The Real Purpose of Mass

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I came across this statement on a local Catholic Church’s website and was very confused:
“The faithful are reminded that our primary purpose in attending Mass is to participate in the act of worship and praise given to God. Therefore, one does not need to receive Holy Communion each time one attends Mass.”

Come Again? As a Catholic convert, It was taught to me in RCIA, that the PRIMARY purpose of the Mass was the Eucharist and it is THE requirement for a Catholic to believe in the Real Presence and the primary purpose for Mass is the Sacrament of the Eucharist.

In my opinion, this statement reduces the Catholic Mass to nothing more than a worship service instead of what the Catechism states: "the divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. . . "
 
Actually the statement is correct.

While the Eucharist is indeed the source and summit, the primary purpose of the Mass is the SACRIFICE of the Eucharist.

And unfortunately due to poor catechesis, many who attend Mass do so in a state of objective mortal sin. They then receive the Eucharist in that state, which piles sin on top of sin.

Indeed, one is only required to receive the Eucharist (in a state of grace of course) once during the year.

Until about 120 years ago, people did not receive their first communion until the age of 12-14, and since many people took the idea of sin far more seriously, and also since back then there were not always priests available every Sunday, they often were not ABLE to attend Mass every week.

Even when I was young in the 1960s, the lines for the sacrament of penance as it was called then were quite long every Saturday (the usual day). And nobody blinked an eye if people at Mass on Sunday did not receive; it was taken for granted that the person either did not wish to receive (and there were plenty of reasons, not all involving sin, some were offered as a sacrifice perhaps for a spouse or family member who could not receive that day) or could not receive. No ‘virtue shaming’, after all, a person might be in the same situation themselves the next week.

While it is certainly good and praiseworthy for a Catholic in a state of grace (and especially in this COVID time when many of us still are rarely able to attend assuming we can sign up for the usual 25% capacity) to receive the Eucharist weekly, it is not in fact necessary or an obligation, again, particularly for those who are not in a state of grace.
 
OK the primordial purpose of the mass is to offer Sacrifice to GOD through HIS son in the Eucharist.
We as Catholic are required to receive communion at least once a year.
That is the bear minimum but one is free to attend mass and receive every time mass is offered but no more than I believe 3 times a day. I may be corrected on that.
Hope this helps.
Peace!
 
Hi Jerry, TWICE a day is the usual, and the second time must be in the context of a Mass. However, viaticum may be received even if it would be the ‘third time’ and if there is a danger of death. . .this is my understanding per the current catechism.
 
markschleich72 said:
“The faithful are reminded that our primary purpose in attending Mass is to participate in the act of worship and praise given to God. Therefore, one does not need to receive Holy Communion each time one attends Mass.”

Come Again? As a Catholic convert, It was taught to me in RCIA, that the PRIMARY purpose of the Mass was the Eucharist and it is THE requirement for a Catholic to believe in the Real Presence and the primary purpose for Mass is the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
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These two paragraphs are not in contradiction but actually compliment one another.
 
Yes, you need to believe in the Eucharist and the Real Presence and it is the source and summit of our faith.

However, Catholics are only required to receive Holy Eucharist once a year. (And even that requirement has been waived or relaxed in some areas this year due to coronavirus.)

Our primary purpose in attending Mass is indeed to participate in the act of worship and praise given to God, which includes the celebration of Holy Eucharist, but we do not need to receive every time.

There are many reasons why a Catholic might attend Mass and choose not to receive, such as:
  • he is in a state of grave, possibly mortal sin, and was not able to confess and be absolved before Communion time, so he does not meet the requirements to receive
  • he broke his fast within an hour prior to Communion being distributed, so he does not meet the requirements to receive
  • he physically is not able to swallow the Eucharist or keep it down for medical reasons
  • he’s already received Communion the maximum number of times that day (assuming you’re not dying, the normal rule is no more than twice per day and the second one has to be at a Mass at which one assists)
  • he’s not comfortable receiving because of possible COVID transmission
  • the supply of Communion hosts ran out before he made it to the head of the line
  • he needs a low gluten host and the Mass doesn’t have any available
  • the Mass is so huge (for example at some Papal Masses) that he cannot physically get to the communion station to receive
One still gets a spiritual benefit from participating in Mass, even if one does not receive Communion at that Mass. We aren’t going to just get Communion and that’s it.

It is pretty common in some countries and cultures to have relatively few Catholics receiving at any given Mass. I was at a big Mass in Mexico a few months ago. I wanted to receive and literally had to push my way through dozens of people who weren’t receiving to get to the priest. Most of the tourists with me didn’t make it to the communion station in time to receive.
 
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I guess the issue I have with the statement is the word “Primary”. If worship and praise is the primary purpose , than does that mean the Eucharist is secondary? Protestant’s worship and praise God in their services all the time but aren’t they missing the key element of the True Presence?
 
markschleich72 said:
I guess the issue I have with the statement is the word “Primary”. If worship and praise is the primary purpose , than does that mean the Eucharist is secondary? Protestant’s worship and praise God in their services all the time but aren’t they missing the key element of the True Presence?
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Keep in mind that this was a statement directed to the laity; there is no Mass without the Eucharist, but only a priest can confect the Eucharist. The priest leads us in our worship. We are there to worship and adore Christ, which would include the Blessed Sacrament. But that does not mean we have to receive the Sacrament every time we’re at Mass; you don’t have to receive the Eucharist to worship Jesus in the Sacrament. Does that make sense?
 
So, then attending the “Worship Center” this Sunday instead of Catholic Mass where Jesus is actually present in the Eucharist is fine then? Heck I can give praise to God anywhere no? I guess I’m missing the whole purpose of becoming Catholic. To receive the Body and Blood of our Savior.
 
markschleich72 said:
If worship and praise is the primary purpose , than does that mean the Eucharist is secondary?
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The Eucharist itself is a sacrifice of worship and praise. You participe in it by joining in prayer the priest who celebrates, even if you do not receive.

As the Roman Canon words it :
Remember, Lord, […] all gathered here, whose faith and devotion are known to you. For them, we offer you this sacrifice of praise or they offer it for themselves and all who are dear to them…
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markschleich72 said:
I guess the issue I have with the statement is the word “Primary”. If worship and praise is the primary purpose , than does that mean the Eucharist is secondary?
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No, we are participating in the Eucharistic sacrifice, which is an act of praise and worship, even if no one receives but the priest.
The priest MUST perform the consecration and he MUST receive.
The Eucharist, in other words Jesus in the Real Presence in the Eucharist, is still the focus of the Mass, whether the congregation receives or not.

As someone else explained to you, the idea of everybody trooping up to receive Holy Communion is relatively recent and only started happening in the last 100 years or so due to Popes relaxing some restrictions and encouraging frequent reception of Communion by the faithful. For many centuries up to about the 1700s, very few people at Mass were allowed to receive Communion. Even the great saints could only get permission to receive a few times a year. Yet they were very often at Mass every single day.

Protestant “praise and worship” is usually not anything like what Catholics are doing, unless we’re speaking of Anglicans who often have a similar service to Catholic Mass, and maybe a few other mainline Protestant sects. Aside from Anglicans, most Protestant services are emphasizing the Word or the minister preaching. It’s not about worshipping God by joining ourselves to the holy sacrifice of the Mass.
 
Yes, I understand that but I believe that the Church shouldn’t downplay Eucharist and say, it’s ok to just sit at home and watch the streamed Mass because “you don’t need the Eucharist all the time anyway”. I just don’t agree with it.
 
Excellent answer by stpurl.

It’s the Priest who offers the sacrifice and the rest of us are not necessary for this purpose. Our obligation is to be there to praise God, pray for the priest, fulfil our weekly obligation and never to commit sacrilege by taking communion when not in a state of grace.

The modern habit of taking communion before confessing mortal sins makes a mockery of the Sacrifice.

As an aside I was very favorably impressed when I saw a devout server decline to receive communion for reasons known only to himself, in full view of everyone including his family.
 
markschleich72 said:
Yes, I understand that but I believe that the Church shouldn’t downplay Eucharist and say, it’s ok to just sit at home and watch the streamed Mass because “you don’t need the Eucharist all the time anyway”. I just don’t agree with it.
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Where does the announcement say that?
 
markschleich72 said:
Yes, I understand that but I believe that the Church shouldn’t downplay Eucharist and say, it’s ok to just sit at home and watch the streamed Mass because “you don’t need the Eucharist all the time anyway”. I just don’t agree with it.
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Is this what the announcement actually said?

Because I have heard a number of priests personally instructing us from the pulpit that it is important to come to Mass in person if you are able to do so and feel comfortable with it, while recognizing that many people have health concerns right now or are afraid to come in person.

In other words, if you are just staying home because it’s easier to watch livestream Mass while you eat breakfast in your jammies, you’re doing it wrong.

This has nothing to do with receiving Communion though. We’re not coming to Mass to get Communion. We’re coming to Mass in person to do this:

 
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The statement was in response to the Covid situation and people wondering when the Church will open to be able to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
 
markschleich72 said:
The statement was in response to the Covid situation and people wondering when the Church will open to be able to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
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That statement doesn’t say that it’s okay to go to Mass at home (which is not the same as actually going to Mass in person) and that you don’t need the Eucharist. It said that you don’t need to receive the Sacrament every time you go to Mass, which is true. Being in a state of mortal sin is one such example.
 
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The holy sacrifice of the Eucharist IS offered to the Father and it IS a benefit to be physically present even if you don’t personally receive Communion.
 
markschleich72 said:
The statement was in response to the Covid situation and people wondering when the Church will open to be able to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist.
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If the Church is closed for public health reasons, then people cannot go to Mass or receive.

The announcement is simply trying to reassure them that this is okay due to the temporary situation. That they aren’t in spiritual danger.

Obviously it’s not ideal as it would be better to be physically at Mass and of course it’s wonderful to be able to receive. But one must make the temporary sacrifice of putting up with the lack of physical Mass/ physical Communion due to the COVID.
 
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