Is physical presence in the church necessary to fulfill the Sunday mass obligation?

Upvote:3

Yes, one must be physically present to fulfill Sunday obligation.

Those who cannot attend Mass (e.g., because there is none within reasonable distance, because of sickness, or because of other valid obligations) should, as Canon 1248 §2 says,

devote themselves to prayer for a suitable time alone, as a family, or, as the occasion permits, in groups of families.

However, there is a spiritual benefit from watching TV or internet broadcasts of Masses (Father Connell Answers Moral Questions [Washington: CUA 1959] 75–6):

One may participate in the benefits of the Mass without being actually present — namely, by directing one’s intention and devotion to the sacred rite. By hearing Mass over the radio one can certainly foster his devotion, and thus profit considerably from the offering of the Holy Sacrifice. Indeed, it could happen that one who participates in the Holy Sacrifice in this manner will gain much more benefit than many of those who are actually present.

Upvote:4

The short answer is that yes, physical presence is necessary in order to fulfill the Sunday obligation. Watching Mass on T.V. or listening to it on the radio does not fulfill obligation.

Canon 1248 of the Code of Canon Law states the following:

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.

“Assistance” here means physical presence—hence not T.V. or radio.

However, those who are unable to make to Mass are, of course, excused from the obligation.

One reason that justifies being “unable” to make it is that the nearest Mass is far away.

Exactly how far away the Mass needs to be is difficult to determine. Of course, it is not really in the spirit of things to be looking for excuses not to go to Mass, so I would tend to err on the side of caution. Clearly, if attending Mass requires a two-hour commute in both directions, then the faithful are excused, especially the old and infirm.

However, I would say that 20 minutes is well within range, for just about anyone, except those with the usual “grave” causes (illness, obligation to care for the sick, etc.).

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