Ascension Thursday and Holy Day of Obligation

[Sonya]

If your bishop changes the obligation to Sunday is it all right to miss it on Thursday? I forgot it was on Thursday and missed it, but our bishop, I think, changed it to Sunday. Also if you miss the Liturgy of the Word and just make it for the homily on Sunday is this bad even if you tried to make it on time? I did miss the Gospel reading on two Sundays because I didn’t realize our clock was behind. The other time was the confirmation mass I was in another city. We were late, because my husband had turned the burglar alarm on and I didn’t know this. The dog was in and set it off, so we had to go back and turn it off. Thanks for your answers.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

1. If a holy day of obligation is transferred to the nearest Sunday, it is no longer a holy day of obligation (only the Sunday obligation remains). Thus, while it is certainly beneficial to attend Mass on the Thursday that was formerly dedicated to the feast of the Ascension, one is not required to do so. The reason it was moved to Sunday in the first place was to remove that requirement to attend a weekday Mass.
2. If you did your best to make it to Mass on time and were prevented by circumstances outside of your control, you are blameless in the matter and shouldn’t worry.