You may recall that last week I was in Ohio for the funeral of the father of one of our Capuchin brothers, Brother Tommy Pilotta. On my way back to Boston, I stopped in New York to attend a small gathering of friends to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the priesthood of Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros.
You may recall that last week I was in Ohio for the funeral of the father of one of our Capuchin brothers, Brother Tommy Pilotta. On my way back to Boston, I stopped in New York to attend a small gathering of friends to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the priesthood of Brooklyn Auxiliary Bishop Octavio Cisneros.
BRAINTREE Fifteen months after dispensing Catholics in the Archdiocese of Boston from the obligation to attend Mass because of the pandemic, Cardinal Seán P. O Malley is reinstating this core responsibility of the Catholic faithful, effective the weekend of June 19-20. This means that, with exceptions for those who are sick, homebound, or particularly vulnerable, Catholics must participate in the Mass on Sundays and holy days.
Pilot Photo/Gregory L. Tracy
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Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley issued the following letter June 9 on his decision to reinstate the Sunday Mass obligation for most parishioners on Father’s Day weekend, June 19-20. The local dioceses of Fall River, Springfield, Manchester, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine will also join Boston in reinstating the Sunday obligation on that weekend.
Brothers and Sisters,
“Without the Lord’s day, we cannot live!” His Holiness, Pope Benedict, in his homily at the Cathedral of Saint Stephen in Vienna on September 9, 2007, quoted the Abitinian Martyrs, who during the persecution of Emperor Diocletian were arrested for celebrating Sunday Mass. The martyrs responded to the magistrate: “Sine dominico non possumus!” – without the Lord’s day, we cannot live! The Pope went on to say: “For these Christians, the Sunday Eucharist was not a commandment, but an inner necessity. Without him who sustai
The return to congregations is more pointed in the Catholic Church, whose bishops are withdrawing "dispensations." Some find it motivating while others say formal "obligations" are unsafe and pressuring.