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brian
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Chicago South Burbs, Illinois USA |
| Posts: | 742 |
| First Name: | brian | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | methodist, evangelical, anglican, catholic |
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Posted: Wed Dec 27th, 2006 02:50 pm |
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at the Christmas mass i went to it said that january 1 this year is not a holy day of obligation because it is touching a sunday? i never knew that. does that mean if it were on a monday it also would not be a holy day of obligation (other han the fact of course that all sundays are seens and obligatory as well so obviously you still have to go, just not separately for the occasion)
if this is the case then why was Christmas this year a day of obligation since everyone went to church on the 24th? would it have been if Christmas was on a sunday? would the sunday mass just be the Christmas mass? i would think so. or if Chrismas was on a saturday would that make going on sunday to church not obligatory?
anyway, i am not asking because it bothers me. i am just curious how they work this all out. Its not like i wouldn't want to go, but i wondered why there was an exception on the 1st of January but not Christmas. Maybe cause Christmas is the second biggest day of the year?
i thought it was tough having the fourth sunday of advent one day before Christmas because it made going to midnight mass seem like i had to fit a whole week of spiritual preparation into one day. like i was accelerating several days in time in my mind within 24 hours. although in some ways though i love lent and advent, it sort of enhanced the spiritual meaning of the season as a whole and was so rewarding week to weeek, but sometimes i build up the actual day due to all the waiting and then the day comes and it is hard to like always appreciate it cause you put a months worth of pressure on it. anyone else struggle with this? then i feel bad because i know i should not make my emotions of one day dictate anything. so i felt not as excited on the Christmas mass, but the whole week before and day of i actualy felt like i eventually got to the frame of mind of celebrating that i wanted to. but the mass itself i was sort of not really there. i know my emotions are not so important but it was sad. plus i did not like the way the mass was said and all the bells and whistles this particular church attached to it. at times it seemed a little like a musical during the prayers of the eucharist. and there was a huge concert beforehand while people arrived. it sort of took me out of the moment and i am not saying it was a bad time, in fact much of it was good. nor am i judging the experience based on an emotional experience or lack of one, so much as the fact that my prayers seemed a little distant or insincere or my mind was just on other things than the mass moreso than usual while certain prayers were being said. I felt bad that i was celebrating a mass poorly that i had anticipated for so long.
Brian
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5079 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Wed Dec 27th, 2006 03:26 pm |
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brian wrote: at the Christmas mass i went to it said that january 1 this year is not a holy day of obligation because it is touching a sunday? i never knew that. does that mean if it were on a monday it also would not be a holy day of obligation (other han the fact of course that all sundays are seens and obligatory as well so obviously you still have to go, just not separately for the occasion)
The Church in the United States has de-emphacized the "minor" Holy Days. This includes moving the observance of the Ascension from Thursday to Sunday, and removing the obligation to attend mass on the Solemnity of Mary if it falls on a Monday or a Saturday. It is not in effect everywhere, so for example, Ascension Thursday is still a Holyday of Obligation in Nebraska and I think parts of New York.
The "major" Holy Days, such as Christmas, always carry an obligation to attend mass. I make an effort to attend mass on all Holydays regardless of whether their is an obligation to attend, and I do plan to be in church on New Year's Day.
(The designations "major" and "minor" are mine, not the Church's. I'm not sure offhand which of the other Holydays fall into either category, and Holydays are different in other countries.)
if this is the case then why was Christmas this year a day of obligation since everyone went to church on the 24th? would it have been if Christmas was on a sunday? would the sunday mass just be the Christmas mass? i would think so. or if Chrismas was on a saturday would that make going on sunday to church not obligatory?
When Christmas falls on a Saturday, you have to go for Christmas and for the Feast of the Holy Family, which would be the next day. If Christmas falls on a Sunday, the Sunday mass is the Christmas mass. Obviously, when it falls on a Monday, you go for the Fourth Sunday of Advent and for Christmas.
i thought it was tough having the fourth sunday of advent one day before Christmas because it made going to midnight mass seem like i had to fit a whole week of spiritual preparation into one day.
Imagine if you were the priest! Our parish has one priest, and he had one mass on Saturday, four on Sunday, and one on Monday. He also heard confessions twice. He was not able to spend any time with his own family until Christmas afternoon. He also had to prepare separate homilies, based on different readings, for the Sunday masses, the Vigil masses, and Christmas morning mass.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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CajunRick
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
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| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Posted: Wed Dec 27th, 2006 03:57 pm |
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brian wrote: at the Christmas mass i went to it said that january 1 this year is not a holy day of obligation because it is touching a sunday?
I did a little more research. Christmas and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception are the only Holydays that remain obligatory if they fall on a Saturday or Monday. The feasts of the Epiphany, Ascension, and the Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi) have been moved to Sunday (except in a few locations). The remaining Holydays all have their obligation dispensed if they fall on a Monday or Saturday:
- Solemnity of Mary, January 1
- Feast of the Assumption, August 15
- All Saints' Day, November 1
If I remember correctly, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception is transferred to Monday, December 9 if it falls on a Sunday, but then the obligation is dispensed. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is a Holyday of Obligation in the United States because Mary as the Immaculate Conception is the patroness of the United States.
If you're interested, you can find the General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar here.
____________________
Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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