Remember to keep Holy the Sabbath Day

04-19-2026Pastor's LetterVery Rev. Richard C. Wilson, VF

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In this “Year of Catechesis,” I will from time to time, be reminding you of certain key points of our rich Catholic faith.

One of the key precepts of our faith is obligatory attendance at Mass. Mass on weekends (on Sundays, and also on holy days of obligation) is obligatory because the Church teaches that Sunday is the principal day of the Christian life and the center of worship for which she has a grave duty to protect and order our lives toward God.

Sunday is the Church’s “foremost holy day of obligation.” The Church’s law is clear:
· “Sunday … must be observed … as the primordial holy day of obligation.” (Code of Canon Law, 1246)
· “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass.” (Code of Canon Law, 1247)

So, the obligation is not arbitrary—it flows from the Church’s judgment that Sunday is the key day when the Church’s life is most fully lived.

The Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life. The Catechism links Sunday directly to the Eucharist: “The Sunday celebration of the Lord’s Day and his Eucharist is at the heart of the Church’s life.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2177)

This obligation reflects an inner spiritual need—and was made explicit for our consciences. Pope St. John Paul II explained that the Church didn’t start by enforcing a rule mechanically. Rather, it grew out of Christian life:
· The obligation comes from an “inner need” felt by Christians in the first centuries.
· Later, when some were negligent, the Church felt compelled to clarify the duty explicitly—sometimes even with canonical precepts. (Dies Domini, 47)

Holy Mother Church wants Sunday to be a whole-day turning toward God—not only an hour of worship, but a day shaped by worship, delight in the Lord, and rest that supports that worship.

The bottom line is that Mass is obligatory on Sundays because the Church identifies Sunday as the primary holy day, and the Eucharist as the center of Church life. She asks the faithful to honor that with a clear, grave duty rooted in the Church’s long tradition and in the spiritual needs of the Christian life.

So, unless you are sick or taking care of someone who is sick or must work, attendance at Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is mandatory. To willfully not attend is to say that Christ’s sacrifice in the Mass is not important to you. Missing Mass is a serious sin. If you willfully miss Mass, you must go to the Sacrament of Confession before returning to receive the Eucharist.

May you grow in the love and appreciation of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!

All the best...in Christ,

Father Wilson