With reinstatement of the obligation to attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation taking effect the first weekend in July, Archbishop Bernard Hebda joined “Practicing Catholic” radio program host Patrick Conley to discuss both the decision to suspend and the decision to resume that obligation.
Archbishop Hebda said the decision to suspend the obligation had been on his heart and mind since 2020 because “this (Mass) is the most important thing that we do.”
“And so, to have a time when, after all of these centuries, where we would be telling people that regularly, they would be dispensed from attending Sunday Mass, knowing that the Eucharist is the source and summit of our lives, there was a certain sadness that was there,” the archbishop said.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda
But the need was real, Archbishop Hebda said, “especially when we were coming to first face the pandemic, and we weren’t sure exactly what was expected. So, I certainly understood why it is that we needed to do that.”
Minnesota bishops and other bishops across the country thought the same way, he said. “So, I know it was something that was very much needed, but I’ve certainly been looking forward to that time when … we might be able to all gather back together.”
Having all the bishops of Minnesota asking the faithful to return to Mass starting the first weekend in July brought him a sense of relief, the archbishop said. It seemed like “we were returning to normalcy,” he said.
He is not sure that there will be a surge of people that first weekend because “we’ve had so many people that have been coming back,” he said. “Anecdotally, I’m hearing that most of our parishes have already seen a great influx of people coming back as they’ve been vaccinated.”
While the obligation to attend Sunday Mass will return, a number of situations that impact individuals could excuse attendance, the archbishop said. People who feel attendance at Mass could risk their health wouldn’t be expected to come, he said, and people experiencing flu-like symptoms that could be COVID certainly aren’t obligated to attend Mass. “In fact, we would rather that they would stay home,” he said.
If parishioners have questions about their attendance decision, Archbishop Hebda suggested they speak with their pastor.
To hear the entire interview, listen to this episode of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show. It airs at 9 p.m. June 25, 1 p.m. June 26 and 2 p.m. June 27 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
People who wish to find a parish near their home or where they vacation in Minnesota can visit BackToMassMN.org. The website includes questions and answers about preparing to return to Mass.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with Nancy Bandzuch, who discusses tips for creating a prayer space at home with her new resource from Catholic Sprouts, and Allison Spies, who describes the 1941 National Eucharistic Congress in St. Paul.
Listen to all of the interviews after they have aired at:
soundcloud.com/PracticingCatholic
tinyurl.com/PracticingCatholic (Spotify)
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