is attending a Sunday/Saturday MASS mandatory?

[lak611]

Yes, usually missing mass on a Holy Day of Obligation AND on Sundays throughout the entire year is a mortal sin. However, if circumstances arise which prevent you from going to Mass, (and I don’t mean something like a trip to the Mall) it may not be a mortal sin. As for the parents refusing to take a child to Mass, I think it depends. For example how old is the child? If he/she drives and has a car, then there really is not an excuse is there. If the child is too young to drive and can find no way in which to go to Mass, then no mortal sin has been committed.

If parents who have transportation, are not ill, and are not working but refuse to take their children to Mass on Sundays and/or Holy Days of Obligation, the parents are most likely committing a mortal sin but the children are not.

 

[Durendin]

If they die without performing the extremely simple task of making a good confession…and confessing known mortal sins…they will be damned in Hell Forever. Period.

So let me get this right, it’s either only confessed and sinless Catholics in Heaven?

It seems odd to me that if this is not strictly the case, then Catholics have goine to a great length to set up the barriers in relation to Christ in comparison to other forms of Christianity that don’t have such stringent regulations.

Simply put, if a Baptist (for example) who doesn’t abide by the doctrines, dogama and disciplines of the Catholic Church yet still loves Christ makes it to Heaven, is this not a better path to salvation?

 

[MariaG]

It seems odd to me that if this is not strictly the case, then Catholics have goine to a great length to set up the barriers in relation to Christ in comparison to other forms of Christianity that don’t have such stringent regulations.

Respectfully, The Catholic Church did not place the “barrier” of Confession in relation to Christ.

Confession is a gift from God set up by Christ Himself. It was the first thing He did after rising from the dead. John 20:21-23.

 

[Durendin]

Respectfully, The Catholic Church did not place the “barrier” of Confession in relation to Christ.

Confession is a gift from God set up by Christ Himself. It was the first thing He did after rising from the dead. John 20:21-23.

I get that, but what about the rest of what I said? I’m not considering the act of confession a barrier, but the making of missing mass a mortal sin one. Seems to me that it’s a pitfall of being Catholic that other types of Christian worship don’t have. (Unless of course, none of these other Christians are defacto anything but hellbound).

 

[patg]

That is not the point. The point is why on earth, *if you were able, *would you CHOOSE to go see your child everyday and then CHOOSE not to go on a day set aside to celebrate something a little extra special? Talk about hurtful. “I love you but I have more important things to do today than celebrate this special day with you.”

So we should go on Sunday because of guilt and fear of eternal damnation? I’m still waiting for a good reason as to why it is such a do or die requirement.

This is not about someone who is not able to go on Sunday, this is about someone who would choose not to and justifies it by saying they went every other day.

No, its about why the Church feels it HAS to threaten us with eternal torture to get us to mass.

 

[dumspirospero]

If you don’t go, it is a mortal sin…need I say more?

I was under the impression that attending Sunday MASS was mandatory; however, a friend of mine from work believes differently (he says he only goes sometimes himself), and now I can’t find it in the Catechism… it does say that it’s encouraged, and important, but not mandatory?..

love
Saoirse

 

[jmcrae]

So let me get this right, it’s either only confessed and sinless Catholics in Heaven?

You got it!!

It seems odd to me that if this is not strictly the case, then Catholics have goine to a great length to set up the barriers in relation to Christ in comparison to other forms of Christianity that don’t have such stringent regulations.

Simply put, if a Baptist (for example) who doesn’t abide by the doctrines, dogma and disciplines of the Catholic Church yet still loves Christ makes it to Heaven, is this not a better path to salvation?

If a Protestant or other non-Catholic is baptized, loves Christ, seeks His truth to the best of his ability, and never knowingly sins, he can go to Heaven, but if he knowingly sins, or teaches something about Jesus that he knows/suspects to be false even once between Baptism and death, he’s “toast,” as the kids say, because he has absolutely no way to get to Confession.

I would much rather be Catholic with all of the “difficult rules and regulations” (they’re actually not so bad; you should see my Internet Service Provider if you really want to see some strict rules, strictly enforced) than a Protestant with no access to Confession, Holy Mass, or any of the other Sacraments.

 

[jmcrae]

So we should go on Sunday because of guilt and fear of eternal damnation? I’m still waiting for a good reason as to why it is such a do or die requirement.

Sunday is the first day of the week: we give our first things to Jesus, because Jesus is the most important thing in our lives. That’s why we have set aside the first day of the week for Him. We go to Mass on that day in order to offer our “first-fruits” to Him in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist.

No, its about why the Church feels it HAS to threaten us with eternal torture to get us to mass.

The Church isn’t “threatening” anybody - the simple fact is that if you don’t go to Mass on Sunday, then something else is more important to you than your relationship with Jesus.

Jesus respects that - if you’d rather spend Sunday morning doing something else than being with Him, then He will ensure that you spend your entire Eternity separated from Him, and doing something else instead, since He is meek and humble of heart, and will never force Himself on anyone.

 

[lak611]

Respectfully, The Catholic Church did not place the “barrier” of Confession in relation to Christ.

Confession is a gift from God set up by Christ Himself. It was the first thing He did after rising from the dead. John 20:21-23.

Confession is a gift from God, as are all of His Sacraments. The same with Holy Communion. We should WANT to go to Mass (and Confession) not because of rules but in order to receive the grace that God gives us in the Sacraments.

 

[MariaG]

I get that, but what about the rest of what I said? I’m not considering the act of confession a barrier, but the making of missing mass a mortal sin one. Seems to me that it’s a pitfall of being Catholic that other types of Christian worship don’t have. (Unless of course, none of these other Christians are defacto anything but hellbound).

Catholics didn’t make that one a mortal sin. God did.

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy. The understanding of what exactly “keeping it Holy” means was changed by Christ, but not the part about going to the Temple and worshipping God.

Catholic Christians cannot help it if other Christians wish to ignore one of the Ten Commandments and what God meant by it.

 

[lak611]

Catholics didn’t make that one a mortal sin. God did.

Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy. The understanding of what exactly “keeping it Holy” means was changed by Christ, but not the part about going to the Temple and worshipping God.

Catholic Christians cannot help it if other Christians wish to ignore one of the Ten Commandments and what God meant by it.

MariaG, do you by any chance know what the Orthodox Church teaches about this?

 

[MariaG]

So we should go on Sunday because of guilt and fear of eternal damnation? I’m still waiting for a good reason as to why it is such a do or die requirement.

No, we should go out of love for God. IF you cannot love God enough to go and worship Him on the day He has set aside for this purpose, fear is the next best thing.

It is a do or die requirement because God made it so. One of the ten commandments, that Jesus came not to abolish but fulfill.

While Jesus did help us to understand that the Sabbath was for man and was not made to bring further hardship into our lives, so we could do things like pick and eat our own food, heal those in pain, Jesus did NOT tell us we should not go and worship God on His Holy Day. Far from it. We should go and be nourished on that day more than any other because that is the purpose of that day. For us and for God.

This is not about someone who is not able to go on Sunday, this is about someone who would choose not to and justifies it by saying they went every other day.

No, its about why the Church feels it HAS to threaten us with eternal torture to get us to mass

So you would have them stop teaching the ten commandments and tell people they are optional? “Don’t worry about those, Jesus didn’t mean it when he said he did not come to abolish the law.”

I don’t understand why you are angry that the Church chooses to teach the Truth of Christ as reflected clearly in Scripture instead of choosing to be politically correct.

 

[MariaG]

MariaG, do you by any chance know what the Orthodox Church teaches about this?

You know, I don’t

 

[MariaG]

Here is an article that may help some.

Why Is It a Mortal Sin to Miss Mass? By Fr. Ray Ryland

snippet below

Ordinary Christians regularly risked their lives by going to worship because they were convinced “there rested on each of the redeemed an absolute necessity so to take his own part in the self-offering of Christ, a necessity more binding even than the instinct of self-preservation. Simply as members of Christ’s Body, the Church, all Christians must do this, and they can do it in no other way than that which was the last command of Jesus to his own” (ibid., 152f.; emphasis added).

Now back to the original question. Why is it mortal sin, objectively speaking, to choose to stay away from Mass on Sundays or holy days of obligation? The answer is, by that decision, on that occasion, we turn our backs on Christ and on the process of our redemption. **We refuse to carry out Christ’s command to “do this” for the recalling and receiving of him and his salvation.
**

Underline and bold by me

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Because if it was not obligatory to go, a lot of people wouldn’t.

Nor should they. I mean, if they haven’t the faith to get there out of their own intuition, perhaps they’d be better off not going anyway. Either way, if they wouldn’t go because of lack of faith, I don’t see that as being a mortal sin. Mortal sin must be committed with full knowledge and consent. In this case, the person doesn’t have the faith to present him with true knowledge of why he should be at Mass on Sundays.

Not everyone who goes to Mass on Sundays is really thrilled about being there:bigyikes: . And we all know that.

Again, if you don’t know why you’re going, but do so because you’re conforming to the mandate established by the church, you’re probably better off staying home.

How many times have you seen people busily testing someone cleaning their fingernails,game playing reading something else besides a Missal or Bible, chatting away with the neighbor adjusting their PODS or some other such non religious related activity? They don’t really want to be at the Mass but they have to be.

Other than very young children, I have not seen this. Everyone that I see at my parish, seems to want to be there and they participate as full as possible.

I

would be willing to bet that if the Church dropped the mandatory requirement rule, attendance at a lot of parishes would be substantially smaller than it is now.

I’m not so sure this is true anymore. Perhaps back in the W’s and W’s it might have been, but Catholics today really don’t follow what the Church teaches, if they don’t agree with those teachings. Abortion, birth control, homosexual marriage, Catholics seem to favor as much as the rest of the country.

In fact, I read recently, it’s those of us who attend Mass regularly, because we want to be there, are the one’s who support the Church and follow the teachings.

Jim

 

[MariaG]

Again, if you don’t know why you’re going, but do so because you’re conforming to the mandate established by the church, you’re probably better off staying home.
Jim

I disagree with you here.

One SHOULD know why they are going to Church. We should go out of love for God. BUT, you are better off just conforming to the mandate of the Church out of fear than not going at all.

Kind of like perfect and imperfect contrition. We should always have perfect contrition. But we don’t, and fear of hell is better than not being sorry at all.

 

[decn2b]

Nor should they. I mean, if they haven’t the faith to get there out of their own intuition, perhaps they’d be better off not going anyway. Either way, if they wouldn’t go because of lack of faith, I don’t see that as being a mortal sin. Mortal sin must be committed with full knowledge and consent. In this case, the person doesn’t have the faith to present him with true knowledge of why he should be at Mass on Sundays.

Jim

Jim even people who attend mass but don’t have the faith benefit from it. I am a perfect example. I was dragged to mass by my mother for 18 years. There is no doubt it had a supernatural effect on me. Now I HUNGER for the Mass. 100% of those masses that I was “forced” to attend contributed to the HUNGER I now have. You seem to believe that it was the Humans in the church that made the “rules” when in reality the Humans in the church are just passing on the “rules”.

The crux of your “issue” is whether you believe in the Authority of the CHurch. If you do not believe in the Authority of the church to pass on the Truth then its just you and your good ole’ self.

You know,…’ Jims own rules and Jims Authority.

Or Jim, You can believe that the Church teaches with Authority on SOME things…which is really no different than denying the churches Authority on anyting.

Lastly, you can believe with Faith to Accept the Autority of the Church. Which of many many things it tells you that Skipping Mass on SUndays for no good reason is a mortal sin. And Mortal sin places a person outside of sacntifying grace etc. etc. SO in a nutshell either Jim is right…Or the Church is right. If Jim is right, then there is 6 billion Truths on every issue becuase there are 6 billion people on earth. If the Church is right, then there is only ONE truth.

Now I have always been taught that the Creator was not fickle and choosy or had a multi-personality disorder that led HIM to create 3000 ways to skin a Cat. That cat is what the CHurch calls Salvation. God tells us many times That he is the way the truth and the light. That way and truth and light is brought to us by the Catholic Church…you can either believe it or not.

 

[MariaG]

MariaG, do you by any chance know what the Orthodox Church teaches about this?

Hi,

I posted over in Eastern forums and asked It appears while they do not use the same exact terms, they do in fact teach the concept and missing Mass would be a sin. From an Orthodox site.
Concerning Mortal Sins, Pardonable Sins, and Sins of Omission Part I, Chapter 3 from the *Exomologetarion (A Manual of Confession) *by St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite

 

[patg]

I don’t understand why you are angry that the Church chooses to teach the Truth of Christ as reflected clearly in Scripture instead of choosing to be politically correct.

I’m not angry about it and I sort of got off the point here. The bottom line is, how much love and worship is given when it is not given freely, when one bows down because a knife is at one’s throat, and why does the Church feel the need to treat us that way?

Maybe many of the Church’s leaders are too lazy to educate the faithful as to the beauty of the mass and too indifferent to provide a meaningful and inspirational service. Why bother with quality when people have to come no matter what you do?

Jesus was very clear - love God and love others - these are the great commandments. There are far more ways of loving God than just attending mass on one day as opposed to other days and there are many things labeled as abominations in the old testament that we all do every day.

 

[MariaG]

I’m not angry about it and I sort of got off the point here. The bottom line is, how much love and worship is given when it is not given freely, when one bows down because a knife is at one’s throat, and why does the Church feel the need to treat us that way?

Maybe many of the Church’s leaders are too lazy to educate the faithful as to the beauty of the mass and too indifferent to provide a meaningful and inspirational service. Why bother with quality when people have to come no matter what you do?

Jesus was very clear - love God and love others - these are the great commandments. There are far more ways of loving God than just attending mass on one day as opposed to other days and there are many things labeled as abominations in the old testament that we all do every day.

I completely disagree with you that the Church puts a knife at one’s throat. Pointing out that, in fact, a person is holding a knife to their OWN throat, does not mean the Church is holding it there or threatening them with the knife. They are just pointing out that it is there.

As for being too lazy, while I do agree that there has been poor catechisis over the last 50 years, I’d say as an adult, the lazy ones are the ones who don’t seek to further their understanding what all Christians, Catholic or otherwise are supposed to do.

One can cry “victim” ones whole life and blame all their actions based one what happened when they were a child or one can accept it happened, acknowledge it was wrong, and start to build their life (and faith) in the right direction.

As for loving God and loving one another, there certainly are many other ways to show God your love in ADDITION to going to Mass on Sunday, but you cannot be Loving God with your whole heart if you choose to not go to Mass on the Day set aside to do so.

There are many things Jesus did not reinforce nor did the Apostles whom God gave the right to “make and change the rules” and clearly did so. But no where did Jesus or the apostles say that one can love God with all your heart and disregard Him on the Sabbath day by refusing to go to Church on that day.

While Jesus did give the Church the right to make and change the “rules”, Christ did not give the right to make and change the commandments.

Going to Church on the “Sabbath” is a commandment that the Church has no right to ever change. They could change the definition of which DAY was to be kept Holy, and the day of the resurrection of our Lord is appropriate to do so, but the Church does not have the power to change a commandment given by God. I don’t think you are going to argue that any of the other commandment can or even should be changed so why do you blame the Church for the one about the Sabbath?