St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church in Kenosha shared an encouragement in the Sept. 13 bulletin as the time of obligatory Mass begins once again. 

Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee noted that while he has been a priest for 25 years, he has answered the question of whether skipping Mass was a serious sin countless times. Students would ask him if it was really wrong to miss Mass and Rev. Listecki would explain that unless the individual was exempt, it was indeed a cause for concern. 

“I would always attempt to have the students understand that our obligation comes from a deep relationship we have with God and the acknowledgment that His Son, who is our Savior and Redeemer, was raised on this particular day of the week," Listecki said. "The importance of celebrating this day was something even the earliest of Christians could not live without."

In the same way that we make it a point to attend familial gatherings because of the importance of family members and relatives, we must also be willing to make the same point when it comes to worshiping God. 

“Our family history and relationships were built upon this gathering and others that were deemed essential," Listecki continued. "The same holds true for Sunday Mass."

The fact that we attend Mass regularly is what sets us apart as Catholics. When we disobey this obligation, we sin against God’s commandments. 

“Therefore, we need to form our consciences so that we can be fully informed in making decisions about our actions," Listecki said. "The Church in Her wisdom offers us guidelines to help in our formation."

Over the last six months, the unprecedented has happened in that the obligation to attend Mass has been lifted while the COVID-19 pandemic has raged on. While it has been possible to continue viewing Mass online and on television, this dispensation has expired on Sept. 14. 

“Fear of getting sick, in and of itself, does not excuse someone from the obligation," Listecki said. "However, if the fear is generated because of at-risk factors, such as pre-existing conditions, age or compromised immune systems, then the fear would be sufficient to excuse from the obligation. Our Sunday worship is a joyful obligation. It is a witness to God as the priority in our lives.”