Does anyone else have a problem with "moving" Holy Days to the nearest Sunday?

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jas84173

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I know countries are not forced to follow the Vatican’s official list of Holy Days, and some countries have more than others, however I feel like moving a day such as Ascension Thursday to the following Sunday just undermines it in a way. Ascension Day is still a Holy Day in my Arch Diocese, however I have heard only a handful in the United States still require it( mainly Northeastern Arch Dioceses) I know other Holy Days, say if it falls on a Saturday or Monday, the Obligation is met on Sunday. I mean I suppose to a lay Catholic who maybe feels Sunday is enough and the rest is a hassle, it is a good thing, but is that why the Church does it? I feel like conforming to make people’s lives not have to require going to Church as often is not a good trend to follow. From what I have read, we have far fewer Holy Days than we once did, and I believe a Pope drastically cut the number drastically in the early 20th century, but now it’s like, very important days in the Liturgical Year are just moved to Sundays. I don’t know I just feel like it isn’t right, I would love to hear others opinions. I personally try to go to mass as often as I can, and don’t understand why we should move feasts when really we don’t have that many anymore. The official Canon of Holy Days are
1 January: Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
6 January: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
19 March: Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday of the sixth week of Eastertide: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Thursday after Trinity Sunday: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
29 June: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
15 August: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1 November: Solemnity of All Saints
8 December: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
25 December: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

However this is only mandatory in the Vatican, and I know in the United States a few of these are not celebrated. Why is up for grabs, I think these all should be required days to attend mass. I would love to hear opinions on the matter.
 
Everyday is a holy day to people who love God every day. For me, I don’t have a problem with moving them. I miss half of them either way.
 
I think it’s a good idea. Not because of an extra day to attend Mass…but because I often forget. 😊
 
Yep, and our Archbishop has approved the FSSP. So we have the Feasts on their correct day even though the FSSP states that they are not required (if the diocese has moved the Feast) but recommends adhering to the tradition, which most all of us do.
 
There are those who will say that moving holy days of obligation is just another concession to those who are half-hearted in their faith. They might say stricter obligations will lead to an increase of faith.

I have to be honest, I disagree with all of that. Besides, I have to worry about my own lukewarmness and the many ways I myself fall short on a daily basis. And after all, I’m really not in management.
 
Society itself has changed. 60 years ago, Good Friday was at least a half day off if not the whole day.

Now in many if not most areas, it is just another day. Business can’t be bothered with what it sees a quaint old practices (if the business owner is even olde enough to remember such things).

In the mid to late 1950,s the Catholic Church as well as the main ling Protestant churches had weekly Mass/service attendance in the range of 70 to 75%.

Now the Church has about 22 - 25% weekly attendance, and the main line Protestant churches have that or less.

If people can’t be bothered to attend to Sunday obligations, they most certainly can’t be bothered to attend a Holy Day.
 
I don’t like it when the holy day is moved to Sunday. I’ve always liked holy days, they’re some of my favorite days in the whole year, so the more the better in my opinion. Fortunately, my parish’s Traditional Latin Mass community still says Mass on Ascension Thursday even though my diocese moved it to Sunday so that, on the Sunday following, we just hear the propers for that particular Sunday rather than for the Ascension.
 
I too, object to moving the holy days to Sunday. I believe this is giving in to people who are luke- warm and don’t want to go to Mass during the week.
 
Many who work? Might welcome this? When I was at school, and we kept eg All Souls, (Church or England) I used to get permission to come in late so I could go to Holy Communion. But employers might not agree…

And lukewarm is better than stone cold.
 
jas84173 said:
I know countries are not forced to follow the Vatican’s official list of Holy Days, and some countries have more than others, however I feel like moving a day such as Ascension Thursday to the following Sunday just undermines it in a way. Ascension Day is still a Holy Day in my Arch Diocese, however I have heard only a handful in the United States still require it( mainly Northeastern Arch Dioceses) I know other Holy Days, say if it falls on a Saturday or Monday, the Obligation is met on Sunday. I mean I suppose to a lay Catholic who maybe feels Sunday is enough and the rest is a hassle, it is a good thing, but is that why the Church does it? I feel like conforming to make people’s lives not have to require going to Church as often is not a good trend to follow. From what I have read, we have far fewer Holy Days than we once did, and I believe a Pope drastically cut the number drastically in the early 20th century, but now it’s like, very important days in the Liturgical Year are just moved to Sundays. I don’t know I just feel like it isn’t right, I would love to hear others opinions. I personally try to go to mass as often as I can, and don’t understand why we should move feasts when really we don’t have that many anymore. The official Canon of Holy Days are
1 January: Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
6 January: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord
19 March: Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Thursday of the sixth week of Eastertide: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord
Thursday after Trinity Sunday: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
29 June: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
15 August: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
1 November: Solemnity of All Saints
8 December: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
25 December: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord (Christmas)

However this is only mandatory in the Vatican, and I know in the United States a few of these are not celebrated. Why is up for grabs, I think these all should be required days to attend mass. I would love to hear opinions on the matter.
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Nope.
 
You can call it making concessions to the people who don’t want to go to an extra church service, but I think the bishops see it as extending mercy, and removing an occasion of sin from those who do not go to an extra church service. I admit, I’d like to see improved catechesis on the obligation to attend Mass, but let’s get people back into Church on *Sundays *first, then worry about getting them to an “extra” Mass.

Point two: I would rather see Holy Days translated to Sunday (as, for instance, is done in the UK), than the frequent practice in the US, where a Holy Day falling on Saturday or Monday has the obligation removed. That is: I would prefer that the celebration be translated to the adjacent Sunday, so that those faithful who still attend on Sundays would still celebrate it. (But the bishops never asked my advice)

:twocents:
tee
 
Rosebud77 said:
Many who work? Might welcome this? When I was at school, and we kept eg All Souls, (Church or England) I used to get permission to come in late so I could go to Holy Communion. But employers might not agree…

And lukewarm is better than stone cold.
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Christ said he would vomit the lukewarm Rev 3:16

OT:

I don’t think the church should cut corners, and should keep the liturgical days on the dates, they are there for a reason. Man must conform to the faith, not the other way around.

This is way vespers and vigils have almost been eradicated outside monastic communities. The Church that Christ founded and gave power is more than just a hobby activity to do, instead of watching TV.
 
tee_eff_em said:
…but let’s get people back into Church on Sundays first, then worry about getting them to an “extra” Mass.
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Ironically enough, Christmas on a weekday is the only Mass some people attend.
 
I don’t like it, its cutting a corner and encouraging lukewarmness. Offering an evening or vigil Mass allows for people who work to attend. Whenever there is a transferred Holy Day, I have a look to see if there is a TLM available in reasonable travelling distance on the correct day.
 
Omaestre said:
I don’t think the church should cut corners, and should keep the liturgical days on the dates, they are there for a reason. Man must conform to the faith, not the other way around.
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Yes, they are there for a reason, and that reason is the church chose to put them there and the church is well within its authority to move the observance or even remove it entirely. Part of conforming to the faith is recognizing the church has this authority. Why are you not conforming to it?
 
Church_Militant said:
Nope.

The church sets 'em and just as St. Ignatius of Antioch tells us…I follow the bishop.
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It’s actually cool you posted this. I recently bought the “Apostolic Father’s”, so I will be reading this soon. I actually just started, but I wanted to read “The Shepard of Hermas” first, because I have heard so much about it, and boy it is a really amazing read. Part of me wonders why the Church Fathers didn’t ultimately include it in the NT.
 
The one that bothers me most is Ascension Thursday. 40 days after Christ rose from the dead, and Pentecost Sunday ten days after that, fifty days after the Resurrection.😦
 
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