More than just an arbitrary rule, the obligation to attend Mass each Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation is actually a good thing for us. It protects us from giving up on a fundamental need that we have: to worship God in the way that He deserves and desires. Sometimes we think about Mass only in terms of getting something for ourselves, and we really do receive an amazing gift in attending and in Holy Communion. But Mass is firstly about giving to God, giving our worship, our petitions, and our very selves to the God who creates, redeems, and loves us. Living out the obligation keeps us from abandoning this crucial part of our relationship with God. It is a safeguard against our tendencies to ignore God or focus only on ourselves. When we worship as a community at Mass we are brought together into God’s merciful plan of salvation for us.

After much consultation, Bishop Boyea sees the COVID-19 situation in our area as improving to the point that a general dispensation is no longer in the best interest of the Diocese as a whole. This is especially due to increased vaccinations and availability of vaccinations. While there will certainly be some who wish that this dispensation was kept for a bit longer, it is important to remember that there are many factors involved in this decision. Along with the physical health of the Diocese, the bishop is aware that we need to pay attention to our spiritual health. However, there are people to whom the obligation does not apply or who can request a longer dispensation from their pastor.

This is an important opportunity to prayerfully discern how we can best return to a more normal practice of our faith. There still can be serious medical reasons, either for oneself or for someone one cares for, that would make the obligation difficult to fulfill. However, we also must be careful that legitimate concern over these matters not be confused with fear of situations that are not as dangerous as they once were. The bishop knows that there are still some people for whom returning to Mass is not a safe option. Thankfully, these numbers have shrunk dramatically in recent months. It’s worth noting the following in terms of the obligation:

• The obligation to attend Mass never binds when it is impossible to fulfill. Impossibility can exist either physically (ie. an illness or injury makes it very difficult or unwise to leave the house), or morally (ie. coming to Mass endangers others in catching a serious illness). Thus, having COVID-19, having symptoms, being required to quarantine for known exposure, or having serious health concerns (or caring for those who do) all qualify as physical or moral impossibilities to fulfill the obligation.
• The obligation to attend Mass can be dispensed for a just cause in the case of an individual for a limited period of time by any priest or deacon of this diocese. Normally this is done by your pastor. A just cause for requesting a dispensation for yourself might be a moderate health concern that makes exposure more dangerous, or an upcoming event that could put others more at risk. These dispensations can be given for a few weeks at a time and then reassessed as the danger and risk changes.

We want to welcome all of our parishioners home this Pentecost and the following weeks of the summer. There are a number of exciting events coming up, including returning to worship in our newly renovated church on Memorial day weekend, and we need all the more to support each other and enjoy our community life. At Masses the following precautions are in place:

• We ask that everyone continue to wear a facial covering while indoors, for the time being.
• Please be considerate of others in deciding where to sit. The 7:30am Sunday Mass is the easiest Mass to maintain social distance.
• Our facilities continue to be cleaned regularly.
  • Our new wooden pews require a special cleaner, so we ask  that you do not use any wipes or other cleaners on them, as many cleaning products can irreparably damage the wood. We will clean them regularly.

Dispensations can be requested by contacting Fr. Fons, either in person or through email. Please include your name, the individual or individuals for whom you are requesting, and the reason or reasons for requesting.

Fr. David Fons: fr.davidfons@gmail.com