How much to count for Sunday Obligation?

[Montie_Claunch]

I made it for the last half of the Saterday Afternoon Mass. What % of Mass do you have to attend to count for Obligation? I would just like to know if I need to go again for another Mass in the morning?

 

[Rawb]

From what I’ve heard, if you haven’t been in your pew before the Gospel reading, until after the priest has walked past your pew, you haven’t attended Mass.

 

[LilyM]

From what I’ve heard, if you haven’t been in your pew before the Gospel reading, until after the priest has walked past your pew, you haven’t attended Mass.

There’s no strict amount that counts. Generally speaking arriving late or leaving early, regardless of how late or how early, without sufficient reason, is a venial rather than grave/mortal sin, since you made at least the effort to attend part of it. It’s skipping Mass entirely that is a grave sin.

All things being equal, though, the majority of opinion seems to agree that you should be there for the Gospel, Liturgy of the Eucharist and until Communion has been distributed. Of course Mass begins at the first Sign of the Cross and ends with ‘the Mass is ended, go in peace’.

 

[BobP123]

Actually you have to be there before the Offertory. If you’re late at all, you have to stay till the very end of Mass, after the priest leaves the altar. At least that’s the way it was in the traditional sense. Being late through your own fault is at least a venial sin. Need to start correcting some poor habits.

Prior to Vatican II, when hourly Masses were much more common, most people stayed for part of the next Mass just to be on the safe side.

 

[AspiringDeacon]

Actually, these statements are not exactly true any more - it used to be long ago that there were rules such as you had to be there before the Gospel, before the Offertory etc., but you will not see these written in any current versions of Church teaching (CCC, Canon, etc.) They were removed because people focused too much on the rule and not on the intent of the rule —

The Church teaches you have to go to Mass - period. You are “supposed” to be there for all of it, as it is an opportunity for us once a week (a minimum) to show our love of God, His importance in our life, and our willingness to put Him above all else.

The whys and the wherefores of whether a partial attendance fails to meet Sunday obligation is clearly based now on the circumstances, and is something to discuss with your confessor. For example, A single mom with 5 kids to support who holds 3 jobs, and is just able to take the subway and make the last 30 minutes of Mass, who is otherwise a reverent holy lady who holds Jesus close to her heart; I imagine her confessor would congratulate and bless her for her effort.

On the other hand, the person who always misses the first ten minutes of Mass because they like to meet their friends at Starbuck’s before, I am no judge but I suspect their confessor would advise them to think about their priorities and recognize this is a flaw in their love of the Lord that should be worked on.

I truly believe this is right and consistent with Church teaching from what I have read, but since I am not the Pope speaking from the Chair if anyone else can clarify or jump in please do so!

 

[mommyof4]

Actually, these statements are not exactly true any more - it used to be long ago that there were rules such as you had to be there before the Gospel, before the Offertory etc., but you will not see these written in any current versions of Church teaching (CCC, Canon, etc.) They were removed because people focused too much on the rule and not on the intent of the rule —

The Church teaches you have to go to Mass - period. You are “supposed” to be there for all of it, as it is an opportunity for us once a week (a minimum) to show our love of God, His importance in our life, and our willingness to put Him above all else.

The whys and the wherefores of whether a partial attendance fails to meet Sunday obligation is clearly based now on the circumstances, and is something to discuss with your confessor. For example, A single mom with 5 kids to support who holds 3 jobs, and is just able to take the subway and make the last 30 minutes of Mass, who is otherwise a reverent holy lady who holds Jesus close to her heart; I imagine her confessor would congratulate and bless her for her effort.

On the other hand, the person who always misses the first ten minutes of Mass because they like to meet their friends at Starbuck’s before, I am no judge but I suspect their confessor would advise them to think about their priorities and recognize this is a flaw in their love of the Lord that should be worked on.

I truly believe this is right and consistent with Church teaching from what I have read, but since I am not the Pope speaking from the Chair if anyone else can clarify or jump in please do so!

This is my understanding, too. The focus is not on how late you were, but the reason why you were late? Were you making good time, but you had a flat tire on the way to church, and had to change the tire? Not your fault, no sin. Did your baby spit up on their clothes, or have a diaper blowout as you were ready to go out the door (this always happened to us),and you had to quickly clean them up and change them, and this made you 10 min late? Or did you just decide that mass is “boring,” and you want to cut your time down inside the church to the minimum? I really think it has to do with circumstances, and what is your reason/motivation for being late.