Attendance at mass each Sunday is a requirement of catholics?

Answer 1

Catholicism is not an individualistic religion, rather it is a social religion. As such, it is fitting for the Christian community to come together to publicly worship God. As well, the Church wishes to provide the Faithful with the sacraments, such as Confession and the Holy Eucharist which are usually provided at Sunday Mass. As well, the Mass is the greatest and most powerful of prayers which gives many graces to those that attend and participate in it.

At the very least, the Church imposes this upon its members in order that people whose natural inclination is to do the very least will have an added incentive to not become lax in their religion. Someone who does not actively participate in their religion will slowly become removed from it, if not abandon its practical application or even beliefs over time due to neglect or distraction. Every human being is required by their nature to render worship and gratitude to God as Creator and Redeemer and the Church sees to it that this obligation is fulfilled by the Faithful in a timely and consistant manner.

Life is short and any of us could die at any point by accident, disease, natural catastrophe. We all have to be aware of how fragile is the Human condition. We go to Mass to give thanks to God for everything ( Eukarist : Thanksgiving )and to motivate each other to live in sanctity. As most if not all Christians we go to listen The Word of God (the readings of The Bible), to listen the preaching ( Homily) which help us understand His Word better, we share the Body and Blood of Christ with the Communion eating the unleavened bread changed to the Real presence of Christ throughout the theological phenomena called transubstanciation We believe that God the Faher sent His Son who through his sacrifice, humilliation, suffering and death we have the opportunity to be redeemed if we commit sin. We are grateful to God because He has manifested His love to us that way. Although the Liturgy of the Mass is common to Catholics around the world in any particular day, the priest who celebrates, the homilies, the music, the participation, the joy, the humor during that celebration can make a difference from one church-Parrish to another. Go to one where you feel welcomed or simply go to Mass for its intrinsec value of the presence of God in His Word or as The Bread of Life.

Answer 2

Yes, it is. A Catholic who does not attend Mass each Sunday is committing a mortal sin and needs to go to confession. The reasoning being that the failure to worship the King of Kings and put anything else (all far less trivial) ahead of Him is a pretty serious insult. Clearly any plausible reason that prevents the Catholic from going (i.e. they're sick, the car won't start, etc.) isn't going to be held against them. In these cases, there isn't really any sin since the Catholic is trying to get to mass but can not because something else is holding them back.

Answer 3

Jesus commands us to celebrate the Eucharist by saying "do this in memory of me." Scripture says "Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the Lord your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, or your manservant, or your maidservant, or your ox, or your donkey, or any of your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your manservant and your maidservant may rest as well as you." (Deut 5:12-14). Also, in Acts 20:7, Luke writes "On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day; and he prolonged his speech until midnight."

The Third Commandment shows that we should rest on the sabbath (which is Sunday for Christians), while in Acts it shows that the early disciples always gathered on the first day of the week to break bread (indicating the Eucharist). It also says that Paul "prolonged his speech" (making references to a homily, or sermon).

St. Justin Martyr, an early disciple, wrote "We all gather on the day of the sun, for it is the first day [after the Jewish sabbath, but also the first day] when God, separating matter from darkness, made the world; and on this same day Jesus Christ our Savior rose from the dead," showing that there is evidence of gathering for Mass in writings outside of the Bible. He also goes on to write about what they do during these gatherings:

"The memoirs of the apostles and the writings of the prophets are read, as much as time permits. When the reader has finished, he who presides over those gathered admonishes and challenges them to imitate these beautiful things. Then we all rise together and offer prayers for ourselves . . .and for all others, wherever they may be, so that we may be found righteous by our life and actions, and faithful to the commandments, so as to obtain eternal salvation. When the prayers are concluded we exchange the kiss. Then someone brings bread and a cup of water and wine mixed together to him who presides over the brethren. He takes them and offers praise and glory to the Father of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and for a considerable time he gives thanks (in Greek: eucharistian) that we have been judged worthy of these gifts. When he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all present give voice to an acclamation by saying: 'Amen.' When he who presides has given thanks and the people have responded, those whom we call deacons give to those present the "eucharisted" bread, wine and water and take them to those who are absent." St. Justin, Apol. 1, 65-67: PG 6, 428-429

This perfectly describes what Catholics do during the celebration of the Mass. As we try to imitate the early Christians in everything that they teach and do, we also gather for Mass every Sunday as they did to remember Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us.

Answer 4

In the strictest sense, because Jesus commands us to partake of His Divinity and humanity in the Eucharist:

• "Take and eat; this is my body...Drink, all of you...this is my blood of the covenant..." (Mt 26:26-28)
• Or again "While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said "Take it; this is my body." (Mk 14:22)
• Or again "I have eagerly desired to eat this passover with you...Take this and share it among yourselves...This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." (Lk 22:15,19)
• "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me..."This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." (1 Cor 11:24-25)

The reason, as Luke writes, Jesus eagerly desires and commands us to partake of His Divinity and humanity is out of supreme love. As God, He knows what is truly best for us, which is why His love takes the form of a command. Through the Eucharist, He greatly desires to offer us the gift of eternal life. Jesus tells us:

• "Amen, Amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever." (John 6:53-57)

From this perspective, Catholics do not perceive Mass so much as an obligation, but as a beautiful opportunity to a) fulfill Jesus' eager desire to b) have us receive the gift of eternal life in the gift of Holy Eucharist.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church places the Eucharist in historical perspective:

1342 From the beginning the Church has been faithful to the Lord's command. Of the Church of Jerusalem it is written:

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.... Day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts." (Acts 2:42, 46)

1343 It was above all on "the first day of the week," Sunday, the day of Jesus' resurrection, that the Christians met "to break bread." (Acts 20:7). From that time on down to our own day the celebration of the Eucharist has been continued so that today we encounter it everywhere in the Church with the same fundamental structure. It remains the center of the Church's life.

REFERENCES

New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Saint Benedict Press: Charlotte, NC. 2011.)

Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Catechism of the Catholic Church. (Paulist Press: Mahwah, NJ. 1994.)

First answer by cmvaughan. Sorry I wasn't logged in. Drop me a line if you have a question or comment.

Answer 5

For Catholics the Sabbath obligation is Sunday, however many parishes have Saturday Evening Services for those who are unable to attend a Mass on Sunday morning. This is one of the precepts or positive laws of the Church. To miss Mass on Sunday or a Holy Day of Obligation out of neglect is a mortal sin - a serious sin, that, unconfessed, would leave you in hell at death.

Answer 6

Roman Catholic AnswerThe Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the re-presentation of Our Blessed Lord's death on the Cross on Calvary for our salvation. Through a miracle of God, we are able to be present to witness Our Blessed Lord offering His Body and Blood on the Cross to the Father, and to each one of us in Holy Communion. To be a Catholic is to be a follower of Our Blessed Lord, there is nowhere else we could possibly be that would be more important than to assist at Holy Mass.

Answer 7

You must have a very serious reason not to attend mass on Sundays and Holy Days.