Does midight Mass satisfy the Holy Day of Obligation for Christmas?

[montanaman]

Even if it starts at 10:30 p.m.? I’m not trying to do the bare minimum here, I just need to plan.

 

[serendipity]

I think anythign after 4PM counts for the next day. That’s why they have vigils for Holy Days of Obligations from time onwards.

 

[Brendan]

the Church follows Jewish tradition, where the day begins at Sunset, ergo Sunday goes from Sundown Sat.pm to the next sundown.

The Church, being Universal, recognized that there are some places where the sun never rises or sets at that time of the year, and latitute changes could really throw Mass planning off.

So the Church, in Her Wisdom, has set 4:00pm on Saturday as being the general time Sunday starts.

 

[montanaman]

Sweet. Thanks, all. That helps. The fundamentalist girlfriend is actually excited to go. Ought to be interesting…

 

[mercygate]

montanaman:

Sweet. Thanks, all. That helps. The fundamentalist girlfriend is actually excited to go. Ought to be interesting…

Has she ever been to church with you? I am sure you have CAREFULLY prepared her for what she will be witnessing. The poor thing could die of heart failure over the idolatrous carrying-about of images if she hasn’t been prepped for things like the procession of the bambino to the creche! Could set you back a year.

 

[montanaman]

Oh, she knows. She’s a religion reporter for a paper in D.C., plus she’s known me for years, and knows I’m a rabid Catholic. Despite what she thinks may be slightly idolatrous, she thinks the goings-on at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception are beautiful.