Church Attendance

There is this bible story where Jesus separates people like a shepherd separates sheep and goats.  It is Matthew 25, if you want to check it out.  Anyway, Jesus says that when you cared for the hungry, visited the sick and imprisoned, clothed the naked, you were caring for him and when you ignored those people, you ignored him.  He invites the caring ones into the kingdom and sends the rest to a rather bad end.  Notice, Jesus never lists going to church as a requirement here for getting listed with the nice people.  Strange.  When I was a boy, I was told that if I skipped mass on Sunday, I committed a mortal sin and would burn.  So why is this behavior not in Jesus' list?  Maybe the priest of my boyhood didn't get the memo?  I am sure no such priests exist today, right!