Catholics and New Year's

[erine]

How does the church view all the secular new years eve celebrations? Are we supposed to do something else, or nothing at all? I personally really dislike this holiday as the secular world does it. I have never felt anything but pressure to have lots of “fun” and to have a date, for what is essentially a meaningless celebration. I’ve spoken to many people who feel the same way. My best new years I stayed in with a friend reading. So what does the church say? Anyone else not like this holiday as it is today?

 

[Pfaffenhoffen]

How does the church view all the secular new years eve celebrations? Are we supposed to do something else, or nothing at all? I personally really dislike this holiday as the secular world does it. I have never felt anything but pressure to have lots of “fun” and to have a date, for what is essentially a meaningless celebration. I’ve spoken to many people who feel the same way. My best new years I stayed in with a friend reading. So what does the church say? Anyone else not like this holiday as it is today?

I think that the Church has too much to do to care about New year’s eve celeb.
What is said about this day is what about the other days: follow Church doctrine.
Everybody feels that NYE and Carnival are empty celebrations.
So, we must celebrate…

 

[jmcrae]

How does the church view all the secular new years eve celebrations? Are we supposed to do something else, or nothing at all? I personally really dislike this holiday as the secular world does it. I have never felt anything but pressure to have lots of “fun” and to have a date, for what is essentially a meaningless celebration. I’ve spoken to many people who feel the same way. My best new years I stayed in with a friend reading. So what does the church say? Anyone else not like this holiday as it is today?

It’s actually a Holy Day of Obligation for Mary, Mother of God - we are supposed to go to Mass that day, and refrain from all unnecessary work.

 

[odile53]

January 1 is a holy day of obligation in the United States. Interestingly enough, the local Carmelite monastery is having a Mass open to the public at 11:30 PM on the 31st, which is a vigil Mass for the holy day, as well as a Mass of thanksgiving for blessings received during 2011 and to ask for God’s grace in the New Year.

I’m going to head over to it: Sounds a lot better than a party, dealing with drunks, and maybe even having one too many myself.

 

[jannes]

when I grew up in Scotland there were many traditions went with New Year.New Year’s Eve,It was called Hog’manay/All the family would eat a nice meal about seven pm usually steak pies with gorgeous puff pastry then wait for the bells.we would then disperse through the village with a bottle of something and pieces of fruit cake or Madeira cake and every house we would enter we would receive the same from them Music would be playing and much hugging and greeting went on.This custom was called “|first footing” the house had to be cleaned spotless and all the old ashes thrown out and if any one had a falling out during the year it was considered very bad not to make up and forgive.Everyone was expected to be in their own house when the Bells rang and to be with the ones dearest to you .by 5am there was usually a big street party in full swing and everyone\s home was open for b/fast I miss them all very much and we still do some of the traditions here in Canada

 

[puzzleannie]

How does the church view all the secular new years eve celebrations? ?

they have nothing to do with the Church so she probably does not have a view other than enjoining us to obey the commandments no matter how we chose to occupy our time on New Year’s Eve, and being sure to keep our Mass obligation. It has been many years since paying a lot of money to spend time with a bunch of drunks has held any entertainment value for me, and in any case, if there is a bowl game on, we will be watching it as we have for the last so many decades.

 

[Aelred_Minor]

Inasmuch as New Year’s is a secular event it makes sense that there’s a secular celebration of it. I see nothing wrong with that as long as it’s kept within healthy bounds, though of course like just about any such occasion there’s the potential for those who can’t or won’t participate to feel left out, lonely, etc.

As others have said, January 1 is also the Solemnity of Mary the Mother of God. It’s also the Octave of Christmas and is, or at least was, the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ. I try to keep all three (or four, including New Year’s Day) in mind that day.

 

[CatholicZ09]

I know that my former pastor used to do Eucharistic Adoration the hours preceeding Midnight on New Year’s Eve. Even though New Year’s is sort of a secular holiday, it can be turned into one of a religious. The great thing about the Catholic Church is that January 1st is the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God.

 

[hn160]

At my church, we have a New Year Eve Communion Service.