Father James Arwady of St. Christopher Catholic Church in Marysville reminds believers that though there is a current dispensation from the obligation to attend Mass, they are still responsible for observing the Lord's Day.

The Rev. Stephen Pullis, director of the Department of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship, noted that those who are concerned for their own health and safety or that of others should experience no guilt for abstaining from Mass during this time. 

"Catholics who engage in activities that present a similar risk, [such as] eating at restaurants, traveling, non-essential shopping... etc., should begin to return to Sunday Mass as they are able," Pullis  said in a letter published in the church's Aug. 23 bulletin.

St. Christopher is ready to welcome parishioners back to Mass if they are ready to attend, Arwady said in the letter. Those who are not attending Mass are reminded to keep the Lord's Day holy in some way. There are various ways to keep this observance, such as coming to church regularly to pray for an hour, spending time in the church before the Eucharist or meditating on and praying over the readings for that Sunday. One could also read the Bible or the Catechism of the Catholic Church for an hour each Sunday.

"When it is not possible to participate in person in the Sacrifice of the Mass, it is vitally important for every member of the Catholic Church to nourish his or her soul during these days," Pullis said. "This means cultivating a prayer life in their homes, reading Sacred Scripture— especially the prescribed readings for the Sunday Mass— and making Christ the center of one’s home and being his disciple the central identity of one’s life."

Arwady encouraged each person to have a regular observance of keeping the Lord's Day holy. 

"If we neglect the feeding of our faith, then when we need it to rely upon, it will not be strong enough or may even have disappeared by the time we experience our next suffering, tragedy or trial," Arwady said.