Christmas Eve Vigil and Christmas Day Mass

[Rasoleil]

I know that this may seem to be a dumb question and I have tried to look into it and still have no definitive answer, but would going to Christmas Vigil fulfill the Christmas Obligation or would I have to attend Christmas Day Mass?

 

[Kaliaa]

The Christmas Vigil mass fulfills your obligation.

 

[Rasoleil]

I look again and did find an official answer, as the U.S. bishops have said that since Christmas Vigil falls on Sunday this year, one has to attend the Sunday Mass and attend the Christmas Mass this year. The last time this situation occurred in 2006. I found this information from the Catholic News Agency website.

 

[FrDavid96]

I look again and did find an official answer, as the U.S. bishops have said that since Christmas Vigil falls on Sunday this year, one has to attend the Sunday Mass and attend the Christmas Mass this year. The last time this situation occurred in 2006. I found this information from the Catholic News Agency website.

The official answer is in canon law

Can. 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.

Therefore, any Mass beginning at evening on Sunday through all day Monday satisfies the obligation to attend Mass on Christmas.

It does not get any more “official” than that.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Please check the bulletin of the church where you are planning to attend. Most of them have this spelled out in detail, along with Mass times for the Sunday and holiday and which Masses “count” for each.

 

[FrDavid96]

Please check the bulletin of the church where you are planning to attend. Most of them have this spelled out in detail, along with Mass times for the Sunday and holiday and which Masses “count” for each.

No.

Church bulletins do not, and cannot define which Mass “counts” for each day. Canon law does that.

 

[ColleenEH]

Yup, you’re good. But don’t forget to fulfill the 4th Sunday of Advent obligation too.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

No.

Church bulletins do not, and cannot define which Mass “counts” for each day. Canon law does that.

You are correct, but what I am saying is that they have a statement as to which Masses are intended to fulfill the Sunday obligation. This is partly because many of the churches are not having all of the regular Sunday Mass schedules, and there is a lot of confusion among the parishioners.

I would presume in making their statment, they have consulted canon law and are properly guiding people so they attend the right Mass.

Some of the parishes have gone so far as to hand out little postcards with this information.

 

[TheLittleLady]

We spell out that there are two obligations this year, one for the 4th Sunday of Advent and one for Christmas.

You may satisfy your Sunday obligation at Mass

5 PM Saturday
8 AM Sunday
10 AM Sunday
Noon Sunday

5 PM Christmas Eve
7 PM Christmas Eve

You may satisfy your Christmas obligation at

5 PM Christmas Eve
7 PM Christmas Eve
Midnight Mass at Midnight
10 AM Christmas Morning

But you cannot satisfy two obligations at one Mass, so, the 5 PM and 7 PM on Sunday, Christmas Eve may satisfy Sunday or Christmas, but no 2-4-1.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

We spell out that there are two obligations this year, one for the 4th Sunday of Advent and one for Christmas.

You may satisfy your Sunday obligation at Mass

5 PM Saturday

8 AM Sunday

10 AM Sunday

Noon Sunday

5 PM Christmas Eve

7 PM Christmas Eve

You may satisfy your Christmas obligation at

5 PM Christmas Eve

7 PM Christmas Eve

Midnight Mass at Midnight

10 AM Christmas Morning

But you cannot satisfy two obligations at one Mass, so, the 5 PM and 7 PM on Sunday, Christmas Eve may satisfy Sunday or Christmas, but no 2-4-1.

Yes, this is exactly the type of information being printed in the bulletins and on the post cards.

 

[Augustinian]

But you cannot satisfy two obligations at one Mass, so, the 5 PM and 7 PM on Sunday, Christmas Eve may satisfy Sunday or Christmas, but no 2-4-1.

So in this case, a parishioner can attend the 5 p.m. Sunday mass, and then just stay there without moving his car, and stay for the 7 p.m. mass and the obligation would be met.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Good article Two holy days means two Masses on Christmas weekend - Arkansas Catholic - December 19, 2017

 

[FrDavid96]

So in this case, a parishioner can attend the 5 p.m. Sunday mass, and then just stay there without moving his car, and stay for the 7 p.m. mass and the obligation would be met.

The canonical obligations would be satisfied.

 

[Rasoleil]

Thanks you for the reminder about 4th Sunday Advent Obligation.

 

[Rasoleil]

Here’s my Christmas Mass schedule between my Church obligations and my wife’s Lutheran divine services which I am obligated to attend by the commands of she who must be obeyed: Sunday: Lutheran services at 9:00 A.M. then Mass my my church at 4:00 P.M., then after Mass I will bring Holy Communion to a parishioner, then attend my wife’s services at 6:00 P.M. Monday I will be attending my wife’s church services at 9:00 A.M. then Christmas Mass at my church at 10:30 A.M. Afterwards, we will be going to her parents home to celebrate Christmas. I absolutely have no choice to attend her church services as the entire situation has made her furious and thinks that my Catholic obligations are foolish and interferes with the family ( her family, as all of mine are deceased) and that I put the Catholic Church above our family, which I don’t, and there is really no interference and plainly speaking, she is staunchly anti-Catholic. In everything that I have explained in detail above, does anyone see any issues that would arise out of the scheduling which I believe that it that works out so well and without any interference and any flaws. What am I do do with my situation in general, especially this Christmas weekend and day? She obviously does not put any stock in the Catholic Sunday obligation and the Christmas obligation and thinks that the situation is foolish. She thinks that anything I do at my church, say being a lector and EOMHC and bringing Holy Communion to the home bound is merely “volunteering” and not a calling or a ministry. She often tells me, and the latest time she did it was when she said that "You’re always volunteering for (expletive)! She does not want me to have anything to do with the Catholic Church? Sorry for the venting, but it does hurt sometimes, right to the bone and like a knife to the heart when she says that. I cannot abandon my faith, even for her. Is this not a form of persecution? She can be very hurt full.

 

[thequeen]

Our priest sent Christmas cards to all the parishioners with this information.

 

[Kei]

Yes, but please note that you must attend two masses this weekend through Monday, one that counts for Christmas obligation and one that counts for Sunday obligation.

 

[phil19034]

FrDavid96:

No.

Church bulletins do not, and cannot define which Mass “counts” for each day. Canon law does that.

You are correct, but what I am saying is that they have a statement as to which Masses are intended to fulfill the Sunday obligation. This is partly because many of the churches are not having all of the regular Sunday Mass schedules, and there is a lot of confusion among the parishioners.

I would presume in making their statment, they have consulted canon law and are properly guiding people so they attend the right Mass.

Some of the parishes have gone so far as to hand out little postcards with this information.

FYI - I’ve never seen a parish that let’s us know (when Christmas Eve is on Sunday) via the Buillenten that goes into detail regarding how we can meet our 2 obligations.

They simply list the mass times.

the list I received from my parish in the mail this year completely ignored the Sunday morning (4th Sunday of Advent) mass times.

 

[phil19034]

We spell out that there are two obligations this year, one for the 4th Sunday of Advent and one for Christmas.

You may satisfy your Sunday obligation at Mass

5 PM Saturday
8 AM Sunday
10 AM Sunday
Noon Sunday

5 PM Christmas Eve
7 PM Christmas Eve

You may satisfy your Christmas obligation at

5 PM Christmas Eve
7 PM Christmas Eve
Midnight Mass at Midnight
10 AM Christmas Morning

But you cannot satisfy two obligations at one Mass, so, the 5 PM and 7 PM on Sunday, Christmas Eve may satisfy Sunday or Christmas, but no 2-4-1.

I wish parishes near me would post such a thing.

I’ve even heard the argument: “we don’t tell them because then if we do and they don’t attend two Masses, they will be in Mortal Sin”

 

[Tis_Bearself]

FYI - I’ve never seen a parish that let’s us know (when Christmas Eve is on Sunday) via the Buillenten that goes into detail regarding how we can meet our 2 obligations.

They simply list the mass times.

the list I received from my parish in the mail this year completely ignored the Sunday morning (4th Sunday of Advent) mass times.

I’m sorry your parishes don’t do it. I have seen about 6 to 8 parishes in my travels doing this. Like I said, some have postcards. One parish was handing out cards at last night’s Penance service. Some of them also have the information listed on the website. I see a lot of parishes in different states and have been taking note as I was not sure which state (out of three states - our own state, my husbands’ family’s state, or my hometown state where I have some family and friends) I would be in for the weekend until my husband and I had a chance to discuss plans late last night.

I presume this is happening because many people have the same questions that have been posted several times on CAF and are likely calling the parish center or rectory with the same question over and over, so the parishes are trying to “get the word out”. Also, with many people traveling to an unfamiliar parish over the holiday, and many regular Sunday Mass schedules being changed for the holiday weekend, there is even more need to let everybody know when Mass is going to be.