reduce the amount of food you eat in one day depending on what you are
planning for the outcome
Alexa: the reduction of one’s intake of food, and abstinence refers to refrainting from something
that is good
Jasmine: to fast is to lower how much food someone eats during lent and abstinence is to not
give in to temptation
Eliza: To fast is to reduce the amount of food you eat during lent and abstinence means to not
give into the temptation of doing something.
Amor: Fasting means to not eat as much as you eat on a daily bases. You usually do this during
lent to see how Jesus felt when he fasted on a desert.
8. What are guidelines for fasting and abstinence?
Lucia: We should restrain from eating chicken or meat on fridays
Alexa: On Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays of Lent: Everyone of age 14 and up
must abstain from consuming meat. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday: Everyone of age 18 to
59 must fast, unless exempt due to usually a medical reason.
Jasmine: Kids under 14 do not need to partake in abstaining from eating meat on Fridays.
Fasting applies to everyone who is 18 through 59
Eliza: To fast you need to be a certain age and make sure you drink water.
Nicole: Fasting is when you give up something important to you for something or someone else.
Abstain is to not give into temptation
Amor: We should all try to not eat any type of meat on Fridays.
Precept 5. “You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.”
9. How much money do you tend to have/spend each week?
Alexa: I spend about 30 dollars per week
Lucia: I tend to spend around 50 dollars a week
Jasmine: I spend about $28 each week
Eliza: I spend about $20-30 each week.
Amor: I spend about $100 each week
10. If it would be too difficult to give 10 percent to the Church, how much money
could you give each week?
Alexa: I would give about 10 dollars per week
Lucia: I would try to give 5-10 dollars a week
Jasmine: I would give $7 each week
Eliza: I would give 7-10 dollars a week.
Nicole: I do not really spend money on my own but my mom spends money on me
Amor: I would try to give $5 a week