Primary Reason for Attending the Mass?

[YachtsMan]

I was always thought that the primary reason we attend the Mass is to be present at the foot of the cross during the re-presentation of Jesus’ ultimate Sacrifice so that we can be recipients of the salvific grace flowing from that event.

More and more I see people arriving late for Mass and then leaving early as if receiving Holy Communion was the primary reason we attend Mass. Or I see people disinterested in the Mass until it’s time to receive communion. Perhaps it’s impossible to separate, but what is the primary reason?

The fact that we are required to attend Mass 52+ times/year, while only being required to receive Holy Communion 1 time per year seems to support what I have been taught, but I am still unsure.

Also why is it that in the past, the communion lines were far shorter and the lines for the sacrament of penance were far longer when compared to today? Has there been a shift in the Church’s teaching?

 

[CatholicNick]

No, you are completely correct.

People misunderstnad nowadays that the reason we attend Mass is not actually to recieve our Lord, it is indeed, to be present at the Sacrifice on Calvery, which is eternal. Before the practise of Daily communion was promulgated by PiusX, people only used to recieve Our Lord once a year - and to this day we are still only Required to recieve the Lord once a year at Easter.

 

[Eileen_T]

And, yes, people today have lost a sense of sin. God is a God of Love and Mercy, they have been told, so He understands and forgives them their ‘foibles and peccadillos’. Sins are things like murde or armed robbery, not something decent people like ‘us’ ever have to be concerned with.

Our TLM has Confession before Mass every Sunday and our PP has told his NO congregation that they could take a lesson from the TLM people about going to the sacrament more frequently.

 

[YachtsMan]

…Our TLM has Confession before Mass every Sunday and our PP has told his NO congregation that they could take a lesson from the TLM people about going to the sacrament more frequently…

Please please don’t attempt to make this a Tridentine versus Pauline Mass issue. I have read these forums at length and such comments ruin many discussions…

 

[thistle]

No, you are completely correct.

People misunderstnad nowadays that the reason we attend Mass is not actually to recieve our Lord, it is indeed, to be present at the Sacrifice on Calvery, which is eternal. Before the practise of Daily communion was promulgated by PiusX, people only used to recieve Our Lord once a year - and to this day we are still only Required to recieve the Lord once a year at Easter.

You are correct that we are only required to receive Communion once a year during the Easter period but if you read para 55 of Sacrosanctum Concilium participation in the Mass is more perfect when you receive Communion.

55. That more perfect form of participation in the Mass whereby the faithful, after the priest’s communion, receive the Lord’s body from the same sacrifice, is strongly commended.

 

[InnocentIII]

Agreed Thistle BUT reception of Communion is not THE reason we attend Mass. I have commented on this on another occassion in regard to the soi-disant crisis of vocations where many post 60’s Catholics regard it as a right to be able to receive communion on a weekly basis. There has been a shift in preception that reception of communion is the sine qua non of Mass attendance and I have actually known some who won;t go to Mass if they are not going to take communion. St Pius X was trying to correct the situation in his time where communion was often taken by just the priest and the server but we have swung to far over to the other side with far too many (myself at times included) taking communion without proper preparation or confession because that’s why one goes to Mass. This is not a NO thing, but derives from the Mass as community celebration concept. By taking communion we are participating in the community. By not taking communion we are being separated fromt he community. One Sunday I took communion even though I knew I was not worthy to do so. I asked myself later as part of my preparation for confession why I had done so and the answer was simple - because I felt people would be looking at me and wondering what I had done. There is a strong compulsion these days to take communion to avoid appearing different or as if you had done something wrong. Ditto there is a strong tendancy not to go to confession for the same reasons. The result is a loss of faith in the central mystery of the Eucharist as something which must be approached with great care and humility. Too often today I am reminded of my protestant cousin’s Communion Service when i go to a Catholic Mass.

 

[thistle]

Agreed Thistle BUT reception of Communion is not THE reason we attend Mass. I have commented on this on another occassion in regard to the soi-disant crisis of vocations where many post 60’s Catholics regard it as a right to be able to receive communion on a weekly basis. There has been a shift in preception that reception of communion is the sine qua non of Mass attendance and I have actually known some who won;t go to Mass if they are not going to take communion. St Pius X was trying to correct the situation in his time where communion was often taken by just the priest and the server but we have swung to far over to the other side with far too many (myself at times included) taking communion without proper preparation or confession because that’s why one goes to Mass. This is not a NO thing, but derives from the Mass as community celebration concept. By taking communion we are participating in the community. By not taking communion we are being separated fromt he community. One Sunday I took communion even though I knew I was not worthy to do so. I asked myself later as part of my preparation for confession why I had done so and the answer was simple - because I felt people would be looking at me and wondering what I had done. There is a strong compulsion these days to take communion to avoid appearing different or as if you had done something wrong. Ditto there is a strong tendancy not to go to confession for the same reasons. The result is a loss of faith in the central mystery of the Eucharist as something which must be approached with great care and humility. Too often today I am reminded of my protestant cousin’s Communion Service when i go to a Catholic Mass.

I certainly agree with many of your comments although its not my place to judge anyone going up to receive communion. However whenever I go to Confession the queue is around 20 people yet on Sundays (and bear in mind we have 10 Masses on Sunday) I would estimate at least 80% of the congregation go up to receive Communion. This is something our priests publicly comment on regularly. While some may receive to save face, I personally think that many cradle Catholics are ignorant about their faith and what constitutes mortal sin, and that they should be in a state of grace before receiving Communion. I believe more education is needed, perhaps during homilies at every Mass for months on end so that nobody can argue they didn’t know.

 

[CatholicMC]

Grace to receive comunion question.

In my experience the only way I would be able to receive the Eucharist is immediately after the priest blessed me after I confessed my sins during reconciliation.

I also feel the Eucharist is neccessary to avoid sin. How, by the above discussion, could i ever receive the Eucharist?

 

[Servulus]

In my experience the only way I would be able to receive the Eucharist is immediately after the priest blessed me after I confessed my sins during reconciliation.

I also feel the Eucharist is neccessary to avoid sin. How, by the above discussion, could i ever receive the Eucharist?

The requirement, of course, is that we be free from serious (i.e., mortal) sin. In fact, the Church anticipates that we will not always be free from venial sin when we receive our Lord. Thus, she teaches in the Catechesim: “As bodily nourishment restores lost strength, so the Eucharist strengthens our charity, which tends to be weakened in daily life; and this living charity wipes away venial sins.” (CCC1394, cf Council of Trent).

You’re right about the necessity of the Eucharist in avoiding sin. In the very next paragraph, we are taught: “By the same charity that it enkindles in us, the Eucharist preserves us from future mortal sins. The more we share the life of Christ and progress in his friendship, the more difficult it is to break away from him by mortal sin.” (CCC 1395).

Hope that helps.

 

[YachtsMan]

I certainly agree with many of your comments although its not my place to judge anyone going up to receive communion. However whenever I go to Confession the queue is around 20 people yet on Sundays (and bear in mind we have 10 Masses on Sunday) I would estimate at least 80% of the congregation go up to receive Communion.** This is something our priests publicly comment on regularly.** While some may receive to save face, I personally think that many cradle Catholics are ignorant about their faith and what constitutes mortal sin, and that they should be in a state of grace before receiving Communion. I believe more education is needed, perhaps during homilies at every Mass for months on end so that nobody can argue they didn’t know.

The number is closer to 95%+ in my parish. I agree – ignorance is key, but so is defiance by some.

 

[Seatuck]

Grace to receive comunion question.

In my experience the only way I would be able to receive the Eucharist is immediately after the priest blessed me after I confessed my sins during reconciliation.

I also feel the Eucharist is neccessary to avoid sin. How, by the above discussion, could i ever receive the Eucharist?

This is precisely why the church used to offer confession prior to every Mass. We have confession once a week for an hour on Sat. There have been times I have gone to confession on Sat and then couldn’t receive on Sunday. Luckily we have a Mass right after confession which I have been able to attend from time to time.

 

[Seatuck]

The number is closer to 95%+ in my parish. I agree – ignorance is key, but so is defiance by some.

This number is more like my experience. Yes , ignorance of what sin is and obstinate behavior. Plus, ignorance of what confession is versus the confetior in the Mass as well as "only the say the word and I shall be healed. I constantly run into those who say we don’t need confession because of those two parts of the Mass. Why do they think this? Well because Vat 2 did away with confession , don’t you know.

 

[InnocentIII]

This is precisely why the church used to offer confession prior to every Mass. We have confession once a week for an hour on Sat. There have been times I have gone to confession on Sat and then couldn’t receive on Sunday. Luckily we have a Mass right after confession which I have been able to attend from time to time.

I am glad that in our very small parish the priest offers confession before each Mass. The system of offering confession once a week (generally on a Saturday morning) is often a convenience for the priest but is an inconvenience for those who wish to receive communion worthily. It used to be that no-one was supposed to receive unless they had confessed. Nowadays it seems everyone is entitled to receive and confession is an optional extra. I agree this is poor catechesis but it is also plain human arrogance. I wonder how many of those who say the “I am not worthy” really believe it? Again this goes back to the general down-playing of the Blessed Sacrament that took place in the “Spirit of VII” during the 70’s and 80’s. Why do we go to Mass - simple - to worship God not celebrate man.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Guess I have to admit I’m one of those for whom the “real” Mass begins with the offertory and ends when the tabernacle doors close. I suppose I’m kind of an emotional guy, but once I start up that aisle to communion, space and time no longer have any meaning for me. A very brief total union with God; a short trip to heaven is what it is to me.

Still, I think things are not as they ought to be. Around here, anyway, it’s not easy at all to ever get to confession. If confessions are available for an hour on Sat, it’s a near miracle. You can go from parish to parish trying to find a place to go to confession. I think it would be a very good idea to have confessions before Mass, a LONG time before Mass, and not in some corner of the sanctuary, out in the open, either. Seems to me the very first thing should be the re-establishment of soundproof confessionals that really are private.

Long ago, you had to fast from midnight to receive communion. Nobody would likely do that now, but maybe, say four hours? Back when fewer than 95% of the people went to communion, it was not necessarily a public admission of mortal sin or disbelief if you didn’t go to communion on a particular Sunday. Maybe we need excuses again.

But I also agree that a lot of folks just don’t admit (or perhaps know) that anything is sinful anymore. After all, if, say, living in a homosexual relationship is just a “lifestyle” and receives at least the tacit approval of lots of priests and, oh my, so many “civilianized” nuns, then what on earth can possibly be sinful? So, against that background, if you don’t go to communion, it’s pretty much tantamount to an admission of having committed mass murder, at minimum, the night before.

I have long believed that the Catholic Church is far and away the most merciful of all religions. If I commit a sin, I confess it and really try not to do it again, even if I suspect I’ll fail. God forgives me then, boom! Just like that. I don’t have to be “saved” again. I don’t have to starve myself out in the desert. I don’t have to cry in front of a church full of people, or lift up my arms and start shouting. I don’t have to achieve spiritual perfection. I don’t have to go around driving everybody crazy “talking about the Lord” at inappropriate times. And I don’t have to be perfect to receive my Lord in the Eucharist. But it does require that I own up to what I do. Heavens, what a lot of trouble folks have in owning up to doing bad things! Could be if pastors put it that way again and again and again, pointed out what is sinful and what is not, and had confessions available a lot (perhaps attending fewer seminars and sensitivity sessions to gain a little time) people wouldn’t find it so hard to just, by golly, admit to sin, unburden themselves of it and start again? Seems possible to me.

 

[Kielbasi]

The number is closer to 95%+ in my parish. I agree – ignorance is key, but so is defiance by some.

The increase in the number of Catholics receiving communion on a typical Sunday from less than 20% in the 60’s to nearly universal recipiency in the current day is probably the biggest change in the Church in the post-VII era.

I don’t know what the cause of it is, but I think a lot of Catholics think there is an obligation to receive weekly, a lot of Catholics don’t have as acute a sense of sin as they did in the previous generation, a lot of Catholics who dont feel worthy to receive are absenting themselves from mass altogether rather than draw attention to themselves.

 

[maryj]

To praise and worship God. Simple enough!!

 

[mrs_abbott]

I constantly run into those who say we don’t need confession because of those two parts of the Mass. Why do they think this? Well because Vat 2 did away with confession , don’t you know.

When did THIS happen?
I guess I need to stay more current on the Catholic Church and her news.

 

[mrs_abbott]

. . .a lot of Catholics who dont feel worthy to receive are absenting themselves from mass altogether rather than draw attention to themselves.

Take it from someone who’s been there (and still is in that hole), it’s easier to miss Mass rather than go and be one of the few sitting there while everyone climbs over you to go to Communion. Granted, that excuse wouldn’t hold up in front of St. Peter in Heaven at the pearly gates but it’s an honest excuse that I, and several other Catholics, use for missing the Sunday Mass obligation.

 

[Kielbasi]

but it’s an honest excuse that I, and several other Catholics, use for missing the Sunday Mass obligation.

Mrs. A- I think its a lot more than just “several other Catholics”, in fact in my view its a statistically significant number which has contributed a lot to the decline in mass attendance in recent decades. Probably causes a lot of non-catholics from visiting as well, at least among those non-catholics who are aware of and respectful of the Church’s rules on communion.

Praying for you, and the hundreds of thousands of others in the same “hole”.

 

[DonProfondo]

Take it from someone who’s been there (and still is in that hole), it’s easier to miss Mass rather than go and be one of the few sitting there while everyone climbs over you to go to Communion.

What, precisely, is so difficult about the latter?