Church Attendance

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." - Exodus 20:8

What the Catechism of the Catholic Church says on "Church Attendance:"

2178. "This practice of the Christian assembly dates from the beginnings of the Apostolic age. [Cf. Acts 2:42-46 ; 1 Cor 11:17 .] The Letter to the Hebrews reminds the faithful 'not to neglect to meet together, as is the habit of some, but to encourage one another.' [Heb 10:25.] Tradition preserves the memory of an ever-timely exhortation: Come to Church early, approach the Lord, and confess your sins, repent in prayer.... Be present at the sacred and divine liturgy, conclude its prayer and do not leave before the dismissal.... We have often said: 'This day is given to you for prayer and rest. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.' [Sermo de die dominica 2 et 6: PG 86/1, 416C and 421C.]"

2180. "The precept of the Church specifies the law of the Lord more precisely: 'On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass.' [CIC, can. 1247.] 'The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day.' [CIC, can. 1248 # 1.]"

2181. "The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason (for example, illness, the care of infants) or dispensed by their own pastor. [Cf. CIC, can. 1245.] Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave sin."

CHURCH BELIEFS & ISSUES

WHAT THE EARLY CHURCH BELIEVED

BIOGRAPHIES OF THE CHURCH FATHERS QUOTED IN THIS SECTION
Abortion	Against Heresy	Apostolic Succession & Tradition	The Catholic Church	Contraception
Degrees Of Sin	Divorce	The Eucharist	Good Works	Homosexuality
Infant Baptism	The Mass	The Papacy	Old Testament Canon	Purgatory
Unity Of The Church	The Virgin Mary

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Reference Materials

Biblical quotations on this web site are either from the King James Version or the Douay-Rheims Version of the Bible.

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Abortion	Baptism	The Bible		Celibacy of the Clergy
The Church	Church Attendance	Contraception	Degrees of Sin	Divorce
The Eucharist	Fasting During Lent	Good Works	Homosexuality	Money for the Church
"Once Saved, Always Saved?"	The Papacy	Papal Infallibility	Pre-marital Sex	Purgatory
Quick & Easy Catholic Apologetics	The Reformation	Ritual Prayer	The Sacrament of Penance	The Saints
The Trinity	The Virgin Mary