Sunday obligation Question - Eucharist or mere attendances

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I’ve just read on a catholic.com blog post about when to stay home instead of go to mass and it quoted [ CCC 2181 ]


This seems to state that the obligation for Sunday is to also to recieve the Eucharist. I had always thought the obligation was to go to mass only. Since it’s not always possible for people to attend confession through the week due to work e.t.c I thought actually still going to mass and making a Spiritual communion was enough to keep the Sunday obligation, until you can get to the next available confessession slot of course so your in a state of grace and can then revive next time.

Has this been misquoted? Or have I somehow misunderstood this thinking by Sunday mass attendance was to be just that?

If so does that mean you have to also confess your sins … Adding “I also went to mass without receiving the Eucharist”? It would just seem there would be no point going to mass at all because you’d be sinning if you went and if you didn’t (provided you could not receive communication).

I’m baffled by this one, I also thought the minimum requirement was to revive communion once a year (and Confession) so the Sundays obligation to recive the Eucharist idea seems counter intuitive, if so.
 
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SPONP4US said:
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Eucharist means thanksgiving. Eukharisteo in the Septuagint and Greek New Testament, is the usual verb for “to thank, to be thankful”.

Catechism of the Catholic Church
1417 The Church warmly recommends that the faithful receive Holy Communion when they participate in the celebration of the Eucharist; she obliges them to do so at least once a year.
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You only have to receive Holy Communion once a year at Eastertime. But simply showing up to Mass is not enough either. You have to participate in some way or other appropriate to the Rite. This doesn’t mean you have to know all the responses to the Novus Ordo to participate for example, but if you’re simply there in body it’s not much of a participation. 😉
 
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Prayerful attendance is all that is required. Not sure what the article said or implied, but your thinking was/is correct.
 
The Sunday Mass obligation is set forth as the First Precept of the Church in CCC 2042:
2042 The first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.") requires the faithful to participate in the Eucharistic celebration when the Christian community gathers together on the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord.
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All that is required is that you show up and you participate, in other words follow along and do a reasonable job of making the responses, etc expected of you as a congregant. As TheMortenBay said it doesn’t mean you have to know or do every response perfectly, it just means you need to pay attention and be part of what’s going on, and can’t just show up and sit in the back pew poking your phone or hang out in the vestibule talking to your friend. You are not required to receive Communion to satisfy this requirement.

Communion is only required once a year and is covered in the Third Precept of the Church (CCC 2042):
The third precept (“You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord’s Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.
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I think I see how the OP got confused. The Catechism is confusingly worded. It refers to the Sunday Mass obligation in multiple sections throughout the Catechism, including both the section I quoted above, and the section referenced in the article, which reads:
2180 The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: "On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass."117 "The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day."118

2181 The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor.119 Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin.

2182 Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church. The faithful give witness by this to their communion in faith and charity. Together they testify to God’s holiness and their hope of salvation. They strengthen one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

2183 "If because of lack of a sacred minister or for other grave cause participation in the celebration of the Eucharist is impossible, it is specially recommended that the faithful take part in the Liturgy of the Word if it is celebrated in the parish church or in another sacred place according to the prescriptions of the diocesan bishop, or engage in prayer for an appropriate amount of time personally or in a family or, as occasion offers, in groups of families."120
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Section 2180 talks about Mass, then suddenly section 2181 starts calling it the Sunday Eucharist. While I realize that based on 2183 this is likely referring to participating in the Liturgy of the Eucharist, which you can do without needing to actually receive Holy Communion (by kneeling, following the prayers, making the responses, adoring Jesus in the upraised consecrated host and wine, etc), I can see where the wording could make someone think they need to receive the Eucharist on Sunday.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
I think I see how the OP got confused. The Catechism is confusingly worded. It refers to the Sunday Mass obligation in multiple sections throughout the Catechism, including both the section I quoted above, and the section referenced in the article
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Indeed. The catechism also contains a whole section on “What is This Sacrament Called?”, beginning at #1328 and ending with this, at #1332
  • PART TWO: THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY
  • SECTION TWO THE SEVEN SACRAMENTS OF THE CHURCH
    • CHAPTER ONE THE SACRAMENTS OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION
      • Article 3 THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST
        • II. What is This Sacrament Called?
II. What is This Sacrament Called?

1328 The inexhaustible richness of this sacrament is expressed in the different names we give it. Each name evokes certain aspects of it. It is called: Eucharist, because it is an action of thanksgiving to God. the Greek words eucharistein[139] and eulogein[140] recall the Jewish blessings that proclaim - especially during a meal - God’s works: creation, redemption, and sanctification.

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1332 Holy Mass (Missa), because the liturgy in which the mystery of salvation is accomplished concludes with the sending forth (missio) of the faithful, so that they may fulfill God’s will in their daily lives.
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I believe a simple confusion exists here. I do not believe the article says you must receive the Eucharist on Sundays; indeed, no such obligation exists.

Arnold is saying in the article that you must go to the Eucharist on Sundays. This obligation does exist.

I believe you have inferred by ‘Eucharist’ she means Holy Communion. In fact, I believe by the word ‘Eucharist’ she is referring to the Eucharistic liturgy, i.e. the Mass. She is saying you have an obligation to go to Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation; not an obligation to receive Communion.
 
Yes perhaps that’s my mistake. It does say 'the holy must participate in the Eucharist" my dedication was that it meant recieve communion but perhaps not.
 
Whenever there is the facility to turn it off I do. It can lead to sometimes hilarious changes to your message. Other times it can be disastrous. If I am not sure of a word I resort to my well-thumbed dictionary. It has never caused me the problems autocorrect has 🤣
 
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