Team Herald
MARGAO: The Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) has released a detailed set of directives governing how Mass and other liturgical events are to be shared online. These new norms, titled “Guidelines for the Electronic Transmission of the Celebration of the Eucharist and Other Liturgical Services”, were officially promulgated and shared recently with the public.
According to the CCBI, the purpose of the guidelines is to safeguard the theological and spiritual sanctity of liturgical celebrations that are transmitted via electronic means. Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrão, President of the CCBI, addressed the faithful through a circular, underscoring the Church’s intention behind the move.
“These guidelines are intended to ensure that the sacred liturgy, when transmitted through electronic means, remains faithful to its theological, spiritual and liturgical integrity, and continues to be a source of grace for the faithful who participate through such means,” he wrote.
He further stressed that while online participation may offer spiritual nourishment, it is not a replacement for the actual presence of the faithful at the Eucharistic celebration.
Drawing from Church teachings, Cardinal Ferrão pointed to the Second Vatican Council’s Sacrosanctum Concilium, which affirms the real presence of Christ in the liturgy.
He said, “The transmission of the Eucharistic Celebration and other liturgical services via electronic media can provide spiritual benefit to the faithful, it is not a substitute for actual, physical participation in the liturgical assembly, which remains the ideal and normative form of participation.”
The new document sets out specific instructions for bishops, clergy, and laypeople engaged in broadcasting liturgical events. Cardinal Ferrão expressed hope that the guidelines would deepen the faithful’s engagement with the liturgy and reinforce the reverence it demands, whether celebrated physically or viewed remotely. “May these guidelines serve to enhance the dignity of the liturgy and promote a deeper participation of the faithful in the mysteries of salvation, whether in person or through electronic media, always maintaining due reverence and ecclesial communion,” he said.
The drafting of these norms followed in-depth deliberations at the CCBI’s executive meetings held in May and September last year, culminating in their approval during the 36th Plenary Assembly in February this year. With the document now officially in effect, all members of the Latin Church in India—including bishops, priests, deacons, religious and laypeople—are expected to follow its provisions when involved in the digital dissemination of liturgical services.
By establishing a unified approach to how Mass is shared online, the CCBI hopes to protect the solemnity of the liturgy and promote more conscious and respectful participation, even when the faithful cannot be physically present. The full text of the guidelines is available online.