Obligation - online Mass?

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Maragal

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Hi everyone, Im just wondering of there is an obligation to watch/attend online Mass?

A blessed Divine Mercy Sunday to you!
 
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I cannot imagine making that an obligation, as not all have the internet, TV or sometimes even a radio. We have been dispensed from the Sunday obligation in general. However, it is spiritually advantageous to watch the live-streamed mass.
 
There is no obligation to attend online Mass, although there is an obligation to honor the sabbath - that might be one of the ways in which you do it.

If no mass is physically available then there is no obligation to attend, but when Mass is physically available then watching it online will not replace that obligation.
 
No obligation, but my wife and I have made it a point to watch on Sundays until this is over and participate (stand, sit, kneel, recite the prayers and responses). Not from a holier-than-thou standpoint, just so that we don’t get accustomed to skipping on Sunday. This lockdown will not last forever.
 
If you can I would recommend watching online mass even as a means of listening to the readings and homily. Also it tells God that you are willing to spend some time in prayer even if you can’t be in church physically.
 
If one has access to internet or television, and they cannot for any reason attend Mass wouldn’t they want to view the Mass out of desire without regard to whether or not doing so is obligatory?

Happy Easter!
 
Maragal said:
Hi everyone, Im just wondering of there is an obligation to watch/attend online Mass?
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The obligation to attend Mass is a precept of the Church, but may be dispensed by your ordinary (i.e., your bishop).

So… has your bishop dispensed with the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holydays in your diocese? If so, then there is no obligation.

Moreover, even if live-streamed Masses are being made available to you, the dispensation (if present) still stands.

It all comes down to what your local bishop has directed.
 
Thanks everyone for responses…for the record, I wasnt asking so much if we “should” attend online Mass, if you know what I mean- as Catholics, I think we all want to be involved as we can in our faith - I was just wondering about the “obligation”. All the answers have been very helpful. God Bless you all!!!
 
Others have mentioned that your bishop may have dispensed with the obligation, which is likely true. It’s also true, however, that if you are in a situation where you cannot attend Mass in person for whatever reason (not unwilling to attend, but truly unable - whether due to your health, caring for someone else, transportation limitations, etc. - or in this case, no choice of your own), the obligation is automatically dispensed by law.
 
EricF said:
No obligation, but my wife and I have made it a point to watch on Sundays until this is over and participate (stand, sit, kneel, recite the prayers and responses). Not from a holier-than-thou standpoint, just so that we don’t get accustomed to skipping on Sunday. This lockdown will not last forever.
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That’s what I’ve been doing too. Sometimes I watch our bishop’s Mass, sometimes I watch the one celebrated by a friend who is a military chaplain 3500+ miles away. Now that our pastor has started live-streaming Sunday Mass from the church (he live-streams the daily Mass from the rectory chapel), I’ll attend his.
 
No obligation. By not having public Mass available, we are automatically dispensed from our obligation.

I don’t watch live stream Masses as I have no TV, and my satellite internet has too much latency to livestream anything, especially since everyone is home and bandwidth has become insufficient. I can’t even watch a YouTube video at a decent resolution without it pausing every few seconds 😦
 
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I think the real challenge will be when the lock down is over in convincing everyone who has been told that watching streaming Mass and doing a spiritual communion is good enough that they now are obliged to go to Mass in person.
 
MikeInVA said:
I think the real challenge will be when the lock down is over in convincing everyone who has been told that watching streaming Mass and doing a spiritual communion is good enough that they now are obliged to go to Mass in person.
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I suppose there could be some of that, but I think the vast majority of Catholics will want to get back to Mass in person. My family and I are still eating dinner out every Saturday night as has been our longstanding custom, only now we’re getting takeout and eating at home. The food is still good, but it’s a poor substitute for eating in my favorite restaurants. I believe most Catholics will feel the same about TV and/or livestreamed Masses.

I for one can’t wait to get back to Sunday Mass in person. And I REALLY can’t wait to get back to weekday early Mass at my parish where I can see all the regulars sitting in our “assigned” seats. For me, that will be confirmation that things are finally back to normal.
 
Im not worried in the least that Catholics wont go back to Mass. I have faith we will do so, and joyously. I also think, for now, we can find God in our homes, in our hearts, doing spiritual communion, reading, praying, being good to others. God is everywhere! And when we go back to Mass, what a glorious and joyous time that will be.
 
I think that most (if not all) of us here on CAF feel the same way. I am more concerned with the more lukewarm folks who have been told now for over a month that it is good enough to watch on TV, and that spiritual communion is as good as the Eucharist. I believe that weekly Mass attendance will remain down for a long time, and the number of CAPE (Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday and Easter) Catholics will increase correspondingly.
 
Maragal said:
Thanks everyone for responses…for the record, I wasnt asking so much if we “should” attend online Mass, if you know what I mean- as Catholics, I think we all want to be involved as we can in our faith - I was just wondering about the “obligation”. All the answers have been very helpful. God Bless you all!!!
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USCCB stated in the Guidelines for Televising the Liturgy November 1996:
Although the televised Mass is not a substitute for participation in the actual celebration of the Church’s liturgy, it does provide an opportunity for those unable to be physically present 1) to identify with a worshiping community, 2) to hear the Word of God, 3) and to be moved to expressions of praise and thanksgiving.
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-wor...ons/guidelines-for-televising-the-liturgy.cfm
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The obligation is for participation in a liturgy but otherwise there is a recommendation to the faithful to “devote themselves to prayer for a suitable time alone, as a family, or, as the occasion permits, in groups of families”

In Latin Canon Law:
Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. Moreover, they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.

Can. 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.
§2. If participation in the eucharistic celebration becomes impossible because of the absence of a sacred minister or for another grave cause, it is strongly recommended that the faithful take part in a liturgy of the word if such a liturgy is celebrated in a parish church or other sacred place according to the prescripts of the diocesan bishop or that they devote themselves to prayer for a suitable time alone, as a family, or, as the occasion permits, in groups of families.
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I guess its wait and see…but my opinion it will be the opposite, and more people will go to Mass…or, at least, this lock down will have no effect at all…those of us who believe the Eucharist is a spectacular, glorious blessing will be celebrating…those who dont feel the need for the weekly bread and blood might not go(as they didnt before - no change there)…and we, as we’ve always done, will pray for all people, Catholic and otherwise, to find Gods love, and pray that all Catholics realize how blessed we are with the Mass. I honestly have not run across even one person, who once thought Mass was important, now suddenly say “oh well, I guess this lock down means Mass isnt important”. Not one. And all my Protestant friends cant wait to get back to their services too, when it is safe to do so!
 
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Maragal said:
I honestly have not one across even one person who has said “oh well, I guess this lock down means Mass isnt important”. Not one.
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My parish has 2400 families. Yesterday during the streaming Mass the number of viewers peaked at 125, so I think the vast majority of parishioners are not spending any time in prayer during this lock down. Those who do watch are told that a spiritual communion is good enough, and if you can’t get to confession during the lock down that God understands.
Again, I don’t think that CAF is an accurate reflection of the greater Church - we are here because our faith is more than an hour-a-week event. My concern is for the people who were marginal Catholics to begin with, who will develop new habits that will no longer include time for Mass.
Sorry if this hijacks the thread, but I think it is related.
 
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Glennon_P said:
I suppose there could be some of that, but I think the vast majority of Catholics will want to get back to Mass in person.
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That is certainly the case with me. I miss Mass, especially Mass at the abbey. My Sunday mornings seem strangely empty these days. I went out for a bike ride yesterday at around the time I’d be leaving for Mass. It felt weird. Very weird! At least the Divine Office is still there.

I think people that made it a point to go to Mass every Sunday will be glad when they can again. I’m not so sure about the occasional Mass-goers, but certainly the regulars will not only want the Real sacramental presence, but they will be happy to have live contact with other parishioners again.
 
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