Confused about whether or not watching a televised mass satisfies obligation

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One cannot watch Mass on TV *instead *of going to Mass.

Either one *can *attend Mass, in which case he is obligated to *go *to Mass; or one’s obligation is mitigated by illness, weather, distance, etc., in which case he is not obligated to watch Mass on TV, but it is a pious thing to do when one *cannot *attend Mass.
 
Hi Aydan,
I don’t think anyone mentioned (I looked) but, there is an entire section in the Catechism on/about Sundays beginning at #2174. #2181 explains well, the reasons for not attending Sundays and Holy Days. If you continue on a bit more in this chapter (to #2188), you will also find everything you can, and shouldn’t do on Sundays, -it’s a very good read. Hope this helps.
 
1ke said:
Yes, this is true. And the Mass on TV can be a spiritually comforting and act of devotion on the part of the bedridden or confined person. It does not, however, fulfill the Sunday obligation. Of course, if one is *unable *to attend Mass there is no obligation.
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There have been times when the weather has been too bad to attend Mass (I am a senior) and I have watched Mass on EWTN. After one of these Masses there was an indulgence given to those who weren’t able to attend. Unfortunately last year on Christmas Day we got a bad snow storm and conditions were very icy. I did not feel safe enough to drive in these conditions, and because it was a holiday the snowplows didn’t appear until lated in the day.

Sometimes my husband gets very ill, and I have to stay home to take care of him. I think the Catechism also states that charity will always come first, and if you do have to take care of ANY ill family member, you are excused. I also would not attend Church if you are ill with a cold, flu, or something contagious. In fact in our diocese we were told not to attend Mass if we were ill this winter.🙂

Please note that I very seldom skip a Mass unless there are extraordinary circumstances when I cannot attend.
 
Joseph629 said:
Hi Aydan,
I don’t think anyone mentioned (I looked) but, there is an entire section in the Catechism on/about Sundays beginning at #2174. #2181 explains well, the reasons for not attending Sundays and Holy Days. If you continue on a bit more in this chapter (to #2188), you will also find everything you can, and shouldn’t do on Sundays, -it’s a very good read. Hope this helps.
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Sorry, I also forgot to mention: I don’t know which Mass you watch on TV, but during the EWTN Mass -at the point of Communion distribution- there is a voice-over (from the British Nun) that says -(if I remember correctly): “For those that cannot receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we offer the following prayer” -or something quite similar. And then one of their many prayers are recited basically indicating our desire to take Jesus into our heart. When I was at EWTN, a priest told me that, though you are not physically receiving the Body of Christ while watching it on TV, you are receiving a high amount of graces. Think of it, -though you are too ill to go to church, you have voluntarily taken the time to watch and pray the Mass on TV. God is likely well-pleased.
 
Tantum_ergo said:
Aydan, if you were physically quarantined and unable to leave the house, you simply could not physically attend Mass and God does not hold you to the impossible.

You didn’t ‘have to’ watch the Mass if you were unable to be in Church because of a physical quarantine–but if you did watch it, it didn’t ‘substitute’ for the Mass but was simply a pious gesture on your part. It was a nice thing to do, but it wasn’t a NECESSARY thing to do. Does that help explain?
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yes it does thank you everyone just to clarify during the quarantine we were unable to receive communion because the disease we had in the nursing facility was contagious so they couldn’t allow any visitors at all. Under normal circumstances yes a church brings communion every Sunday for those who cannot attend Mass. However under normal circumstances I can and I do attend vigil Mass at my church every Saturday. As soon as the quarantine was lifted last week I returned to my church but when I read that the TV masses did not count for the obligation it scared me because I took the Eucharist when I went back to church this past Saturday.
 
Yes I know exactly what you’re talking about I’ve seen it before on EWTN. I usually watch the mass from Notre Dame, St. Anne’s media or Catholic TV online because EWTN users Latin and I am not a fan of Latin at all.
Joseph629 said:
Sorry, I also forgot to mention: I don’t know which Mass you watch on TV, but during the EWTN Mass -at the point of Communion distribution- there is a voice-over (from the British Nun) that says -(if I remember correctly): “For those that cannot receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist, we offer the following prayer” -or something quite similar. And then one of their many prayers are recited basically indicating our desire to take Jesus into our heart. When I was at EWTN, a priest told me that, though you are not physically receiving the Body of Christ while watching it on TV, you are receiving a high amount of graces. Think of it, -though you are too ill to go to church, you have voluntarily taken the time to watch and pray the Mass on TV. God is likely well-pleased.
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Aydan said:
I am very confused I always thought if you couldn’t go to church watching a televised mass would fulfill your Sunday and/or holy day of obligation but then I read this answer from one of the apologists saying that it doesn’t?? Here is the answer I’m talking about
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?threadid=432430
if it doesn’t count then I’ve been under quarantine for the last three weeks and I could not leave the house so I have to watch a televised mass which I did does that mean I am in a state of mortal sin?
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Watching a televised Mass or recorded Mass does not satisfy your Sunday or Holy Day obligation.

If you are unable to attend Mass outside of your control you have no Obligation to begin with.
 
Aydan said:
I am very confused I always thought if you couldn’t go to church watching a televised mass would fulfill your Sunday and/or holy day of obligation but then I read this answer from one of the apologists saying that it doesn’t?? Here is the answer I’m talking about
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?threadid=432430
if it doesn’t count then I’ve been under quarantine for the last three weeks and I could not leave the house so I have to watch a televised mass which I did does that mean I am in a state of mortal sin?
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if you cannot attend Mass for a good reason you don’t have an obligation. no watching on TV does not fill the obligation. If you could have gone to Church but did not, yes you failed in your obligation, but if you were given wrong information by a priest or someone with a duty to instruct you, your guilt is probably lessened or mitigated all together. We do have a duty to do what you have already done, seek out correct teaching and understanding.

There is no obligation to receive communion at every Mass, only once a year during the Easter season.
 
Eris_Discordia said:
Some people can’t leave home, so they depend on televised masses. My father was bedridden, so he watched them. I also sung for televised masses with choir.
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then he has no obligation, if his caregiver cannot leave him and has no opportunity to attend, she has no obligation, either. If you can’t attend Mass because of illness, weather, any other good reason, you don’t need to ask for a dispensation, and you dont’ have to justify your reasons here or to anyone else. It is a prudential judgment.
 
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