Abrogating a holy day

[WingsOfEagles]

Tis_Bearself:

If it’ s just a case of people partying and not coming to Mass, I do not understand why in some dioceses people are expected to just man up and get themselves to Mass (a vigil Mass if need be) and in other dioceses people are allowed to be lazy. It makes no sense. If people in Philadelphia can get to Holy Day Mass, then what makes people in Southern California so special that they’re exempt? Both areas have a ton of Catholic churches and significant traffic congestion.

I don’t know of any diocese in Canada that abrogates the obligation to go to Mass on January 1st, but I do know that the fact that it’s a Holy Day of Obligation is never mentioned in my parish. The choir doesn’t even bother to show up for Mass. Nor do I recall it ever being mentioned in any other parish in which I’ve lived over the course of my 43 year marriage.

I never actually knew that Christmas and New Year were HDOs until I started reading the Complementary Norms to Canon Law back when I worked in the parish office some 20 years ago (my goodness, where has the time gone!?). I only knew that I’d grown up going to Mass on both those days and I continued to do so as an adult, taking my kids with me once they came along. Christmas was a no-brainer and It only made sense to start the New Year with Mass. Never knew there was an obligation, like that of Sunday, attached to those days.

This is another reason for low attendance at Holy Days, I think. It was briefly mentioned at the Sunday Mass preceding the day this year, but I never remember the mention of it as a child. In fact, I feel like I was unaware of most obligatory days as a child due to “lack of advertising” if you will.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I’ve noticed that nowadays the parishes around here will announce them the Sunday before, if they’re on a weekday, and will also announce the Mass schedule or say “See the bulletin for Masses”.

When I was growing up, I knew about the Holydays of Obligation from my mom who was always on top of that stuff. I don’t recall them being announced at Church, though there may have been an item in the bulletin if people bothered to read it.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

I’ve noticed that nowadays the parishes around here will announce them the Sunday before, if they’re on a weekday, and will also announce the Mass schedule or say “See the bulletin for Masses”.

When I was growing up, I knew about the Holydays of Obligation from my mom who was always on top of that stuff. I don’t recall them being announced at Church, though there may have been an item in the bulletin if people bothered to read it.

And this can be problematic in some cases. My mother grew up in the Congregational Church and became Catholic when I was about 12. She certainly wasn’t aware. My father was the Catholic, but actually less regular with his Mass attendance and wouldn’t have stayed on top of getting to all Holy Days of Obligation.

 

[phil19034]

I live in Philadelphia, one of the few places in the US where you still have to come to church on Ascension Thursday (because Thursday isn’t Sunday). Apparently, we are superhumans.

I’m in Philly too. God Bless Archbishop Chaput & Cardinal Krol (may he rest in peace)

 

[edward_george1]

The Ordo, the book printed every year containing the instructions for the celebration of the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours for each day of the year, contains a little reminder to announce each Holy Day of Obligation on the weekend before it occurs. I thought that was neat.

-Fr ACEGC

 

[Tis_Bearself]

That’s a really good idea to announce it. I used to have great difficulty keeping track of the Ascension and the Assumption in particular.

 

[WingsOfEagles]

That’s very helpful. Assumption and Immaculate Conception can slip by on me if I’m not paying attention and there’s no announcement.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I always remember Immaculate Conception because it is the day FDR declared war on Japan and the US entered WWII, one day after Pearl Harbor Day which the media reminds us about every year.

I personally don’t think it was an accident that we entered the war on that day, with the Immaculata also being patroness of our country.

I bet all the US Catholics were totally at Mass on Dec 8 1941, praying for our country and that their loved ones wouldn’t be killed in the war.

Edited to add, I forgot that Japan’s surrender was announced on Aug 15, 1945, the Assumption. I don’t think that’s a coincidence either.