Introducing the Boyfriend to Family.

Now me and my boyfriend have just had our 9th anniversary and in our time together we've only met each others parents and such.My external family so aunts and uncles and grandparents and cousins are asking when they'll see him and I keep telling him he works a lot, which he does work a lot, 5 days a week and two days off he doesn't get to choose.So he just got his days off for next week which happen to be on a day when I'm at school for 12 hours and the other day is my cousin's first communion.My entire family is expecting me to go even though I dont want to since the time I spend with my boyfriend is special and I dont spend as much time with him as I want.Now I brought it up with him and he told me he doesn't want to go as he's not very religious and he feels like he'll stand out in my family and feel awkward.Tricky thing is they'll have to ask me, "where's your 'friend'" or "where's your 'partner?'" Which both drive me insane as no one refers to him as my boyfriend but oh well, and they'll feel like he doesn't want to ever see him which isn't so much the case but at an event like that it makes him uncomfortable.I'm just in a shitty situation where I'm starting to feel like he never wants to see my family and I am a very family oriented person who grew up in a strong close family ,(which I found out he didn't and felt terrible for him) and it just sucks for me even though I may be over exaggerating this.What do you guys think and thanks for letting me speak my mind right now.