OBLIGATION OF MASS
ATTENDANCE
Have you ever said to yourself: ‘I need to loose
weight?’ Or, say to someone you love, ‘you need to loose weight?’ Or, ‘we need
to loose weight?’
NOW, have you ever said to yourself: ‘I NEED TO GO TO
CHURCH?’ Or, to someone you love, ‘YOU NEED TO GO TO CHURCH?’ Or, ‘WE NEED TO GO
TO CHURCH?’
Well this may be taken as ‘browbeating,’ and it may well
be; but, what I wish to talk about is true. As Catholics we are expected—even
OBLIGATED to attend Mass every Sunday. And, one of my duties is to remind us
that entire obligation.
First, let me say—thank you and good job to those who
come to Mass every week, and during the week when possible.
Secondly, to those who find it easy to put off going to
Mass—GET TO CHURCH! And, I do mean this in a very loving and concerned
manner.
One of my New Year’s Resolutions is to try and spread
the message about our Catholic Identity and the importance of practicing our
faith. And, the one thing that sets us apart from other faiths is the
In a world that challenges us in many misleading ways;
do we recognize our need for God and the Eucharist as a community on Sunday? The
secular world continues to promote what is pleasurable or entertaining, such
that some people expect to be ‘entertained’ even when attending
The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy of Vatican II
states that “the liturgy is the source and summit toward which the activity of
the Church is directed; at the same time it is the fountain from which all her
power flows” (SC 10). Looking at current realities, trends show a growing
population who suppose they can be ‘good Catholics’ without attending Mass
weekly. This is especially true in the generation of Catholics born after 1960.
For a number of people in this generation, there is an emphasis upon ‘being a
good person’ without recognizing the importance of participation in the Mass and
sacraments. Some comments are made that “the Mass is boring,” “I don’t like the
music,” “the homilies aren’t relevant” or “the congregation is not welcoming.”
Not finding meaning and inspiration in the Mass, people turn to books and other
sources for spirituality and worship.
The decline in Catholic Mass attendance over the last 45
years has been well documented. Recent attention has focused on looking at
generational difference to describe this long-term decline. The decline reflects
the death of older Catholics who attend Mass more often and the coming of age of
new adults who attend Mass much less.
The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate,
(CARA), measured attendance for three generations based on life experiences
relevant to Catholics.
The Pre-Vatican II Generation: those Catholics born before 1943 who came of age in a
period prior to the changes of the Second Vatican Council. They tend to exhibit
high levels of institutional loyalty.
The
The Post-Vatican II Generation: those born after 1960, includes the largest number of
adult Catholics (about half). They are described as ‘consumers’ or
‘church-shoppers’ who choose a parish by the school or the theological
perspective or the music that matches them. They are less likely than other
generations to approve the quality of preaching and they want their religious
needs to be addressed.
Pre-Vatican II Generation Catholics grew up in an era
which emphasized the serious obligation to attend Sunday Mass. They were taught
that deliberately failing to attend Sunday Mass without good reason was a mortal
sin. For the Vatican II and Post Vatican II generations, the obligation has not
been emphasized to the same degree. Religious education has moved away from the
emphasis on ‘obligation’ to emphasizing a personal relationship with Jesus and
the communal dimension of faith. Some Catholics erroneously believe that one of
the changes of Vatican II was to remove the Sunday obligation entirely; in their
understanding, Sunday Mass attendance has become ‘recommended, but not
required.’ Others believe that there is an obligation, but not a serious one
(i.e. a matter of grave/mortal sin).
Going Deeper: Reflect on the learning that has surfaced
as you read this. Identify opportunities and possible ways to encourage faithful
Mass attendance.