To be blunt, very few Catholics consistently observe their obligation to attend Sunday Mass, and although that number has been in steady decline in recent decades, the COVID catastrophe has made matters far worse. Poor catechesis is much at fault, but when combined with the dark moral shift in popular culture, those who take the Church and her teaching seriously find themselves increasingly isolated. In all honesty, the Church’s influence has consistently waxed and waned over the centuries; indeed Our Lord warned us that we would often be called to walk our narrow path amidst confusion and hostility, so there is little that is exceptional about our situation. Whatever discouragement may tinge our view of the status quo should be offset by the recognition that most of our dearest saints have walked in rubble.
So what do we do? The Catechism is clear about our obligation to worship. “The celebration of Sunday observes the moral commandment inscribed by nature in the human heart to render to God an outward, visible, public, and regular worship ‘as a sign of his universal beneficence to all.’ Sunday worship fulfills the moral command of the Old Covenant, taking up its rhythm and spirit in the weekly celebration of the Creator and Redeemer of his people” (CCC, 2176). The embedded quote from Aquinas points to the reason for this obligation—not that it is imposed as a harsh edict, but that it is fitting for rational creatures to thank so good a God.
Along with the call to express gratitude, there is the matter of salvation, for our thanks must recognise the great gift Jesus offered in shedding his Blood on our behalf. Salvation is meaningless unless we consider the nature of the gift—and the horror from which it preserves us! Those who reject the “fire and brimstone” attitude of past generations had a valid point, but in treading gently around the wages of sin, we’ve neglected to consider the risks we take in abandoning the faith. The wonder of God’s love and profound depth of his mercy still require a response—specifically, they must be claimed to take effect.
To this end, the Catechism continues: “Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church. The faithful give witness by this to their communion in faith and charity. Together they testify to God’s holiness and their hope of salvation. They strengthen one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit” (CCC, 2182).
Certainly, on the institutional level, it falls to the hierarchy to pray over the best way to clarify this foundational teaching of the Church, but on the personal level, the task of women is clear. Every woman—no matter her age or state of life—is a living, loving icon of the very Church that safeguards the means of salvation for all of mankind. If those we love, and those with whom we interact on a daily basis are unchurched, it is incumbent on us to make that mystical reality present to them. This can be done without preaching and without nagging, for the beauty inherent in our faith is that supernatural truths can envelope concrete actions, and a sacramental vision can guide the most mundane events.
To this end, might I suggest pondering the nature of the Church as mother, and the ways in which she gathers her beloved children, nudges and nourishes them, guards and guides them towards the light of life. What the sacraments do within her embrace is what women are called to radiate wherever they are, gently reminding those around them of another way to live. For a more thorough explanation and helpful illustrations of how to live this iconic vocation, my book, The Authentic Catholic Woman is available in many formats with a study guide as well.
The problem is quite large and certainly beyond our human strength, which tells us that only God’s grace can begin to solve it. But those aware of the long trajectory of Church history also know that in every age it falls to the most unlikely of people to carry the truth to the next generation. In this age, as the Council Fathers taught, “it falls to women to save mankind from falling,” and thus for the time being, we may be the only Church our neighbor sees.
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