Old age and Mass QUESTION from Richardson on July 20, 2002 Is there any guideline in the Catechnism or the General Instruction or anywhere at all concerning when attending Sunday Mass is no longer mandatory? I am wondering about my mother. She is in her early seventies and is in good health. She usually goes to daily Mass two or even three times a week and has done this almost since I can remember in spite of it being a long walk. But now she does not always go to Sunday Mass. She said that it is distracting and she does not get much out of it. She complains of noisy children, overlong homilies, bad music, problems with the audio system or her hearing aids. -- I think you get the picture. Should I encourage her to go to Sunday Mass or just accept that the time may come when it can be all right, not a matter of sin, to stop going to Sunday MAss?
ANSWER by Mr. Jacob Slavek on July 28, 2002 Dear Mrs. Richardson,
As long as it is possible to attend Mass then it is mandatory. The question of whether or not she is excessively picky about it can only be answered with the help of a spiritual director or confessor, although I highly suspect that in this case there is serious sin. Your mother, as a good Catholic, needs to go to confession and talk with the priest about her problems and receive advice that will get her to again attend Mass faithfully.
Mr. Slavek
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