Christmas Mass Confusion

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Stac4Grace

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Where we live there is a vigil Mass Christmas Eve at 4:30 and a midnight Mass, we know this fulfills our Christmas obligation but does this fulfill our Sunday obligation too since Christmas is on Saturday this year? Thanks alot!
 
I dont think it does. Saturday’s Christmas Liturgy is different from Sundays Liturgy. I think to avoid the confusion, alot of Dioceses are not having Masses on Saturday night just because there would be confusion as to whether they are Christmas Masses ar Holy Family Masses. Also remember that the typical church day runs from Sundown to Sundown much like the Jewish day. So anything after the vespers on Christmas day would actually be Sunday’s liturgy, which in this case would be Holy Family Liturgy. But to save the confusion, we are abligated to attend mass on Saturday and Sunday. Remember that Christmas is one of those Holy Days that can not be transferred.
 
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Stac4Grace:
Where we live there is a vigil Mass Christmas Eve at 4:30 and a midnight Mass, we know this fulfills our Christmas obligation but does this fulfill our Sunday obligation too since Christmas is on Saturday this year? Thanks alot!
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See EWTN I think that the evening mass can satisfy either obligation but not both.

That is one must attend two masses - one between 4pm Dec 24 and midnight Dec 25 and the other between 4pm Dec 25 and midnight Dec 26.

The obligation is satisfied if the mass is in the proper time period regardless of what the readings are.
 
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Stac4Grace:
Where we live there is a vigil Mass Christmas Eve at 4:30 and a midnight Mass, we know this fulfills our Christmas obligation but does this fulfill our Sunday obligation too since Christmas is on Saturday this year? Thanks alot!
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The Christmas vigil Mass is on Friday, December 24. Midnight Mass occurs on Saturday morning, December 25. There are different readings for each Mass but they are both Christmas Masses. Are you wanting to know if Midnight Mass could count as a Sunday vigil Mass?

A Sunday vigil Mass wouldn’t take place until sometime Saturday afternoon. For various reasons, it is extremely unlikely that your parish will have a Sunday vigil Mass (on Saturday, December 25 afternoon/evening.) So your only choice would be to attend Mass on Sunday, December 26.
 
I must have been zoning out, cause my family had me thinking I had to go to 3 Masses of Obligation this year…Fri, Sat AND Sun… I finally decided to read the info and told them we only have to satisfy TWO Masses… and I’m going on Christmas Morning 7:30 Am and again on Sunday at our normal time… I almost eneded up going on 3pm Friday and sitting thru a 2 1/2 hour Mass of children and adult Choral singing… YIKES… I’m a little touchy this year for personal reasons and am in no mood to sit thru all that singing if I aint obligated… btw…the adult group is sounds great, but cant vouch for the kids since I havent heard them… and my nerves aint in it for either…now tell me that a special 2 hour Friday HOMILY was gonna preached and I’d be all over it…Obligation or not I’d go for that… I just aint in the mood for holiday singing this year.
 
you must attend one Mass on Christmas eve or Christmas day, with readings for Christmas, and another Mass on Sunday, with Sunday readings (feast of Holy Family). Most parishes will not have a Saturday evening Mass with Sunday readings this year, but you need 2 Masses this weekend. In our diocese, News Years Day is not a Holy Day of obligation (the Saturday/Monday rule) so we only are required to go on Jan 2, Epiphany. There will be a regular 7:30 daily Mass on 1/1, and an additional 9 am Mass, as per regular Holy Day Schedule, but attendance is not under pain of sin for missing it.
 
Thank you all very much and I hope you have a Merry Christmas!!
 
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Stac4Grace:
Where we live there is a vigil Mass Christmas Eve at 4:30 and a midnight Mass, we know this fulfills our Christmas obligation but does this fulfill our Sunday obligation too since Christmas is on Saturday this year? Thanks alot!
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No it does not meet your Sunday obligation. You must attend a Christmas Liturgy and a Sunday Liturgy this weekend.

Many parishes here have canceled their normal Saturday evening Mass to avoid the confusion of people thinking that they can attend Saturday evening and cover both with one Mass.
 
Br. Rich SFO:
Many parishes here have canceled their normal Saturday evening Mass to avoid the confusion of people thinking that they can attend Saturday evening and cover both with one Mass.
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Besides, who’s going to show up on the evening of Christmas, when everyone is eating their Christmas goose and figgy pudding?
 
Just wait two years when Christmas is on a Monday.

Would the Vigil Mass on Sunday night fulfill the normal Sunday obligation?:ehh:

BTW: My parish has 3 vigil Masses for Christmas. 4:00 PM (Church), 4:15 PM(School Gymnasium), and 7:00 PM (Church). I am just glad we have a huge parking lot. :whacky:

PF
 
Just a point; I may be wrong, but this is what my priest said. We’re only obligated to go to Mass on the designated day. As far was what readings are at the Mass doen’t make a difference. In this case, we must go to Mass on Christmas and Sunday. Vigil Masses count and that is generaly considered after 4pm. So if you happend to find a Mass on Christmas after 4pm, that could count as the Sunday Mass even if the Christmas readings were used. It can not count as both of course so you would have to have attended Christmas morning or a vigil on Christmas Eve. I wouldn’t be reccomended this though without good reason. It tends towards legalism and it would be better to hear both sets of readings and prayers.

Pax et bonum
 
Bobby Jim:
Besides, who’s going to show up on the evening of Christmas, when everyone is eating their Christmas goose and figgy pudding?
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Or, in a lot of cases, there may have been too many cups of good cheer.

Merry Christmas
 
Stac4Grace,

No, it doesn’t. Tomorrow is the Feast of the Holy Family.

Thank you.
Mrs. C
 
At my parish, they had no vigil mass for Sunday due to all the Christmas masses they did on Friday and Saturday for Christmas. I am going to mass tomorrow morning after work. (I work Saturday night/Sunday morning from 9 pm to 5:30 am and the first morning mass is at 8 am).
 
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