Catholic Apologetics #61
Is Mass Attendance Required During Epidemics?
The Third Commandment explicitly forbids servile work on Sundays and enjoins man to worship God.[1] Holy Mother Church further commands that all Sundays – and all other Holy Days of Obligation – are mandatory days of Mass attendance for all baptized Catholics who have attained the age of reason.
This is one of the Church’s Six Precepts and as such constitutes grave matter. Missing Mass on one of these days without a grave reason or without dispensation – illness, inability to reasonably obtain transportation, etc. – is therefore a mortal sin.
However, bishops may dispense people from the obligation of attending the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass for a legitimate reason (e.g., dangerous storms, epidemics of illness, etc.). Naturally no sin is committed by one who misses Mass when so dispensed by the legitimate authority. This is taking place throughout the Western world now on account of concerns over the coronavirus.
When a bishop issues such a decree, the Church dispenses souls from the precept of assisting at Mass. However, the obligation to sanctify Sundays and render homage to God is a divine precept and thus it cannot be abrogated or dispensed by any ecclesial (or secular) authority. In other words, the Third Commandment, like each of the Ten Commandments, is directly revealed by God and thus rests on His divine authority.[2]
So for instance, if a bishop chooses to issue a decree to dispense anyone over the age of 50 from attending Holy Mass over a two-week period, those who are dispensed do not sin by failing to attend Mass during that two-week period. But if they neglect to keep Sunday holy – for example by not praying, by performing unnecessary excess servile work, or by profaning the day – then they do sin.
Keep in mind that if someone is well and no dispensation has been issued that applies to them, Mass attendance is still required. Yet, even if we are dispensed, epidemics and pandemics are the most important time for us to implore Almighty God for mercy.
How Can I Sanctify Sunday When Mass Is Suspended?
Sunday is the ideal day in which to participate in communal Rosary, Vespers, and Benediction services. Sunday is also the day on which the faithful should be most willing to increase time spent in prayer and in studying the Faith. One can also read Catholic newspapers, books, and magazines. Sundays are also excellent days to strengthen family bonds, exercise greater charity, and perform corporal and spiritual works of mercy.[3] While none of these are required, they are some of the ways in which we can sanctify Sundays. And to those who are home-bound and unable to attend Mass, some of these activities are all the more important.
Pray the Divine Office
If you are like most Catholics, you have little time to pray the Divine Office during the work week. If this is you, make an effort to pray Lauds, Vespers, and Compline each Sunday as a family. Pray Lauds before going to Mass. Pray Vespers before Sunday dinner. And pray Compline after the family Rosary in the evening before bed. You can easily pray the Divine Office from home using DivinimOfficum.com.
The Divine Office is the official prayer of the Church. Unite your family with the Liturgical Year and pray the Divine Office on Sundays (and other Holy Days of Obligation).
Family Rosary
Perhaps no Sunday activity is as cherished as the family Rosary. As the famous saying by Fr. Patrick Peyton goes,[4] “The family that prays together stays together.” Families have a responsibility – as the domestic Church – to foster a sense of holiness and religion amongst their members. The family Rosary should be a time of regular devotion – at least weekly if daily Rosary as a family is not possible.
For those families who have members that have fallen away from the Faith, this is a sure means to help them return to the Church. Beseech Our Lady to send them the graces necessary to save their souls. Invite family members to the Rosary. Indeed, the family that prays together does stay together. And pray for all those affected by the health crisis and for all those who do not have access now to the Sacraments.
Teach and Learn the Faith
No other day should be as treasured for the passing on or the learning of the Faith than Sunday. By virtue of the Third Commandment we are forbidden from performing servile work (i.e., the work typical of a servant) on Sundays.[5] We are also forbidden from commanding those under our charge to perform such works. Parents may not force their children to mow the lawn or get the ironing done on Sunday – and they should actually forbid such an activity on this day! Homeowners may not paint their rooms or work on household labors or even command their contractors or hired help to work on Sunday to accomplish a goal. Rather, we should ask those under our charge to refrain from all such labors on the Holy Day.
What are we to do with our time besides prayer and charity? We are to study and transmit the Faith. There are many excellent sermons online that one can hear or view. The Fatima Center has a weekly podcast released on Saturdays and numerous videos of conferences which teach and strengthen the Faith. There are also many excellent Catholic books on the lives of the Saints, the Life and Passion of Our Lord, mental prayer, etc.
Studying is a discipline of the mind and all forms of intellectual study – whether they be studying the catechism, learning Kepler’s laws of the universe, understanding history, practicing Latin, learning a musical instrument, etc. – are permissible on Sunday. They are even encouraged.
Visit TraditionalCatholic.co for a list of dozens of great Catholic books that can be read freely online.
Read the Sunday Propers
And even if we cannot attend the actual Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, we can read the prayers of the Mass. For instance, learn more about the manner of hearing Mass while at home. And during this current crisis, Ancilla Press has put together the current Propers in a similar method called the Carthusian Office of the Mass.
And lastly, while it may not fulfill our Sunday obligation, there are various Traditional Masses that are livestreamed which we can access during this time. In this way, we can still spiritually unite ourselves with the Sacrifice of the Mass even when dispensed from Mass. And as we watch these, we may make an Act of Spiritual Communion. Some of the Traditional Masses that are livestreamed are:
- SSPX U.S. District
- Servants of the Holy Family
- FSSP in Rome
- Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter
- Canons Regular of St. John Cantius
If you know of others, please post them in the comments section below.
CONCLUSION
Although Catholics may be dispensed from assisting at Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation for just cause by the proper authority, we are never dispensed from “Keeping the Lord’s Day Holy.” Each confirmed Catholic should make sure they know how to keep Sunday holy, which includes activities we ought to do and those we must avoid, besides just devoutly attending Mass.[6] For fathers who serve as heads of families, it is their solemn duty to help all those living under their roof to keep the Lord’s Day holy.
Through our Sunday rest, our exercise of faith and charity, and our worship of God, the Catholic expresses his love for God and grows in His grace.
[1] It is part of the Church’s teaching that man’s obligation to worship God, His Creator, is part of the Natural Law. The specifics as to how man is to properly and fittingly worship God is however part of God’s Divine Revelation.
[2] None of the Ten Commandments can be changed, abrogated or dispensed by any authority on earth, not even the Pope or the Pope in union with an Ecumenical Council. This is because none of these authorities is superior to, or above, God Himself.
[3] The seven corporal works of mercy are: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, ransom the captives (visit the imprisoned), and bury the dead. The seven spiritual works of mercy, which are even more important but receive far less attention today are: instruct the ignorant, counsel the doubtful, admonish the sinner, comfort the afflicted, bear wrongs patiently, forgive all injuries, pray for the living and the dead.
[4] Father Peyton (1909-1992) was a priest who later became famous for promoting the Rosary all over the world.
[5] Refraining from all servile work (manual work, cleaning, physical labor, etc.) pertains to the Holy Days of Obligation as well. Specifically regarding this, we read in the Baltimore Catechism the clear teaching of the Church: “Holy days of obligation are special feasts of the Church on which we are bound, under pain of mortal sin, to hear Mass and to keep from servile or bodily labors when it can be done without great loss or inconvenience. Whoever, on account of their circumstances, cannot give up work on holy days of obligation should make every effort to hear Mass and should also explain in confession the necessity of working on holy days.”
[6] A common practice by many Catholics today is to assist at a Saturday evening ‘anticipatory” Mass. This is a novel concept unheard of in our Catholic Tradition and generally only available in the New Rite of the Mass promulgated after Vatican II. One of the grave problems with this practice is that most people who attend Mass on Saturday evening think they engage in any activity they choose on Sunday. They in turn often fail to keep Sunday holy. This can constitute mortal sin. Remember, the bishop may have dispensed them from attending Mass on Sunday because they went on Saturday evening, but no authority can ever dispense them from the Third Commandment. They must still keep Sunday holy.
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