Since its establishment in 1931, by Guglielmo Marconi (for Pius XI), Vatican Radio has been broadcasting Mass from the Vatican on a daily basis, currently Pope Francis’ “Santa Marta” Mass. As radio and television outlets multiplied over the subsequent decades, so too did the broadcast of Mass, and with the advent of the Internet availability has exploded. During the COVID lockdown, parishes everywhere in this country availed themselves of the technology to live stream Sunday Mass, in what proved to be a lifeline to parishioners.
Surely all these developments should be considered blessings. But, more recently an unexpected conversation has been raised among my brother priests about the appropriateness of online Mass, basically “does it count?” The concern is not entirely misplaced, as pastor I am well aware of parishioners who regularly chose to stay home and watch online. It spares them the hassle of getting the kids dressed and out the door, driving to church, finding a parking spot.
It’s understandable but regrettable nonetheless. We can all easily agree that Mass is an assembly that is about “presence,” the Lord’s real presence and ours. Besides which stands the obvious fact that the reception of Holy Communion is impossible online. Since the celebration of the Eucharist is the Paschal “Banquet” this fact alone seems to present a fatal flaw in the online experience.
And yet, any suggestion that pastors or bishops should eliminate streaming from our parishes misses the point that choosing online instead of in-person cannot be regulated. If I suspend the practice in my parish, my stay at home parishioners can tune into myriad other online options, and meanwhile our parish simply loses any connection to them.
Instead of bemoaning modern technology, or trying to exclude it from parish life, why not use it to our strategic advantage and at the service of parishioners. Three facts make my point.
- Online Mass can be a wonderful blessing to those who cannot be present, such as shut ins, the elderly, and those with mobility issues. In our parish our pastoral visitors bring Communion to our shut ins who request it, following Mass.
- Online Mass can be a yoke to parishioners who, for whatever reason on a given weekend, simply cannot attend in-person, which we know is sometimes simply a fact of life. Surely this is preferable to no church experience at all.
- Online Mass can be a “front door” for people who are considering attending your church in-person. It can be an easy invitation for your parishioners to make to their unchurched friends and family.
And about those parishioners at home “watching” Mass in their pajamas… Lets gently, lovingly, regularly invite them back to be with their church family. It’s worth the effort because the Internet isn’t going away anytime soon.
