CHURCH NEWS | Pope Leo XIV: Attendance at Sunday Mass can Never be replaced by Virtual Participation

Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholics to prioritize attending Sunday Mass, warning that active participation in the Eucharist cannot be replaced by virtual gatherings.

“I urge everyone to seek the best possible conditions so that even those who are unable to take time off work on Sundays may take part in holy Mass,” Leo said.

Pope Leo XIV also explained that the Church has always regarded Sunday as a weekly celebration of Christ’s resurrection: the “dies Domini” (“the Lord’s day”).

He urged Catholics to attend Sunday Mass and warned against using virtual gatherings to substitute for in-person attendance.

“To sanctify Sunday, it is essential to celebrate the Eucharist,” Leo said. “This assembly cannot be substituted by a solely virtual presence, nor can it be reduced to a merely passive gathering.”

“The liturgical assembly is in fact fulfilled through the active participation of brothers and sisters,” Leo added.