- 11/06/2020
- Category: Commentaries
For Catholics, Mass is the greatest form of worship. During the Mass, Catholics are celebrating and receiving Eucharist in the form of holy communion. Attending Mass on Sunday and holy days is an obligation for Catholics, as stated on The Catechism of Catholic Church[i].
Unfortunately, millions of Catholics unable to physically celebrating Masses due to COVID-19 outbreak Catholic parishes all over the world are closed as a response to social distancing order issued by governments to prevent COVID-19 spread. This unfortunate situation forced the Catholic Church to call off all the Masses and public gatherings until the indefinite amount of time. Parishioners are also excused from the obligation to attend Masses[ii].
Although parishioners are no longer required to celebrate Mass, many churches alter the Mass into virtual liturgy for people who want to worship God from home.
Virtual liturgy is a way of conducting traditional worship ceremonies in virtual space[iii].
The adaption of virtual liturgy has disrupted the Catholic Church in many ways. The Church adjusted some fundamental basis to fit in current circumstances[iv].
Until the pandemic is gone, virtual liturgy is the primary resource for Catholics to worship. And many began to wonder how this will affect the Church in the long run.
Virtual liturgy might put the Church in danger
Many Catholic priests and scholars argued that relying on virtual liturgy to worship and congregate might damage the Church in the long run.
Some people are worried that virtual liturgy might challenge the existence of traditional parishes and promote delocalization[v].
While Catholics are allowed to attend Mass at any Catholic church, celebrating Mass at the parish they belong to is much more encouraged[vi]. A parish is a geographically based Catholic community under the pastoral care and clerical juridical of a priest[vii]. A parish is also under the authority of a diocesan bishop. The Catholic Church teaching emphasizes the importance of parish life as a way to experience spiritual growth. Engaging with fellow parishioners is also being encouraged to nurture a strong Catholic community in the local context.
The virtualization of liturgical ceremonies has prevented many Catholics from engaging with the parish they belong to, as many parishioners do not have enough resources to going online. At the time, most online Masses are served by dioceses or large parishes. This might not seem like a problem, but it would become a problem in the future.
Massimo Fagolli, a Catholic scholar, stated that virtual liturgy might drive many Catholics apart from their local community because they could fulfill their spiritual needs and bonding with fellow Catholics through virtual liturgy[viii]. The presence of parishes would be no longer significant, thus into delocalization[ix]. Delocalization would create an imbalance within the Catholic Church. As the parishioners move to virtual liturgy conducted by larger parishioners or dioceses, the local and small parishes would be in danger. It would destroy the community’s bond and might also financially affecting them. In the long run, the sustainability of the Catholic Church as a whole would also be affected.
Looking Through The Fear: A Perspective
COVID-19 outbreak has pushed the Catholic Church to depend on virtual liturgy as a way to worship. While the dependency might bring harm to the Church in the future, virtual liturgy could help the Church provides spiritual assistance and religious experience to the persecuted Catholics.
According to a PEW Research Center, Christian is the most persecuted religion in the world[x]. Christian has remained as the most persecuted religion for several years. As the largest Christian denominations, many Catholics are also subjected to persecution, harassment, and discrimination
Many marginalized Catholics are under constant threat, even when they are in the Church. On Easter last year, a church in Sri Lanka was bombed, and 250 parishioners were killed. Early this year, a church in Burkina Faso was attacked by gunmen during a Mass, killing six churchgoers[xi]. Similar stories can also be found in Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, and many other countries. As churches become the rising target for attack, the Church is no longer a safe place for marginalized Catholics. Hence, virtual liturgy might be the solution to create a safe space for marginalized Catholics.
Through virtual liturgy, marginalized Catholics could worship from the comfort of their home. The virtual liturgy is also providing a safer arena for marginalized Catholics to gather with fellow parishioners. They could conduct seminars, prayer groups, and other communal activities without leaving their home, thus reducing the risk of being attacked.
The Catholic Church should keep the presence of virtual liturgy post the COVID-19 outbreak. Indeed, the virtual liturgy might destroy the Church in the long run. However, virtual liturgy could help ease the struggles of marginalized Catholics. Finding the perfect balance between physical and virtual liturgy be done so that it would genuinely benefit the Catholic Church.
Author: Amelinda Pandu Kusumaningtyas (Project Officer of Research CfDS)
Editor: Treviliana Eka Putri (Manager of Internal Research CfDS)
Read another articles written by Amelinda Pandu Kusumaningtyas
[i] Learn Religions. (2020). Why Do Roman Catholics Have To Go To Mass Every Sunday?. [online] Available at: [Accessed 9 April 2020].
[ii] ibid
[iii] Tetrault, J. (2020). Parishes Turn To Internet As Masses Are Suspended. [online] Thebostonpilot.com. Available at: [Accessed 9 April 2020].
[iv] Spadaro, Antonio. (2014). Liturgy, Sacraments, and Virtual Presence. 10.5422/fordham/9780823256990.003.0005.
[v] Hellemans, S. and Wissink, J. eds. (2012). Towards a New Catholic Church in Advanced Modernity: Transformations, Visions, Tensions (Vol. 5). LIT Verlag Münster
[vi] Diocese of Superior. (2020). What Is A Parish?. [online] Available at: [Accessed 9 April 2020].
[vii] ibid
[viii] Faggioli, M., (2020). Virtual Liturgies Run Risk Of ‘De-Localisation’. [online] Herald Malaysia Online. Available at: [Accessed 18 April 2020].
[ix] ibid
[x] Angelus News. (2020). Report: Around The World, 260 Million Christians Face Persecution. [online] Available at: [Accessed 9 April 2020].
[xi] ibid
