Catholic Obligations?

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Hi, I’m going through RCIA and every now and then certain obligations come up. What exactly are obligations? And what are the specific obligations? Is there a list. FOr instance i know of the Sunday obligation- As a Catholic if possible you are required to go to mass at least once a week between Saturday night and Sunday Night. Lenten obligation of no meat on Friday. What are some or all other obligations. Thanks in advance 🙂
 
These are the precepts of the Catholic Church. 1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
  1. You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.
  2. You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.
  3. You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.
  4. The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities
 
Hello and Welcome!

All Catholics must attend mass on Sundays,
and on Days of Obligation (varies in different countries).
  • Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday require Fasting and Abstinence.
    A Catholic needs to abstain from eating Meat.
    Only one main meal, and two small meals are allowed.
    The two small meals combined should be smaller than a main meal.
Fridays during Lent require Abstinence from Meat.

All Catholics are required to attend Confession at least once a year (for grave sins, confession must be made before receiving the Holy Eucharist).

All Catholics are required to receive Holy Communion at least once a year during Lent/Easter Season.

Catholics need to fast one hour before receiving Holy Communion.

If I forgot any, I’m sure someone will add to the list.😉

May the Lord be with you on your journey of faith!

Kelly
 
Welcome to the Church!

One that comes to mind is the obligation to attend Mass on certain holy days: Feast of Mary, Mother of God (Jan. 1), Feast of the Assumption (Aug. 15), Feast of All Saints (Nov. 1), Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8), Christmas. Easter is a Holy Day but it’s also a Sunday so the Sunday Mass rules still stand.

I’m pretty sure there are obligations to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist at least yearly, and to receive the Eucharist during the Easter season. I could have the details wrong on those, though.

Also, fasting as well as abstaining from meat on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as long as you are not a child, elderly, pregnant, or ill.
 
I think you are obliged to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your strength and your neighbour as yourself.
 
One that comes to mind is the obligation to attend Mass on certain holy days: Feast of Mary, Mother of God (Jan. 1), Feast of the Assumption (Aug. 15), Feast of All Saints (Nov. 1), Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Dec. 8), Christmas. Easter is a Holy Day but it’s also a Sunday so the Sunday Mass rules still stand.
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As someone else said, holy days of obligation vary from country to country. The ones that are worldly required are Christmas, Easter, and at least one Marian holy day of the bishop’s choosing.

I also just found out that holy days of obligation are different in Hawaii, because they follow the calender of the Polynesian Catholic church. But they still have Christmas, Easter, and Marian holy days. You learn something new every day.

❤️
 
lak611 said:
These are the precepts of the Catholic Church. 1. You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.
2. You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
  1. You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.
  2. You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.
  3. You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.
  4. The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities
Click to expand...
The Compendium of the Catchism of the Catholic Church, eg, lists 5 precepts. As you might guess, #4 above is contained together with #1.

    • You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and remain free from work or activity that could impede the sanctification of such days.
    • You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
    • You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
    • You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
    • You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.
    I sometimes also see 2 others:
    • To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage
    • To join in the missionary spirit and apostolate of the Church
    I do not know if these are from an older listing, or who canonicalizes these things, or what.

    tee
 
tee_eff_em said:
The Compendium of the Catchism of the Catholic Church, eg, lists 5 precepts. As you might guess, #4 above is contained together with #1.

    • You shall attend Mass on Sundays and on holy days of obligation and remain free from work or activity that could impede the sanctification of such days.
    • You shall confess your sins at least once a year.
    • You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.
    • You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church.
    • You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church.
    I sometimes also see 2 others:
    • To observe the laws of the Church concerning marriage
    • To join in the missionary spirit and apostolate of the Church
    I do not know if these are from an older listing, or who canonicalizes these things, or what.

    tee
Click to expand...

  1. I have a 1962 Missal which lists the following.
    The Six Precepts of the Church
    1. To hear Mass on Sundays and holydays of obligation.
    2. To fast and abstain on the days commanded.
    3. To confess our sins at least once a year.
    4. To receive the Blessed Eucharist at Easter or within the time appointed.
    5. To contribute to the support of our Pastors.
    6. Not to solemnize marriage at the forbidden times; nor to marry persons within the forbidden degrees of kindred, or otherwise prohibited by the Church, nor secretly.
    So, the marriage rules seem to be something older. I know they are still in effect now, they are just not listed as a precept of the Church in newer catechisms. The list from my 1962 Missal agrees with the list in the Baltimore Catechism, which is here: "Q. 1327. Which are the chief commandments of the Church?
    A. The chief commandments of the Church are six:

    1.1. To hear Mass on Sundays and holydays of obligation. 2.2. To fast and abstain on the days appointed. 3.3. To confess at least once a year. 4.4. To receive the Holy Eucharist during the Easter time. 5.5. To contribute to the support of our pastors. 6.6. Not to marry persons who are not Catholics, or who are related to us within the third degree of kindred, nor privately without witnesses, nor to solemnize marriage at forbidden times."
 
Huh.

The Catechism itself, rather than the Compendium, also states there are 5 precepts, but enumerates number 4 as [post=1985899]lak611[/post], above, and follows them with an un-numbered 6, to support the material needs of the Church.

Weird. :hmmm:

tee
 
Whether there are five, six, or seven precepts of the Church (the absolute minimum requirements), the essence remains the same - to go to Mass at least on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation, to fast and abstain from meat at the appointed times, to obey the Church’s discipline on marriage, to contribute to the support of the Church, to go to Confession when in a state of mortal sin and at least once a year, to receive Holy Communion at least once a year at Easter time, and to become educated in the teachings of the Church, so as to follow its disciplines as laid out in one’s particular Diocese and to be knowledgable of and faithful to follow the essentials of the faith.
 
Is Holy Thursday a Holy Day of Obligation?
I am understanding from previous posts that it is not.
 
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