Should Catholics shop on Sunday?

I’m becoming a Grunerite!  Well that’s what some will say………”how on earth can you post videos of John Vennari and Fr. Gruner?”  Because it’s a good and reasonable discussion on a matter that is often overlooked, that is keeping the Sabbath.  I’ve also adopted Pertinacious Papist’s rulz, especially 7-9.  Just because I post something from somebody or something, that is not to be taken as a blanket endorsement of everything they do, say, write, produce, etc. It just means this particular item is good and beneficial, in my limited judgment.

To the point, should Catholics engage in shopping or other trade on Sundays?  The question is examined in some depth below, although I wish it went into a little more detail.  Fr. Gruner notes that it is acceptable to run and buy a couple necessities if one forgot them, and it is generally OK to frequent a restaurant on Sunday, too, although some might have qualms over causing others to work on the Sabbath.  I am much younger than either Vennari or Fr. Gruner, but I, too, recall when Texas still had blue laws and virtually every business was closed on Sunday.  I think they were repealed about 1980.  I think it’s a sad thing that they were repealed.  Yes, it is marginally more convenient to be able to shop on both days on the weekend, but folks were able to do without for decades, and the legalization of mass trade on Sundays has only heightened people’s worship of their real god, commercialism, while detracting from the worship of their Creator.

I was left wondering a bit about the necessities, however……..is that limited only to food?  This weekend, I’m going to be doing some major surgery on my truck.  What if I don’t complete the work by Saturday as planned, and find I need a part on Sunday?  Without my truck, I can’t make it to work on Monday.  Is that a sufficient necessity to visit the auto parts store? Should I even be doing that kind of work on Sunday?  That is sort of servile labor, but I don’t really mind doing it, and even like it to a certain degree. I would think it’s probably OK to do a necessary and unplanned repair (as I intend to finish on Saturday), but what if I’m just doing some home improvement, and likewise find I need something to complete the task, but it’s not nearly so urgent and could be delayed?  In that case it think it would be better to defer?  I can think of a number of variations on this theme.

I think the main point is that we should strive to honor the Sabbath as much as possible.  It’s not just Saturday Mark II, it is a day of rest ordained by God for our own good, wherein we are to render proper honor and worship to Him, as well as spend time with our families as much as that is possible.  God made the Sabbath for man, so we don’t need to reduce the restrictions on work to ludicrous levels as the pharisees did, but we should strive within prudence to limit our activities outside work, home, and needed rest.  I don’t know about you, but I could stand a little more rest!

I’m open to hearing your opinions on the matter.