On Mondays, I answer questions frequently asked by those considering a return to the Catholic Church. How do I know this stuff? I was away for more than 30 years myself, and am the co-author of When They Come Home: Ways to Welcome Returning Catholics, a book for pastors and parish leaders interested in this ministry.
I’ll be honest. My life is crazy. I work sixty hours a week/care for my aging parents/try to be a good parent to my children. It’s just not possible for me to spare the time to go to Mass every Sunday. Is that still a requirement to be a good Catholic?
The short answer is that yes, the Catechism of the Catholic Church notes participation in Mass on Sundays and holy days (or the evenings before) is a requirement unless you are ill or have another serious reason.
But let’s reframe it. An opportunity to profess your faith out loud with a group of people with whom you may or may not have 
anything else in common. Time for quiet prayer and reflection on the way you are conducting your life. A trained expert’s take on the readings of the day. And of course, the most amazing part of all, the Eucharist. Isn’t that worth getting up a little early on Sundays, scheduling Saturday evening activities to begin a little later, or getting a babysitter for a couple hours at some point during the weekend? (Or, bring the kids; get them involved in the Children’s Liturgy of the Word or if they’re very young, sit with them in the nursery or other designated place if you’re not comfortable with them in the pew.)
Honest, the more often you go, the more peaceful you’ll feel and the more you’ll want to go. God is addictive.
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