St. Gregory Barbarigo 

   Summer time is finally here – and with the end school year and Religious Ed, parish life slows down a bit.  Thankfully covid19 is quietly fading away as life returns to normal.   And we are reminded that normal life includes the obligation to attend Sunday Mass.  Where does that obligation come from?  Well the short answer is from God as he commanded in the Third Commandment – Keep Holy the Sabbath.   And what is the most fundamental way of keeping holy the Sabbath? by worshiping God who made the Sabbath and created each of us.  To help ensure there is no confusion, active participation at Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is the third precept of the Faith.   Are there exceptions? Of course.  If there is a blizzard and you can’t get to Mass or if you are stuck at home with the flu, or if there is a global pandemic which cancels public Masses.  Well in June of last year, we were permitted to have public Mass again, and sure enough we have a good number of people at daily Mass and Sunday Mass, but we are still missing some of our parishioners.  And keep in mind – presently there is no dispensation from attending Sunday Mass.  The right side of the Church has no regulation regarding seating.  The left side of the Church still includes an area for social distancing.  So unless you are homebound, it is time to return to Christ in the Eucharist, every Sunday.