I once read a parish newsletter announcing an upcoming holy day of obligation. The notice itself was unremarkable, but one phrase caught my attention. We were invited to celebrate a holy day "of privilege and obligation".
Across Australia, Catholic parishes are preparing to gather a snapshot of participation at Mass, as the 6th National Count of Attendance gets underway.
Get The Southern Cross delivered straight to your inbox twice per month.
Thanks for signing up to the Southern Cross newsletter.
Christmas lunch is either something you look forward to or something you dread. The food, the company, the conversations, the gift exchange; a lot of it hinges on both the choices you make and the people you are with. Are we gathering out of obligation or with love? How well do we know the people around the table? How could we make time with family and friends more meaningful?
Christians have always gathered together to give praise to God on Sunday, the day of the Lord’s resurrection. In this they carry out Jesus’ words at the Last Supper: “Do this in memory of me.” We know that Christ is always present when the faithful come together, and whenever we gather for Eucharist it is the whole Body of Christ that gathers, with Christ as head and us as his members.
If you’ve ever attended a Mass celebrated by the Archbishop in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral, chances are you will recognise the face of Michelle Tie.
Why is the Mass the way it is? What do the various parts mean? Why is the Mass so important to Catholics? These are some of the questions answered in the latest edition of the Pilgrims Quest publication Making the Most of the Mass.
Get The Southern Cross delivered straight to your inbox twice per month.
Thanks for signing up to the Southern Cross newsletter.
