Does Midnight Mass fulfill the Christmas obligation?

[ConstantineTG]

January 1st is the Feast of the Circumcision in the Syriac Churches as well. In the Latin Church it had two names (Circumcision and the Octave of Christmas) until the name was changed to the alternate (“Octave of Christmas”) by Bl PP John XXIII. For the Latin Church, note that it was only the name that was: the Propers of the Mass remained the same. In the EF it still commonly (if not officially) called “The Circumcision”.

Good to know. But since the poster said it was still a holiday of obligation for “us” then I assume he’s not Roman Catholic. Of course whether one is an obligation or not is determined by the sui juris Church and her Bishops, not by the form of Liturgy. So if the USCCB says January 1st is not a holiday of obligation in the US, its true for OF and EF parishes.

Come to think of it, Eastern Bishops are part of the Episcopal Conference. Would that mean that proclamation would affect Eastern Catholics as well?

 

[JReducation]

I think the confusion is being caused by the language that people are using. People are talking about attending mass on Christmas Day. Using that language, it would sound logical that if you attend the evening mass on Dec 25, you cover Christmas and Sunday.

However, that’s not the way that the Ordo is written. It’s not a matter of attending mass on the day itself. It’s a question of attending the mass of the day…

The Mass for Christmas Day and the Mass for Holy Family Sunday are two different masses. The one does not replace the other.

In this case, you can attend the Mass for Christmas Day on Dec 25 in the morning and the mass for Sunday on Dec 25 in the evening. In some parishes they have canceled the evening mass. This eliminates the confusion.

Merry Christmas,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[irishpatrick]

It is very simple:

You MUST go to two Masses, one for Christmas and one for Sunday.

All other talk is meaningless.

 

[ProVobis]

However, that’s not the way that the Ordo is written. It’s not a matter of attending mass on the day itself. It’s a question of attending the mass of the day…

As I mentioned above one of the local (FSSP) EF Masses is listed as a Christmas Eve Mass at 8pm Friday. I believe this does NOT satisfy the Christmas obligation. (If it means anything, almost all their EF Masses are said in the late PM, never advertised as a vigil.)

Perhaps the OP meant this when he asked if the midnight (technically 12am is still Friday, but 12:01am is Saturday) Mass fulfills the Christmas obligation. The correct answer then is what you said. It depends, although I’ve never heard of a Christmas Eve Mass being said at Midnight.

 

[JReducation]

Actually, at least in the United States, the feast of the Holy Family will be moved in 2011 to the Friday after Christmas. The link I provided on the previous page from the USCCB says it’s because there is no Sunday between Christmas and Jan. 1.

And in 2012, it’s January 1 that will be a Sunday, not January 2.

God bless you too, Brother!

Thank you for sharing that. I did not know that was the case for the rest of the Church in the USA.

You see, we don’t follow the Roman Calendar, missal or breviary. We follow the Seraphic Ordo, missal and breviary, also known as the Roman-Franciscan calendar, because it’s the calendar for those Francisans who are Roman Catholics. Franciscans who belong to the other Catholic Churches have a slightly different calendar with all of the Franciscan holy days and those proper to their Churches.

Anyway, the solemnities don’t always line up and sometimes we have holy days of obligation that the local Church does not have or we have it on a different day.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[JReducation]

As I mentioned above one of the local EF Masses is listed as a Christmas Eve Mass at 8pm Friday. I believe this does NOT satisfy the Christmas obligation. (If it means anything, almost all their EF Masses are said in the late PM, never advertised as a vigil.)

Perhaps the OP meant this when he asked if the midnight (technically 12am is still Friday, but 12:01am is Saturday) Mass fulfills the Christmas obligation. The correct answer then is what you said. It depends, although I’ve never heard of a Christmas Eve Mass being said at Midnight.

Wait, I’m a little confused here. The rule is that if the mass is the mass of the day, Christmas, whether it is celebrated on the Eve or on the day itself, it satisfies the Christmas obligation. The readings, collects and prayers are different, because of the different times of day, but the intention of the Church is to celebrate the Nativity. Therefore, the mass is the mass of Christmas.

Any mass that is celebrated on the evening of Dec 24 that is not the Midnight Mass is properly called the Christmas Eve Mass. But it does satisfy the intention of the Church. Therefore, it does fulfill the Christmas obligation.

The Midnight Vigil need not be at midnight. It can take place at any time after sunset. In some places the Midnight mass of Christmas and Easter is celebrated as early as 7:00 pm. This is usually in places where the are problems with transportation, the congregation may be elderly, the neighborhood is dangerous or there is another good pastoral reason or safety reason for doing so.

We celebrate the Midnight Mass at 12:00 am. But some parishes begin at 11:00.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[ProVobis]

Wait, I’m a little confused here. The rule is that if the mass is the mass of the day, Christmas, whether it is celebrated on the Eve or on the day itself, it satisfies the Christmas obligation. The readings, collects and prayers are different, because of the different times of day, but the intention of the Church is to celebrate the Nativity. Therefore, the mass is the mass of Christmas.

Any mass that is celebrated on the evening of Dec 24 that is not the Midnight Mass is properly called the Christmas Eve Mass. But it does satisfy the intention of the Church. Therefore, it does fulfill the Christmas obligation.

The Midnight Vigil need not be at midnight. It can take place at any time after sunset. In some places the Midnight mass of Christmas and Easter is celebrated as early as 7:00 pm. This is usually in places where the are problems with transportation, the congregation may be elderly, the neighborhood is dangerous or there is another good pastoral reason or safety reason for doing so.

We celebrate the Midnight Mass at 12:00 am. But some parishes begin at 11:00.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

I might have to give them a call on this.

In 1962 there were no anticipatory Masses. Sunday obligations could only be fulfilled on Sundays. So the Mass would have to be a 12:01 Mass (although we called it the Midnight Mass) to have counted.

In my EF Missal Dec 24 is the Hodie Scietis Mass. It’s the only Mass that was said on Dec 24th in 1962.

On Dec 25th, three Masses are listed. Malphono made mention of them as Dominus Dixit, Lux Fugibit, and the Puer Natus Masses, any one of them fulfilled the Christmas obligation.

FWIW, occasionally the local SSPX chapel has Sat Masses at 6pm but they specifically state that they are not anticipatory Masses for Sunday.

 

[JReducation]

I might have to give them a call on this.

In 1962 there were no anticipatory Masses. Sunday obligations could only be fulfilled on Sundays. So the Mass would have to be a 12:01 Mass (although we called it the Midnight Mass) to have counted.

In my EF Missal Dec 24 is the Hodie Scietis Mass. It’s the only Mass that was said on Dec 24th in 1962.

On Dec 25th, three Masses are listed. Malphono made mention of them as Dominus Dixit, Lux Fugibit, and the Puer Natus Masses, any one of them fulfilled the Christmas obligation.

FWIW, occasionally the local SSPX chapel has Sat Masses at 6pm but they specifically state that they are not anticipatory Masses for Sunday.

When you say an EF mass, I"m assuming that you mean at a parish that is in full communion with the local diocese, not an SSPX chapel. If it’s a diocese in full communion with the Church, it may well be the same as the OF mass celebrated on Christmas Eve. Not being an expert on the 1962 missal, I can’t really say and I don’t have access to the rules about that. You should give them a call. If you don’t mind, for our education, let us know what the rule is for the EF on Christmas Eve.

By the way, 12:00 am is the next day. You don’t have to wait until 12:01. There is only one 12:00 pm, that’s noon. That much I know from the days when we used to pray the Midnight Office at 12:00 am. It was always the Matins of the next day. Now we pray it at 5:00 instead. You can get seven hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[ProVobis]

When you say an EF mass, I"m assuming that you mean at a parish that is in full communion with the local diocese, not an SSPX chapel.

Yes, it’s a Mass celebrated by an FSSP priest in a EF/OF community. There are no (other) anticipatory Masses there on Friday. I mentioned the SSPX as a BTW, but they also follow the 1962 liturgical books, which I don’t believe were designed for anticipatory Masses (before midnight of the day in question).

BTW, there was always confusion about where exactly the 12am falls. The IRS does say its filing deadline is midnight or 12am April 15th. And lines of people are at the post office the evening of April 15th. Also did you know flight departures are never listed at exactly 12am to avoid confusion? (I worked in that field for many years.)

 

[ConstantineTG]

Yes, it’s a Mass celebrated by an FSSP priest in a EF/OF community. There are no (other) anticipatory Masses there on Friday. I mentioned the SSPX as a BTW, but they also follow the 1962 liturgical books, which I don’t believe were designed for anticipatory Masses (before midnight of the day in question).

The FSSP in our area has a midnight Mass as well but none earlier (which would be on a Friday)

 

[Daegus]

I don’t see why it matters. People should be happy to even receive our Lord through the Blessed Sacrament.

If you can’t make it (for good reasons), then you can’t make it. It’s that simple.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Is there a reference for the Church granting 2-for-1s?

I am sorry. I do not know whether the Church allows for this or not but seeing that you are making an authoritative statement that the Church does not allow this the burden of providing proof falls in your corner.

All I have seen in this thread are opinions that the Church does not allow this. Yes, one of those opinions is based of the Ordo (Br JR) but IMHO it is still an opinion and I was just wondering if there is an actual reference to a Church document that says one can not fulfill two obligations at one Mass.

I am not suggesting that anyone do this. It is always better to attend Mass than to skip out. But then I attend daily Mass, a Saturday evening Mass, and a Sunday Divine Liturgy, so I would never try this but as some seem to think it is a rule I was just wondering if it is an actual written rule or just opinion as it seems to be.

 

[JReducation]

Canon Law is very specific. Observe that it refers to the actual celebration of the Holy Day not the calendar day. It requires that each of the holy days be observed. That’s why we cannot “kill two birds with one mass.” Each mass is proper for the day. The anticipated Sunday mass, this year, is proper for the Feast of the Holy Family. The Friday anticipated mass, the Midnight Mass and the Saturday morning masses are proper for the Solemnity of the Nativity. It is not the intention of the Church to celebrate two solemnities in one mass. Therefore, it cannot be the intention of the faithful to do so. The faithful must celebrate the mass that is taking place in their presence.

**Can. 1246 §1. Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation. The following days must also be observed: **

• the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ,
• the Epiphany, the Ascension,
• the Body and Blood of Christ,
• Holy Mary the Mother of God,
• her Immaculate Conception,
• her Assumption,
• Saint Joseph,
• Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles,
• and All Saints.

The bullets are mine. As you can see, the law mentions each holy day separately. It is the intent of the Church that they be celebrated separately. That’s why we don’t do two for the price of one.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[JReducation]

An addendum to the above. Canon Law says:

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.

The problem this year is that the Saturday evening mass is not the mass for Christmas. The liturgical day has come to a close and the Sunday has begun. It is the mass preceding the Sunday.

To make sure, one should ask the local parish, because at this point every chancery is closed until Monday.

Have a blessed Christmas!

Br. JR, OSF

 

[mick321]

Have you guys been HAD?

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[MarkThompson]

Brother JR:

With respect to Canon 1248, let’s see what happens when you underline a different phrase:
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.
You’re implying that a person must go to the proper “Mass of the day” to satisfy the obligation, but as discussed here and here, to give two examples, that’s not true. That is why weddings and funerals, if celebrated for some reason on Saturday evening or Sunday, always satisfy the Sunday obligation, even though they are not the proper Mass of the day.

If it were true that the Christmas obligation required attending a “Christmas Mass” and the Sunday obligation required attending a “Sunday Mass,” then of course it would follow that if Christmas and Sunday are on different days no one Mass could satisfy both requirements. It would also have bizarre results, for instance that, in a country where the Feast of the Ascension is transferred to Sunday, a person who attended the EF on that day would fail to satisfy his obligation because the Mass of the Ascension had been done three days earlier and the Mass of the Sunday after the Ascension was being celebrated.

Luckily, that’s not the requirement. The obligation is to attend Mass, anywhere, in a Catholic rite.

Edited to add:

The problem this year is that the Saturday evening mass is not the mass for Christmas. The liturgical day has come to a close and the Sunday has begun. It is the mass preceding the Sunday.

But the word “day” in Canon 1248 must refer to a calendar day, not a liturgical day, because otherwise the reference to “the evening of the preceding day” would be nonsensical.

 

[JReducation]

Have you guys been HAD?

Look at it this way . . . other people were confused about this question too, Christmas on Saturday happens only once very seven years, I believe. . . . not sure how Leap Year affects the calendar, if Christmas moves backward or forward.

Blessings to all!

Br. JR, OSF

 

[ProVobis]

Look at it this way . . . other people were confused about this question too, Christmas on Saturday **happens only once very seven years, I believe. . . . not sure how Leap Year affects the calendar, if Christmas moves backward or forward. **Blessings to all!

Br. JR, OSF

On the average over the long haul. Sometimes less than 7, sometimes more.
Next occurences: 2011, 2016, 2022, 2033, 2039, 2044 and 2050;

wiki.answers.com/Q/How_often_does_Christmas_fall_on_Sunday

 

[ProVobis]

Look at it this way . . . other people were confused about this question too, Christmas on Saturday **happens only once very seven years, I believe. . . . not sure how Leap Year affects the calendar, if Christmas moves backward or forward. **Blessings to all!

Br. JR, OSF

On the average over the long haul. Sometimes less than 7, sometimes more.
Next occurences: 2021, 2027, 2032, 2038…

 

[mick321]

OY VEH!

Could it possibly be less complicated?
The priests, servers and choir do the heavy lifting.
All that’s required of us is to show up and pray the Mass.

• 0600 FRI Lauds & Matins
• 0800 FRI Regular Daily OF
• 0000 SAT Mid-Christmas EF
• 0700 SAT Day-Christmas EF
• 0700 SUN Regular Sunday EF
• 1000 SUN Melkite Divine Liturgy

Piece of cake.