A frequent question amongst Catholics today is whether they should attend the New Mass and if this is required to fulfill one's Sunday Obligation. We will examine this topic in Episode 14.1 of our FAQ video series.
This is an important question considering the problems of the Novus Ordo Missae as explained in our previous FAQ video, Episode 7. But to understand the answer, we must first understand the nature of the Sunday Obligation because this is the basis for the inquiry.
Catholics know that one of the Ten Commandments is to "keep holy the Lord's day". The catechism further teaches that the Church's Sunday Precept helps us to fulfill God's commandment by attending Mass on Sunday (and Holy Days) and abstaining from servile work—and she obliges Catholics of these obligations under the pain of mortal sin.
But it must be understood that while the third commandment is a divine law of God, the Sunday Obligation is an ecclesiastical law of the Church. Thus if there are circumstances that make it impractical or impossible to fulfill the obligation of attending Mass on a Sunday or Holy Day, the Church can dispense her members from this rule. Such situations can include ill health, dangerous or even lengthy traveling conditions.
To learn more about the Sunday Precept, watch FAQ video Episode 14.1. There is also sidebar media on the right-hand side of this resource page featuring links about the New Mass.
