Ascension?

[justbeinfrank]

My calendar (that I got from church) says lists the Solemnity of the Ascension as May 5, 2005. And it says “Holy Day of Obligation”. But then it has a note at the bottom, which says that *every *U.S. “ecclesiastical province” – except Hartford, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Newark, Washington, and the State of Nebraska – has transferred the celebration of the solemnity to May 8th, a Sunday.

Why? Americans just don’t like going to church on days besides Sunday?

I mean, maybe I could understand why the obligation to attend Mass on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God was abrogated this year – it fell on a Saturday. Perhaps people might get peeved because they had to go to Mass two days in a row.

But the Ascension, this year, is on a Thursday. Come on. What is the point of having Holy Days of Obligation (besides Sundays) when we’re just going to transfer them or abrogate them anyways?

Hopefully there is some other reason for this. Enlighten me!

 

[mercygate]

justbeinfrank:

But the Ascension, this year, is on a Thursday.

Frank, Ascension is forty days after Easter; it’s always on a Thursday.

I’m lucky: I live in one diocese and attend daily Mass in another where Ascension is still celebrated on Thursday. Grateful for small blessings.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

justbeinfrank:

My calendar (that I got from church) says lists the Solemnity of the Ascension as May 5, 2005. And it says “Holy Day of Obligation”. But then it has a note at the bottom, which says that *every *U.S. “ecclesiastical province” – except Hartford, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Newark, Washington, and the State of Nebraska – has transferred the celebration of the solemnity to May 8th, a Sunday.

Why? Americans just don’t like going to church on days besides Sunday?

I mean, maybe I could understand why the obligation to attend Mass on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God was abrogated this year – it fell on a Saturday. Perhaps people might get peeved because they had to go to Mass two days in a row.

But the Ascension, this year, is on a Thursday. Come on. What is the point of having Holy Days of Obligation (besides Sundays) when we’re just going to transfer them or abrogate them anyways?

Hopefully there is some other reason for this. Enlighten me!

Plan to attend Mass on May 5th, even though you don’t have to!

 

[puzzleannie]

moving the observance of a Holy Day to the nearest Sunday does not prohibit anybody from attending Mass on the designated day, or using the liturgy of the hours for the holy day on the designated day. If the end result is more people observing the Holy Day, great. In any case, the bishop is in charge, I’m not, your’re not.