Scottish Catholic Observer

In a letter sent to all parishes in the archdiocese on the feast of Corpus Christi, the archbishop encouraged Catholics to ‘make the choice’ to be at Sunday Mass, and reminded people that we cannot treat Christ as ‘one option among others.’

“Of course, there can be unavoidable circumstances that prevent our coming to holy Mass,” Archbishop Cushley said. “But under normal circumstances, attending Mass on Sunday is a solemn and binding obligation.

“If we deliberately fail in this matter, it is a great sin and we must go to Confession before receiving Communion again. So I’m asking all of us today, is Jesus Christ in the sacrifice of the Mass our priority every Sunday, or do other commitments take precedence sometimes?

“Coming to Mass only every other week or occasionally isn’t the same thing as being faithful to his New Covenant. Surely we can’t treat Christ our Saviour as one option among others for us to shuffle at our convenience?”

In the past 35 years, the number of Baptised Catholics who attend Mass each Sunday in St Andrews & Edinburgh Archdiocese has dropped to around 25 per cent.

Archbishop Cushley told parents that bringing their children to Mass would help them achieve their full potential and find lasting happiness.

“If you teach them like this to seek the Kingdom of God first, you can be sure He will bless them in all the other ways that you hope for,” he said. “I know it isn’t always easy in our secularised world. It may mean making sacrifices and standing up for your Faith among friends or within families. But remember, Jesus already sacrificed everything for us, because He did not want anyone to be lost.

“At many times in the past, people have died for the Mass, and even today in some parts of the world our fellow Catholics risk their lives in order to get to Mass, because they believe that true life depends on it. And they are right. Christ is our life and the Mass is our lifeline. I therefore urge you, my dear brother and sisters, to make the choice to attend Sunday Mass, to make it a priority, and to bring others with you.”