Does this fulfill the Mass obligation?

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I went to the 4:00pm Saturday Mass and played my saxophone with the choir and other musicians. Does this fulfill my Mass obligation?
 
Why are you asking? What makes you think it didn’t fulfill your obligation?
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
Why are you asking? What makes you think it didn’t fulfill your obligation?
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I thought playing an instrument instead of the usual sitting in the pew might throw something off. It just felt odd. The 4:00 pm is the Vigil, right?

🤷
 
Zenkai said:
I thought playing an instrument instead of the usual sitting in the pew might throw something off. It just felt odd. The 4:00 pm is the Vigil, right?

🤷
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Yes, 4pm would be fine.

And at least technically, playing an instrument “counts” for being at Mass just as much as any other role you might play in the Mass. So you fulfilled your obligation.

There’s another aspect to consider that has nothing to do with obligations or meeting the law, but considering what’s best for you spiritually. I know of a choir member, as one example, who feels distracted during Mass because he’s always concerned about when it’s time to come in and what the next song is. He makes it a point to attend another Mass during the week when he doesn’t have any role to play and can simply be there and pray.

I know someone else who is the sacristan at her Mass and she also feels distracted, so she attends another Mass during the week. (In fact the choir member picked up the habit from the sacristan.)

So if it continues that playing an instrument at Sunday Mass pulls you away from your prayer, perhaps an additional Mass would be good for your spiritual life.
 
Thank you for the reply. 🙂

Also, that Mass fulfilled the Ascension of the Lord Holy Day of Obligation as well, right?
 
Zenkai said:
Thank you for the reply. 🙂

Also, that Mass fulfilled the Ascension of the Lord Holy Day of Obligation as well, right?
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Sometimes. If you are a Latin Catholic in the USA and not in the dioceses of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, or Omaha (Nebraska), then the Ascension of Our Lord is transferred to Sunday, and you can fulfill that obligation on the previous evening.
 
I know that at certain times when I was a liturgy planner for special weekend liturgies (such as first communion or confirmation), I would go to another Mass because I felt I was “on the job” and I could not focus on my prayer and worship.

Sometimes I will purposely go to another church on those weekends just to help me focus. Just my thing.
 
Vico said:
Sometimes. If you are a Latin Catholic in the USA and not in the dioceses of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, or Omaha (Nebraska), then the Ascension of Our Lord is transferred to Sunday, and you can fulfill that obligation on the previous evening.
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Not the above dioceses, but the above provinces–big difference. Each one of these provinces includes not only the above-named dioceses, but the other dioceses within their provinces. Thus, all of the Catholic dioceses in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania (i.e., the entire northeastern U.S.), and Nebraska are included.
 
Chatter163 said:
Not the above dioceses, but the above provinces–big difference. Each one of these provinces includes not only the above-named dioceses, but the other dioceses within their provinces. Thus, all of the Catholic dioceses in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania (i.e., the entire northeastern U.S.), and Nebraska are included.
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I’m a little confused about your terms “providences” and “dioceses.”

I can tell you though the Diocese of Pittsburgh celebrated the Ascension on Thursday, the Holy Day Obligation was not transferred to today.
 
PatriceA said:
I’m a little confused about your terms “providences” and “dioceses.”

I can tell you though the Diocese of Pittsburgh celebrated the Ascension on Thursday, the Holy Day Obligation was not transferred to today.
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This may help. You see, the diocese of Burlington Vermont, the state which I unwillingly call home,the diocese of which encompasses the entire state of Vermont, celebrates Ascension on Thursday because it is part of the 'province" of the Archdiocese of BOSTON (which celebrates Ascension on Thursday). Even though the term “diocese of Burlington, Vermont” is NOT specifically found, the province of the ARCHDIOCESE of Boston IS. (Ditto for the dioceses in all New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine even though say Manchester New Hampshire, Worcester MA, Portland ME etc are not specifically mentioned.)

There are several dioceses under the archdiocese of Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania (such as Scranton, Harrisburg, Erie, Pittsburgh etc.) And that’s why Pittsburgh celebrated Ascension on Thursday–it is under the province of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, even though ‘diocese of Pittsburgh’ is not specifically named as ‘diocese of Pittsburgh’.
 
Chatter163 said:
Not the above dioceses, but the above provinces–big difference. Each one of these provinces includes not only the above-named dioceses, but the other dioceses within their provinces. Thus, all of the Catholic dioceses in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania (i.e., the entire northeastern U.S.), and Nebraska are included.
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Thank you! So it includes these Latin archdioceses and dioceses:
  • Boston
    Burlington
    Fall River
    Manchester
    Portland in Maine / Portland
    Springfield in Massachusetts
    Worcester
*Hartford
Bridgeport
Norwich
Providence

*New York
Albany
Brooklyn
Buffalo
Ogdensburg
Rochester
Rockville Centre
Syracuse

*Newark
Camden
Metuchen
Paterson
Trenton

*Philadelphia
Allentown
Altoona-Johnstown
Erie
Greensburg
Harrisburg
Pittsburgh
Scranton

*Omaha
Grand Island
Lincoln
 
Chatter163 said:
Not the above dioceses, but the above provinces–big difference. Each one of these provinces includes not only the above-named dioceses, but the other dioceses within their provinces. Thus, all of the Catholic dioceses in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania (i.e., the entire northeastern U.S.), and Nebraska are included.
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What in heavens name is Nebraska doing in that group, considering there are 4 states between it an Pennsylvania?

Or do I really want to know?
 
otjm said:
What in heavens name is Nebraska doing in that group, considering there are 4 states between it an Pennsylvania?

Or do I really want to know?
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At one point the various provinces had the option to choose whether to celebrate the Ascension on Thursday or Saturday. These were the provinces that chose to celebrate on Thursday. It had nothing to do with the locations of the dioceses, just which ones elected to go which way.
 
Vico said:
Thank you! So it includes these Latin archdioceses and dioceses:
  • Boston
    Burlington
    Fall River
    Manchester
    Portland in Maine / Portland
    Springfield in Massachusetts
    Worcester
*Hartford
Bridgeport
Norwich
Providence

*New York
Albany
Brooklyn
Buffalo
Ogdensburg
Rochester
Rockville Centre
Syracuse

*Newark
Camden
Metuchen
Paterson
Trenton

*Philadelphia
Allentown
Altoona-Johnstown
Erie
Greensburg
Harrisburg
Pittsburgh
Scranton

*Omaha
Grand Island
Lincoln
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Correct. And that is a pretty good number of dioceses, including some densely populated ones.
 
otjm said:
What in heavens name is Nebraska doing in that group, considering there are 4 states between it an Pennsylvania?

Or do I really want to know?
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I would guess that dioceses that have strong orthodox bishops are the ones wanting to maintain the Holy Day on Thursday rather than transfer it to Sunday. Nebraska (especially Lincoln) is the hotbed of orthodoxy. Bishops aren’t afraid to speak out, even on “controversial” issues. Bishop Bruskewicz made national headlines on several topics, and his successor, Bishop Conley, is starting to do the same. Check out one of his recent articles on abortion and contraception: dioceseoflincoln.org/SouthernNeRegister/bcc/bcc050313.aspx

Pennsylvania has also been known for its orthodoxy, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how New York and Boston made the list.
 
Aran_Houlihan said:
4pm is the earliest a vigil mass (Sunday mass)
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It depends on your diocese. The Ordinary can set the time of earliest permissible Sunday Mass for Saturday afternoons. Canon Law only says “…on the evening of the previous day.”
 
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