Attending Mass

“The Sunday Slide” (July 11), on Pope John Paul’s recent letter regarding the obligation of Catholics to attend Sunday Mass, was puzzling. The article says that “many good Catholics,” including the three women interviewed for the article, have some reservations about the pope’s decree.

I wonder, though, what qualifies a person as a “good Catholic”? All of those interviewed said that they felt that church attendance was not required. The article seemed to suggest that requiring weekly attendance at Mass was sorely out of step with the times. But could one be said to be a “good member” of a bowling team or the PTA if one never or only rarely showed up for meetings or events? A sense of commitment is an important part of anything serious in life. The pope is just reminding good Catholics everywhere that along with the familial and social obligations that fill their weekends, they also have an obligation to God.

DAVID BURROUGHS

Pasadena