When public liturgies were first suspended due to COVID-19, one of the topics of conversation among family members was about the dispensation from the obligation to participate in Sunday Mass. Do we go to Mass because we are obligated to do so, or is there something else that drives our …

I’m not old enough to remember a time when society essentially shut down on Sundays, but I’ve heard the stories! No work, no shopping, nowhere to go but church and Grandma’s house. While there are elements of our 24-7 culture I enjoy (grocery stores open late and extended customer service …

by Cardinal Robert Sarah Vatican City, Sep 14, 2020 / 12:00 pm MT (CNA).- Cardinal Robert Sarah, prefect of the Vatican’s dicastery for liturgy and sacraments, sent a letter to bishops around the world, urging a return to Mass, with proper safety protocols observed amid the coronavirus pandemic. Below is …

CNA Staff, Sep 1, 2020 / 01:30 pm MT (CNA).- From this weekend, Catholics living in Wisconsin will once again be required to go to Mass on Sunday, provided they are healthy and not at risk for coronavirus. “With new measures now firmly in place to promote and preserve the …

CNA Staff, Aug 11, 2020 / 12:00 pm MT (CNA).- Some Catholics in South Dakota will once again be obligated to go to Sunday Mass, after the Diocese of Sioux Falls it will lift the dispensation on Sunday Mass attendance this week. From this weekend, Catholics in the diocese who …

CNA Staff, Jul 14, 2020 / 05:41 pm MT (CNA).- With coronavirus cases spiking in California, the governor has issued new orders banning indoor events including public Masses in much of the state. On Monday, Governor Gavin Newsom suspended all indoor activities at restaurants, entertainment venues, museums, and zoos throughout …

Q: Due to work or other commitments, many people find attending Mass on holy days difficult. Why does the Church ask its members to attend Mass on holy days of obligation? What makes those days different? A: Although all Sundays are the “Day of the Lord” and the faithful should …

Archbishop Dennis M. Schnurr reminds you, on page 2 of this edition, that your Sunday Mass obligation is not suspended during the summer vacation months. Summer activities, coupled with extended daylight hours and warmer temperatures do consume time. Still, the Sunday Mass requirement is an obligation, not an option. “On …