Don’t Feel Like Going to Mass? Listen To This

3.09.2026

Godsplaining

0:00

31:32

Do Catholics really have to go to Mass every Sunday? And why does the Church call it an “obligation”?

In this episode of Godsplaining, Fr. Gregory Pine and Fr. Patrick Briscoe unpack the Sunday Mass obligation and explain why obligation and freedom aren’t enemies. In fact, having certain non-negotiable commitments can free us from constantly having to decide what matters most.

The friars discuss why Sunday Mass should be a question of when—not whether—why even a less-than-ideal Mass is still worth attending, how worship gives God what He is due, and why the Mass provides a foundation for the entire week.

They also explore what can be lost in being “spiritual but not religious,” the importance of worshiping as a community, and the surprising freedom that comes from allowing our lives to be ordered toward God.

Join Exodus 90 for St. Michael's Lent with with Fr. Columba Jordan starting on August 12th: https://exodus90.com/godsplaining

For the St. Dominic Rosary and more from the Catholic Woodworker: https://catholicwoodworker.com/products/st-dominic-rosary?utm_source=godsplaining&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=stdominic

Send your questions for the friars to: [email protected]

Subscribe to our channel https://www.youtube.com/c/Godsplaining

Support the Podcast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/godsplaining

Shop merch: https://godsplaining.org/store/

Shop Books Written by the Friars

Justice: Judge Rightly, Give Freely: https://a.co/d/0dx0V5AT

O Sacred Banquet: Exploring the Eucharistic Mystery with Saint Thomas Aquinas: https://a.co/d/0hLdv7oU

Witness: https://www.avemariapress.com/products/witness-1

Training the Tongue: https://stpaulcenter.com/store/training-the-tongue-and-growing-beyond-sins-of-speech

Your Eucharistic Identity: https://ignatius.com/your-eucharistic-identity-yeip/