TV Mass

[teresa88]

I have not been attending mass every Sunday and instead make a habit of watching the sunday mass on TV. The reason I don’t attend sunday mass is not because of work or illness. I have a mortal sin and I have self excommunicated myself despite my confession. But make it a point to attend the obligatory masses, such as easter etc,

I found that I am more concentrated and 'into it" when I watch the TV Sunday mass in contrast with actually attending where my mind wonders off and distracted. And my family actually stays still and silent as I watch TV mass in contrast with their behavior when we attend mass.

My question is, will this TV mass do in liue of actually attending?

 

[katy]

I have not been attending mass every Sunday and instead make a habit of watching the sunday mass on TV. The reason I don’t attend sunday mass is not because of work or illness. I have a mortal sin and I have self excommunicated myself despite my confession. But make it a point to attend the obligatory masses, such as easter etc,

I found that I am more concentrated and 'into it" when I watch the TV Sunday mass in contrast with actually attending where my mind wonders off and distracted. And my family actually stays still and silent as I watch TV mass in contrast with their behavior when we attend mass.

My question is, will this TV mass do in liue of actually attending?

Nope, TV mass doesn’t cut it. You have to be there. If you have been to confession, what’s the problem anyway?

 

[Marauder]

You do get graces for watching the Mass on TV but they do not fulfill a Sunday obligation unless you are sick or can not attend for valid reasons. The graces are no where near as much as you would get just by being at a Mass in person. Just being able to concentrate on the Mass better if it is on TV isn’t a valid reason. If you have major problems concentrating you should try various techniques to help you (i.e. reading along in the Missal, etc.) If it is an occasional distration, that is entirely normal. Everyone deals with that.

First off you have to be sure you have really “self-excommunicated” yourself. There aren’t tons of reasons you can do this other then abortion, female ordination, desecrating the Eucharist, etc.

If you have “self-excommunicated” yourself by the automatic excommunication methods then you should seek to have the excommunication removed. Certain excommunications can be removed by a priest others have to be removed by a Bishop. See you local priest for details.

 

[benedictgal]

Don’t excommunicate yourself. As Mother Angelica once said, “It’s an insult to God to think that your sins are greater than his mercy.” Go to confession as soon as possible to clear this. And, remember, just because you can’t go to Commuion, that does not excuse you from your Sunday obligation. You’re in danger of piling up the sins because of this.

My grandmother was in an invalid marriage for almost 40 years. However, that did not stop her from fulfilling her Sunday obligation. She never stopped going to church. In fact, she was the one who introduced me to her love of the liturgy, in particular, the Sacred Triduum. When she was finally able to get her first marriage annulled and her second marriage blessed, my step-grandfather started taking an active role in the parish by being an usher.

My dear friend, watching TV Mass on Sundays does not fulfill your obligation. Even though you are following the Mass more attentively and your family is helping by keeping quiet, you still need to be physically present. Jesus wants to see you in His Father’s House. You are part of the family, our family, His Family. No matter how grave your sin is, you can receive absolution so long as you are truly contrite. Don’t give up.

 

[kage_ar]

But make it a point to attend the obligatory masses, such as easter etc,

Every Sunday is a Holy Day of Obligation. Please, speak with your Priest, get to Confession and come back to our Lord in the Eucharist.

 

[1ke]

I have a mortal sin and I have self excommunicated myself despite my confession.

Teresa, this statement does not make sense. You cannot “self excommunicate yourself” despite your confession. Certain acts can incur an automatic excommunication-- they are very few and well defined in canon law-- but you can confess those acts as well and be restored to full communion.

But make it a point to attend the obligatory masses, such as easter etc,

Every Sunday is an obligatory Mass, not just Holy Days such as Easter.

My question is, will this TV mass do in liue of actually attending?

No.

Go talk to your priest, Teresa, and return to Mass.

 

[juno24]

Teresa, I have read through some of your previous posts, so it is clear that you have some belief in God’s mercy (why else would you pray so much for so many if you didn’t?). Please understand that His mercy is for you, too. Please, go talk to your priest Confess whatever it is that you feel has excommunicated you. It is highly unlikely that you have done something which your parish priest cannot absolve, so when he pronounces absolution, for the Love of God (and I do mean that literally!), please accept it.

Come back to Mass.

 

[benedictgal]

Teresa, one thing I forgot to mention is the fact that if you have already confessed this mortal sin, then, nothing should have impeded you from going to the Sacraments.

A lot of times, we can be overly scrupulous and obsessive compulsive about things. We think that this behavior will help us avoid bad things. Unfortunately, this gives the devil a way in and allows him to tempt us into thinking that what we have done is so evil that not even the Sacrament of Penance can cleanse us. Don’t let the devil win this battle, because, by not going to Mass on Sunday (which is an obligation under the third commandment as well as under the precepts of the Church), you are plunging yourself further into a precipise of mortal sin that I don’t think you ever intended.

The bottom line is that we don’t want you to despair. Despair is another trap the devil sets for us. I know, I’ve been down that way. The Lord is offering you a wonderful opportunity to get back on track. Just take the hand that He mercifully and lovingly offers you in the form of the Sacrament of Penance. Accept the mercy He gives you as a gift, then, complete whatever penance the priest gives you and go back to Mass.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I have not been attending mass every Sunday and instead make a habit of watching the sunday mass on TV. The reason I don’t attend sunday mass is not because of work or illness. I have a mortal sin and I have self excommunicated myself despite my confession. But make it a point to attend the obligatory masses, such as easter etc,

I found that I am more concentrated and 'into it" when I watch the TV Sunday mass in contrast with actually attending where my mind wonders off and distracted. And my family actually stays still and silent as I watch TV mass in contrast with their behavior when we attend mass.

My question is, will this TV mass do in liue of actually attending?

No, A televised Mass does not meet the obligation of attending Mass.

ALL Holy Days have a Mass obligation, that includes ALL Sundays. You cannot “excommunicate” yourself. Even if you could, an ecommunicated person still has a Sunday and Holy Day Mass obligation, they just can’t receive any Sacraments.

 

[puzzleannie]

I have not been attending mass every Sunday and instead make a habit of watching the sunday mass on TV. The reason I don’t attend sunday mass is not because of work or illness. I have a mortal sin and I have self excommunicated myself despite my confession. But make it a point to attend the obligatory masses, such as easter etc,
?

there is no reason to compound the original mortal sin by the repeated sin of missing Mass. Mass on Sundays is always obligatory, unless you are prevented from attending by reaons of illness or other good reason.

Just because you cannot receive communion at this time is no reason to miss Mass. A televised Mass may be a beneficial devotion, but does not meet your obligation. Why not just do the easy thing and confess your sin and return to communion? If you have confessed the sin and been absolved you are forgiven. To deny this reality is to deny the action of Christ in the sacraments. There is no such thing as “exommunicating yourself”. You are bound by the sacraments of the Church, as Christ gave them to us. You don’t write your own rules. Confess the sin of missing Mass and return to the sacraments.