Christmas and 4th Sunday of Advent

[Blessedmomof5]

In our Church bulletin it said “Going to one Mass on Sunday does not satisfy the obligation for the 4th week of advent and for Christmas.”
Our Church does not offer Midnight Mass Christmas Eve. Mass for Christmas Eve is at 6pm Sunday. So would I be correct in supposing I have met both obligations by attending Saturday vigil for Sunday and the 6pm Christmas Eve mass for Monday?

 

[John_Lilburne]

In our Church bulletin it said “Going to one Mass on Sunday does not satisfy the obligation for the 4th week of advent and for Christmas.”
Our Church does not offer Midnight Mass Christmas Eve. Mass for Christmas Eve is at 6pm Sunday. So would I be correct in supposing I have met both obligations by attending Saturday vigil for Sunday and the 6pm Christmas Eve mass for Monday?

Yes, you have attended two Masses for the two required days.

 

[tee_eff_em]

While I intend to assist at two separate Masses for the two days, Can anyone tell me *why *a plain reading of the canon does not apply to this situation? Thanks.

Can. 1248 §1 The obligation of assisting at Mass is satisfied wherever Mass is celebrated in a catholic rite either on a holyday itself or on the evening of the previous day.

tee

 

[Chatter163]

While I intend to assist at two separate Masses for the two days, Can anyone tell me *why *a plain reading of the canon does not apply to this situation?

I does.

 

[BillyT92679]

While I intend to assist at two separate Masses for the two days, Can anyone tell me *why *a plain reading of the canon does not apply to this situation? Thanks.

tee

It does
Saturday evening and Sunday morning are for the 4th Sunday of Advent. Sunday evening and Monday are the vigil of, and Christmas Day, respectively.

 

[8640]

While I intend to assist at two separate Masses for the two days, Can anyone tell me *why *a plain reading of the canon does not apply to this situation? Thanks.

tee

The evening Mass can be celebrated as the following day. In the liturgy of the hours it is evening prayer that begins the major feast, not morning prayer the day of.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

In our Church bulletin it said “Going to one Mass on Sunday does not satisfy the obligation for the 4th week of advent and for Christmas.”
Our Church does not offer Midnight Mass Christmas Eve. Mass for Christmas Eve is at 6pm Sunday. So would I be correct in supposing I have met both obligations by attending Saturday vigil for Sunday and the 6pm Christmas Eve mass for Monday?

Yes, or you could attend Sunday morning for Sunday and Sunday evening for Christmas. Or sunday morning for Sunday and Monday morning for Christmas.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

While I intend to assist at two separate Masses for the two days, Can anyone tell me *why *a plain reading of the canon does not apply to this situation? Thanks.

tee

You can only satidfy one obligation at a time. You could actually satisfy the Sunday obligation at a Christmas Mass Sunday evening as long as it’s before midnight. Then attend again on Monday for Christmas.

 

[tee_eff_em]

You can only satidfy one obligation at a time.

Why?

tee

 

[demerzel85]

Why?

tee

Days of Obligation for Mass is by the Mass Propers not by the liturgical day.

 

[tee_eff_em]

Days of Obligation for Mass is by the Mass Propers not by the liturgical day.

Now I know that is mistaken (both by the plain reading of the law and by the commentary in, eg, *New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law *by John P. Beal, James A. Coriden, Thomas J. Green).

But I still don’t understand why two obligations may not be satisfied by assistance at one and the same Mass?

tee

 

[demerzel85]

Now I know that is mistaken (both by the plain reading of the law and by the commentary in, eg, *New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law *by John P. Beal, James A. Coriden, Thomas J. Green).

But I still don’t understand why two obligations may not be satisfied by assistance at one and the same Mass?

tee

One fulfills Sunday obligation by going for Mass celebrated for the 4th Sunday of Advent. One fulfills a Day of Obligation for Solemnities by going for the Mass for that Solemnity, in this case Christmas Mass (be it vigil mass or on the day itself). How I personally understand this is via the Propers of the Mass.

 

[Brendan]

But I still don’t understand why two obligations may not be satisfied by assistance at one and the same Mass?

tee

Because you hear the Mass propers for one day and not the other.

The obligation is not just to be physically present on the assigned day, but rather to participate (by listening) in the Liturgy of the Word for that day as well.

If you go to Mass on the morning of Sunday Dec 24, you will hear the Mass readings for 4th Sunday of Advent. You have fulfilled your obligation there.

Now where have you fulfilled your obligation to hear the Mass propers for the Navitity of our Lord? How is that obligation fulfilled.

 

[Verbum_Caro]

Brendan,

I understand what you are getting at, but is that always the case?

Aren’t there instances where one might attend a Mass on saturday night and its NOT the proper for Sunday, but still fulfills the Sunday obligation? (for instance, a Saturday evening wedding?)

The Canon that Tee cited seems to talk about the DAY not the proper?

VC

(P.s. Tee, interesting question!)

 

[tee_eff_em]

Aren’t there instances where one might attend a Mass on saturday night and its NOT the proper for Sunday, but still fulfills the Sunday obligation? (for instance, a Saturday evening wedding?)

The Canon that Tee cited seems to talk about the DAY not the proper?

Precisely, and in accord with what [post=1722956]Br. Rich SFO[/post] wrote. Further: The commentary I referred to says:

The precept may be satisfied at *any *Catholic Mass, i.e., not only when the texts are those of the Sunday or holy day. For example, attendance at a wedding Mass after 4:00 on a Saturday fulfills the Sunday obligation.

tee

 

[Verbum_Caro]

Brendan,

I see something else in the statute:

Can. 1248 §1 The obligation of assisting at Mass is satisfied wherever Mass is celebrated in a catholic rite either on a holyday itself or on the evening of the previous day.

That bit about it being “in a catholic rite”. . . wouldn’t that mean that it could be in, say, an Indult. . . or in a Chaldean Rite, or etc. , and don’t they have different propers?

Tee,

Again, looking at Canon 1248 §1, perhaps we could say that the wording itself implies that only ONE obligation is satisfied at ONE Mass? So that it would read:

The obligation [singular] of assisting at [A] Mass is [not are!] satisfied wherever [A] Mass is celebrated in a catholic rite either on a holyday itself or on the evening of the previous day.

By this reading only one obligation would be satisfied. I guess I would concur with Bro. Rich.

What do you guys think?
VC

(p.s. Under my reading, it would seem that one could go to a Sunday evening Mass in one church to fulfill one’s Sunday obligation and then go to another Sunday evening Mass in another church to fulfill your Christmas obligation. Or maybe stay in the same church, if they have back to back masses on Sunday evening?)