Dear Parishioners,

Advent is upon us, and I will be speaking in my homilies about some of the important spiritual aspects. In order to hear these homilies, you have to come to Mass. There has been a lot of confusion and false prophets out there proclaiming things about attending the Holy Mass that are not true. Some proclaim that we need to attend Holy Mass only once a month, others proclaim that it is always optional and has no bearing on our salvation whatsoever. THESE ARE FALSE, UNTRUE, and if stated as the true teaching of the Church—HERETICAL. As I often say in my homilies—DO NOT BE DUPED!!! Your eternal salvation and perfect happiness are hanging in the balance. This is what Cannon Law of the Church says:

• Can. 1247. On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. Moreover, they are to abstain from those works and affairs which hinder the worship to be rendered to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s day, or the suitable relaxation of mind and body.
• Can. 1248. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass. (there is a second paragraph here that speaks of the possibility of a Liturgy of the Word service if the Mass is not available)

The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the following:

• 2042. The first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days of obligation and rest from servile labor”) requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord…

The obvious conclusion is that these are the minimum requirements for the members of the one, true Church that Jesus himself founded and has been guided by the Holy Spirit for nearly 2000 years.