What do you do when you cannot physically go to Mass?

[venite_angeli]

I can’t physically get to Mass. There have been huge earthquakes where I live and the parish church in my area suffered significant damage. There are no other churches close enough for me to get to. I don’t drive and the buses are sketchy at best in the aftermath of the quakes. Is watching Mass online an acceptable alternative to physically being at Mass, given that it is at the moment my only option? Will God understand?

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

Watching Mass on the Internet is a means of participating in the Mass in some way for those who are not able to attend Mass for just reason, but it does not fulfill the Sunday/holy day obligation. If you have just reason for not being able to get to Mass though, you are excused from the obligation.

That said, it seems to me that you do have an obligation to do what you can to find out what provisions have been made in your area for Catholics to receive the sacraments. Since it is apparent that you have Internet access, you should be able to contact your diocese to find out what services are being made available for Catholics’ spiritual needs during the recovery.