1:00 a.m. Christmas Mass

[FrDavid96]

As in different readings, different Gospels, etc. As an example, the Saturday evening Mass is the same, content wise, as the Sunday morning Mass (other than variations in the homily, depending on who is delivering it). One of the posters above mentioned that there are “four Masses”, and I was trying to clarify whether this meant I would hear different readings depending on which Mass I went to.

Because there are different options available for the Christmas readings, there’s no way for anyone here to know which choices will be made at the particular parish that you plan to attend. That’s why you’re getting responses that might seem vague at first. There’s no one answer that applies to all parishes.

There are 4 Mass texts for Christmas:
The Vigil (Christmas Eve)
Mass in the Night
Mass at Dawn
Mass during the Day

Each one of those Masses has its own “proper” prayers (meaning the opening Collect, Offertory, and Post-Communion). Each one also has its own set of readings. However, there is permission to make certain choices to mix the readings (for example, to choose one Gospel and use it at all the Masses). Again, because there are so many different options, no one can say whether or not Masses will be “the same” without knowing exactly what is being done at any particular parish.

St Mary parish might have one Gospel that’s used at all the Masses of Christmas.
St Joseph parish, across town, might follow the lectionary exactly.

Both would be legitimate choices. The only way to know would be to contact the individual parish, or read their bulletins.

 

[casslean]

Thank FrDavid. That was very helpful.

 

[OraLabora]

Hmm, the Latin texts prior to VII call it “Missa in nocte”, which translates to “Mass during the Night”.

The Latin texts after Vatican II still do: cf Graduale Romanum, 1974.

Right.

The Masses were also identified throughout the world as

“Dominus dixit”

“Lux fulgebit hodie”

“Puer natus est”

These come from the first line of the Introit, which is now very seldom used.

Seldom in parishes, but not so seldom in monasteries!

The abbey I’m associated with only uses two though: Dominus dixit, and Puer natus est, as they only celebrate the Mass in the night, and the Mass during the day.

 

[felsguy]

Also, if the two Masses you attend are celebrated bythe same priest, you will most likely hear the same homily twice. That good be very good or very…uh…uh…well, you know what I mean.

 

[Mintaka]

Previous to Vatican II (well, until the fast changed to 3 hrs sometime in the 1950’s), the usual fast for receiving Communion was from midnight until you actually received Communion.

So back in the day, if they had scheduled Mass for 8 PM on Christmas Eve, everybody would have to have fasted from midnight until 8 PM, skipping breakfast and lunch and dinner.
Don’t forget that the priest also had to fast! So yeah, bad idea to have an evening Mass, good idea to have a midnight-or-later Mass.

Today, we only fast for 1 hour before Communion. So even though the rules for “Mass at night” haven’t changed, the practicalities of having it without the priest fainting at the altar have changed a lot.

 

[GoGoDiego]

"On the Nativity of the Lord all Priests may celebrate or concelebrate three Masses,
provided the Masses are celebrated at their proper times. "

says a rubric in the roman missal.

Possible time ranges are:
Vigil Mass: 4-8 pm (Before or After I Vespers)
Mass during the night: 9 pm-2 am
Dawn Mass: 3-5 am
Mass during the day: 6 am-11pm

So typically, yes, it counts.

 

[CyrilSebastian]

GoGoDiego, Thank you for providing the times of the Christmas Masses.