Sunday Obligation

[Josephite]

Why are we obliged to go to Mass on Sundays and holy days? Shouldn’t we want to go to church rather than be obliged to go?

The Eastern Orthodox go to church on Sundays without a similar obligation.

 

[Joan_M]

Why are we obliged to go to Mass on Sundays and holy days? Shouldn’t we want to go to church rather than be obliged to go?

The Eastern Orthodox go to church on Sundays without a similar obligation.

Yes, we should want to go. However, the Church has the obligation and the authority to decide how we must fulfill the commandment “Keep holy the Sabbath Day”.

 

[The_Professor]

I was just going to add that the Eastern Orthodox are obliged by the Ten Commandments, which tell us to honor the Sabbath Day. For Christians, that day is Sunday in commemoration of the Resurrection.

For Catholics, think of the obligation as a basic minimum requirement. It’s troublesome to call yourself a practicing Catholic and not attend Mass on Sundays and important holy days.

 

[drforjc]

Furthermore, do you have data on Sunday church attendance for the EO? Is it substantially higher than for Catholics?

 

[Bookcat]

vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_ben-xvi_exh_20070222_sacramentum-caritatis_en.html#The_eucharistic_form_of_the_christian_life

 

[acarlson]

Why are we obliged to go to Mass on Sundays and holy days? Shouldn’t we want to go to church rather than be obliged to go?

The Eastern Orthodox go to church on Sundays without a similar obligation.

I answered a VERY similar question before, so I’ll provide you with a link to it rather than repeat myself unnecessarily: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=7966447#post7966447

I pray that you’ll come to understand the true nature of the Sunday Obligation. The word “obligation” isn’t as negative as many seem to take it. It’s a beautiful thing, full of God’s love!

 

[ConstantineTG]

Why are we obliged to go to Mass on Sundays and holy days? Shouldn’t we want to go to church rather than be obliged to go?

The Eastern Orthodox go to church on Sundays without a similar obligation.

On the contrary, I hear that those who do not attend Divine Liturgy for 3 consecutive Sundays are excommunicated. Of course the term “excommunicate” in Orthodoxy has a different connotation. In the Catholic world it usually means a great breach of Canon Law has occurred. In Orthodoxy it may mean what we come to understand as “in the state of mortal sin”.

Yes, we should go to Church because we know we need it, like we eat because we know we need to eat. But how do you legislate that? The “obligation” only came out in Canon Law. You cannot legislate someone to want to go to Church.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Furthermore, do you have data on Sunday church attendance for the EO? Is it substantially higher than for Catholics?

Define substantially higher? There are more Catholics in the world so chances are the Catholic attendance is higher.

 

[odile53]

We’re required to keep holy the Lord’s day, which is why the Church states it’s an “obligation.”

An unfortunate choice of words, I think. “Obligation” sounds a lot like “jury duty,” or something equally unappetizing, and just the idea of “having” to be there probably is like waving a red flag at a bull for a lot of people.

If the Catholic Church was more into marketing itself, she would retain the obligatory nature but refer to it as the “Sunday Invitation to Mass,” or something else welcoming, nurturing, and holding forth the joy of participating as a community in the holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

I once saw a mailing from my parish which looked like an engraved invitation that read, “Jesus of Nazareth requests the honor of your presence at a Supper in His honor” and giving the Mass times. It was an incredibly welcoming and eye-catching piece of public relations. I know good Catholics shouldn’t have to rely on such gimmicks, but that weekend it gave me a whole different attitude about getting up and going to Mass!

I’m hoping that the new evangelization wave that is sweeping the Church will use what is good about advertising and marketing to help spread the message of the Gospel and be creative about getting nominal Catholics back to church, and new seekers in the doors.

 

[Will_S]

I once saw a mailing from my parish which looked like an engraved invitation that read, “Jesus of Nazareth requests the honor of your presence at a Supper in His honor” and giving the Mass times. It was an incredibly welcoming and eye-catching piece of public relations.

And almost heretical to boot. Holy Mass is not a “Supper in His honor”.

 

[antonivs]

Does anyone know when the Sunday Obligation was instituted?

 

[Digitonomy]

Define substantially higher? There are more Catholics in the world so chances are the Catholic attendance is higher.

Well, for the answer to have any real value I would think percentages would be needed.

 

[Matthew_Holford]

May be the word “obligation” was not the best choice of words by the Church. It is easy to understand how it developed the connotation of a forced duty. People of my mother and father’s generation were physically punished at school on Monday morning if they hadn’t been to Mass on Sunday.

The purpose of my OP was to question why introduce a precept which is in effect an enforced duty to go to Mass rather than rely on the faithful opting to go anyway. The irony is that even with the precept in place those who do not want to go to Mass will not and do not go to Mass.

With regards to the Eastern Orthodox even though there may in someway be an obligation to go I mean they have no obligation in the sense that I believe they do not have a precept similar to that in the Latin Catholic Church. I also understand that Easter Orthodox christians do not have to fulfil the obligation at Divine Liturgy but that they can fulfil their Sunday ‘obligation’ at Vespers or matins.