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Is it sinful to attend the Novus Ordo (New Mass) - Is it Sinful to Not Attend the Novus Ordo on Sunday?

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JMJ

A non-SSPX Catholic is upset over the SSPX statements on not attending the Novus Ordo Missae.

Ladies and gentlemen, what the SSPX, or at least its website editor, is advocating is a mortal sin against the Third Commandment.  Unless the priest deviates from the language of the Sacramentary, the consecration, and thus the rest of Mass is to be considered valid.  No one may elect not to attend Mass simply because abuses are occurring therein.  Might I suggest that such absenteeism is its own abuse?  The Third Commandment binds under mortal sin.  Father So-And-So from the SSPX has no authority whatsoever to excuse attendance at Mass, be that Mass ever so unpalatable.Source:Restore DC Catholicism

Well, this is interesting.

First why does the SSPX issue this statement? Because it is sinful to put your faith in danger by attending a protestant service.  It is likewise dangerous to put your faith in danger by attending a protestantized mass (ie the Novus Ordo Missae abbreviates as NOM).

Been there, done that and I can safely conclude that it would damage the faith of my children to bring them to such an event.  They were distraught when we showed them a video of some NOM's.

Now there is one thing that the blogger noted that it was a sin against the Third Commandment.  Which actually is:
Remember to keep holy the LORD'S Day.


I believe what the blogger is referring to is the precepts of the Catholic Church (see list below). Specially, the first precept which is: You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation."

So here we have another opportunity to examine whether or not to obey a law.  Keeping in mind that the salvation of souls is the highest law of the Catholic Church.

Simply put, would attending the NOM a proximate occasion of sin?  In and of itself, given that it is totally protestantized and imbues the attendee's with a protestant perspective on Church Teachings and liturgy ... I would say that it is a proximate occasion of sin.  Not because of what was left untouched by the reformers, but because of all that was touched (and added) by them.

Is it heretical nope?  No more heretical than reciting the Creed without the Filioque (thank you PSJP2 for this example of human respect), but it leaves unsaid and undone what should be both said and done.  Otherwise by not reaffirming Church Teaching those attending it will lose their Catholic perspective.


Until the majority of Catholics who care about being Catholic realize that the New Mass  IS a danger to their faith and that of their children, I believe that the Church won't emerge from the crisis.

P^3

================= Comment I left on Restore DC Catholicism =================

Perhaps I missed this in the comments ... but ...

Let's be clear - this is not about the Third Commandment - which requires us to keep the Lord's day. Which can be done in number of ways and is guaranteed by attending Mass.

This <<< is >>> about the first precept of the Catholic Church - which requires us to "attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation".

There are a couple of problems with your article.

First, the SSPX asserts that the Novus Ordo is valid with the normal conditions (form, matter and intention).  What they do claim is that the Novus Ordo Mass, valid as it may be, constitutes a danger to the faith of those attending. 

Regarding your 'grin and bear it' approach.

Second, validity is not the only criteria, the liturgy has a great importance and effect on those present. For example, you could attend a valid 'black mass', but it would obviously be sinful to do so. 

If the Novus Ordo Missae which you are attending, contains various abuses or worse - then you have an obligation to leave or protest the abuse right then and there. Otherwise you are potentially committing a sin of omission. If you have children with you, then you have to consider the effect on them and their faith as well as your own.

Let's say that you find a perfect Novus Ordo Missae celebrated as promulgated.

Meaning, Ad Orientem, in Latin, with no altar girls and no lay Eucharistic Ministers, with all the "smells and bells" etc.

Then the argument is lesser but I would hold still applicable because the exclusions from the Novus Ordo Missae are comparable to reciting the Creed without the Filioque.  While not explicitly heretical, it still leaves unsaid something that should said.

==========================================================


Just for reference here's the Ten Commandments right from the Vatican's website:
Exodus 20 2-17 Deuteronomy 5:6-21 A Traditional Catechetical Formula
I am the LORD your God,
who brought you out
of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.		 I am the LORD your God,
who brought you out
of the land of Egypt,
out of the house of bondage.		 1. I am the LORD your God:
you shall not have
strange Gods before me.
You shall have no other gods before me.
You shall not make for yourself a graven image,
or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath,
or that is in the water under the earth;
you shall not bow down to them or serve them;
for I the LORD your God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers
upon the children to the third and the fourth
generation of those who hate me,
but showing steadfast love to thousands of those
who love me and keep my commandments.		 You shall have no other gods before me
. . .
You shall not take
the name of the LORD your God in vain;
for the LORD will not hold him guiltless
who takes his name in vain.		 You shall not take
the name of the LORD your God in vain
. . .		 2. You shall not take
the name of the LORD your God in vain.
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Six days you shall labor, and do all your work;
but the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God;
in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son,
or your daughter, your manservant,
or your maidservant or your cattle,
or the sojourner who is within your gates;
for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
and rested the seventh day;
therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it.		 Observe the sabbath day,
to keep it holy
. . .		 3. Remember to keep holy the LORD'S Day.
Honor your father and your mother,
that your days may be long in the land
which the LORD your God gives you. 		Honor your father and your mother
. . .		 4. Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not kill. You shall not kill. 5. You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery. Neither shall you commit adultery. 6. You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal. Neither shall you steal. 7. You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbor.		 Neither shall you bear false witness
against your neighbor.		 8. You shall not bear false witness
against your neighbor.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house;
you shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
or his manservant, or his maidservant,
or his ox, or his ass,
or anything that is your neighbor's.		 Neither shall you covet
your neighbor's wife . . .You shall not desire . . .
anything that is your neighbor's.		 9. You shall not covet
your neighbor's wife. 10. You shall not covet
your neighbor's goods.

 Vatican: Ten Commandments

For reference here's the precepts of the Catholic Church - again straight from the Vatican website:


II. The Precepts of the Church


2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. the obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:
  1. The first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.") requires the faithful to participate in the Eucharistic celebration when the Christian community gathers together on the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord.82
  2. The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year.") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.83
  3. The third precept (“You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.84 
  4. The fourth precept (“You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.") completes the Sunday observance by participation in the principal liturgical feasts which honor the mysteries of the Lord, the Virgin Mary, and the saints.85
    The fifth precept (“You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.86
    The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.87
Vatican: Precepts of the Catholic Church

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