1) he disobeyed a direct order.
2) he said he didn’t have time to go to church on his time off.
He is trying to make a point, like the homosexual who drives 36 miles to a Christian bakery, etc.
I agree with you.
Most Catholics have access to several mass times on days of obligation and we can go to any Catholic Church to meet those obligations.
Some of our Churches locally do coordinate mass times such that one can attend several early morning times and/or evening masses through one of the “sister” parishes.