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Michael16
Guest
Is Ash Wednesday a Holy day of Obligation?
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maryjk
Guest
No, it isn’t.
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TheMortenBay
Guest
Simply put, it is not. There is just one holy day of obligation during lent this year: St Joseph the Husband of Mary. It falls on March 19th.
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Michael16
Guest
Oh cool, thanks! What about eating more than one meal on Ash Wednesday; is that a mortal sin?
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Mtatum1958
Guest
Minimally, fasting consists of one full meal and two other smaller meals that would not exceed the main meal.
In the U.S. the minimal reguirements are abstinence from meat and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstaining from meat on Fridays of Lent.
Fridays outside of lent are days of fasting; in the U.S., other works of penance or charity of your choosing.
Here’s a link with some more information.
In the U.S. the minimal reguirements are abstinence from meat and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and abstaining from meat on Fridays of Lent.
Fridays outside of lent are days of fasting; in the U.S., other works of penance or charity of your choosing.
Here’s a link with some more information.
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MarilynnD
Guest
No it is not.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
I don’t know where you live, but St. Joseph’s Day is not a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States.
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TheMortenBay
Guest
Not in my Diocese either, but it is a holy day of obligation unless the local Diocese transfers it (which might be the case for America).
Tis_Bearself
Patron
It is not “transferred” in the USA either.
The canon law provision for USA lists all the USA Holy Days of Obligation and discusses which of them are transferred.
St. Joseph’s Day is not on the list, nor is it “transferred”. It is simply not a HDO at all, in any way.
http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-te.../canon-law/complementary-norms/canon-1246.cfm
The canon law provision for USA lists all the USA Holy Days of Obligation and discusses which of them are transferred.
St. Joseph’s Day is not on the list, nor is it “transferred”. It is simply not a HDO at all, in any way.
http://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-te.../canon-law/complementary-norms/canon-1246.cfm
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TheMortenBay
Guest
And it’s not celebrated on some Sunday after lent either? Regardless, I’m probably wrong about the transferral rules. Still, it is a Holy Day of Obligation where not dispensed from. I’m not from America, but your link proves that it is evidently dispensed from in the US.
Tis_Bearself
Patron
St. Joseph’s Day is celebrated in USA on March 19 like it always is. It is not celebrated on “some Sunday after Lent”.
Here is the Catholic Culture US liturgical calendar page for March 19 showing St. Joseph’s day is on March 19.
I’m not sure what you mean by “dispensed”. The Bishops’ conference of each country are permitted to reduce the number of holy days of obligation listed in Canon 1246, and most of them do reduce the list. In US, the Solemnity of St. Joseph and the Solemnity of St. Peter and Paul are not holy days of obligation because the bishops removed the requirement to attend Mass on those days. Note that they didn’t transfer them.
Here is the Catholic Culture US liturgical calendar page for March 19 showing St. Joseph’s day is on March 19.
I’m not sure what you mean by “dispensed”. The Bishops’ conference of each country are permitted to reduce the number of holy days of obligation listed in Canon 1246, and most of them do reduce the list. In US, the Solemnity of St. Joseph and the Solemnity of St. Peter and Paul are not holy days of obligation because the bishops removed the requirement to attend Mass on those days. Note that they didn’t transfer them.
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TheMortenBay
Guest
That’s what I meant by “dispensed”. As in “dispense with” or give dispensation from. I was only pointing out that, in general, it’s a HDO, but again, if you live in the US, you are right: It is not a HOD.
I live in a Diocese with only two Holy Days of Obligation: It’s Christmas Day and Ascension Thursday. 
So no St. Joseph’s day here either.- Status