Holy days and bishops

[latinmasslover]

Regarding the Novus Ordo, do individual bishops have the authority to declare a Holy Day of obligation not binding on the faithful of their diocese? If so, please provide a source…I thought the Conference of Bishops decided, but recently heard otherwise. Thanks.

 

[Digitonomy]

Can. 87 §1. A diocesan bishop, whenever he judges that it contributes to their spiritual good, is able to dispense the faithful from universal and particular disciplinary laws issued for his territory or his subjects by the supreme authority of the Church. He is not able to dispense, however, from procedural or penal laws nor from those whose dispensation is specially reserved to the Apostolic See or some other authority.
Source

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

So not requiring the faithful to attend Holy day Mass, “contributes to their spiritual good”. Huh?

 

[latinmasslover]

So not requiring the faithful to attend Holy day Mass, “contributes to their spiritual good”. Huh?

My thoughts exactly! Would this apply? I can understand if in China, but here in the US?

 

[cameron_lansing]

Regarding the Novus Ordo, do individual bishops have the authority to declare a Holy Day of obligation not binding on the faithful of their diocese? If so, please provide a source…I thought the Conference of Bishops decided, but recently heard otherwise. Thanks.

Can you clarify what you mean? To speak of declaring a day of obligation that is not binding appears to me to possess an essential contradiction.

 

[FrDavid96]

Yes, the bishop may dispense from the obligation, but of course, as with all dispensations he must have some good reason.

I don’t think that the bishop can simply declare that a given Holy Day is no longer an obligation within his diocese–in other words to say that Jan. 1 will not be a holy day this year, or in future years. However, if there’s a major storm predicted the bishop might issue a dispensation this year “for the good of the people” (just as an example).

 

[latinmasslover]

Can you clarify what you mean? To speak of declaring a day of obligation that is not binding appears to me to possess an essential contradiction.

Can an individual bishop say that the faithful of his diocese are not required to attend Mass on a particular Holy Day of Obligation? Yes, the question is as crazy as it sounds.

 

[latinmasslover]

Yes, the bishop may dispense from the obligation, but of course, as with all dispensations he must have some good reason.

I don’t think that the bishop can simply declare that a given Holy Day is no longer an obligation within his diocese–in other words to say that Jan. 1 will not be a holy day this year, or in future years. However, if there’s a major storm predicted the bishop might issue a dispensation this year “for the good of the people” (just as an example).

But situations like that have always gone without saying…

 

[FrDavid96]

But situations like that have always gone without saying…

Yet, that’s the answer to the question.

 

[latinmasslover]

Yet, that’s the answer to the question.

Then, if there is no serious reason and he grants the dispensation anyway, is it still binding? Say his reasoning is: it’s a weekday

 

[FrDavid96]

Then, if there is no serious reason and he grants the dispensation anyway, is it still binding? Say his reasoning is: it’s a weekday

Here’s the thing, a dispensation isn’t “binding” it is “loosing” so if he grants the dispensation, Catholics are still able to attend Mass (assuming that the pastor schedules one)–they are not required not-to-attend because of the dispensation. Although in cases like a storm the obligation of the pastor to schedule the Mass is likewise loosed.

Bishops still need to have some legitimate reason for dispensations, but even if one is given and someone else feels that it isn’t a “good reason” the bishop’s judgement still trumps everyone else’s unless some appeal is made to Rome.

 

[kristie_m]

A friend of mine had suggested, (in jest) with regard to Jan. 1st that our Bishop gave the dispensation to allow the faithful to avoid an occassion of sin, since many of them would be tempted to sleep in after a late night!

 

[cameron_lansing]

Canon 1246 §2 would confine the power to a conference of bishops to abolish certain holy days of obligation or transfer them to a Sunday with prior approval of the Apostolic See.

A diocesan bishop could not do that by himself, but does possess the dispensing power referenced earlier and that could be applied. Mentioning canon 87 simply says that he has the power to do so (and see canon 381 regarding the nature of his power as ordinary, proper and immediate unless the law or a decree of the Supreme Pontiff has reserved a particular matter to supreme authority in the Church or another ecclesiastical authority).

As well, see canon 90: §1. A dispensation from an ecclesiastical law may not be granted without a just and reasonable cause and without taking into consideration the circumstances of the case and the gravity of the law from which the dispensation is to be given; otherwise the dispensation is illicit and, unless it is given by the legislator himself or his superior, it is also invalid. §2. When there is a doubt about the sufficiency of the cause, a dispensation is granted validly and licitly.

The two “reasons” offered in the thread would seem relatively frivolous. One is in jest, and perhaps the other is offered to make some point that is unclear to me at least.

The matter is independent of the form of Catholic Mass, whether ordinary or extraordinary, in which one participates to satisfy the obligation.

But the question strikes me, is this a merely theoretical and speculative question or does it refer to something that happened and that the original poster knows about from proper knowledge?

 

[Phemie]

But the question strikes me, is this a merely theoretical and speculative question or does it refer to something that happened and that the original poster knows about from proper knowledge?

My first thought was that the question was precipitated by the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God NOT being a Holy Day of Obligation for the people of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, indeed for the entire California province.

 

[FrDavid96]

My first thought was that the question was precipitated by the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God NOT being a Holy Day of Obligation for the people of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, indeed for the entire California province.

It is still a Holy Day of Obligation (or was as today is the 3rd). That fact doesn’t change.

The archbishop (apparently) granted a dispensation from the obligation–but that doesn’t change the day itself.

 

[Phemie]

It is still a Holy Day of Obligation (or was as today is the 3rd). That fact doesn’t change.

The archbishop (apparently) granted a dispensation from the obligation–but that doesn’t change the day itself.

That’s not how it’s worded on their own website

Holy Days of Obligation
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles usually observes 4 solemnities designated as Holy Days of Obligation with the obligation to participate in Mass: Christmas (December 25), Mary, Assumption (August 15), All Saints (November 1) and the Immaculate Conception (December 8).The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the Seventh Sunday of Easter. In the dioceses of the California province (including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles), the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1) is not celebrated as a holy day of obligation.

 

[FrDavid96]

That’s not how it’s worded on their own website

Holy Days of Obligation
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles usually observes 4 solemnities designated as Holy Days of Obligation with the obligation to participate in Mass: Christmas (December 25), Mary, Assumption (August 15), All Saints (November 1) and the Immaculate Conception (December 8).The Ascension of the Lord is celebrated on the Seventh Sunday of Easter. In the dioceses of the California province (including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles), the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1) is not celebrated as a holy day of obligation.

“is not celebrated as a holy day of obligation” is not the same thing as saying that it is not a holy day of obligation.

It is still a Holy Day of Obligation, but the local archbishop has dispensed from the obligation on the Holy Day.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Yes, the bishop may dispense from the obligation, but of course, as with all dispensations he must have some good reason.

I don’t think that the bishop can simply declare that a given Holy Day is no longer an obligation within his diocese–in other words to say that Jan. 1 will not be a holy day this year, or in future years. However, if there’s a major storm predicted the bishop might issue a dispensation this year “for the good of the people” (just as an example).

I’ll agree with that, Weather, pandemic!

 

[Chatter163]

“is not celebrated as a holy day of obligation” is not the same thing as saying that it is not a holy day of obligation.

It is still a Holy Day of Obligation, but the local archbishop has dispensed from the obligation on the Holy Day.

From a layman’s perspective, it IS the same thing, when the dispensation is given every year as a matter of course, and essentially advertised as such on the diocesan website.

 

[quiet52]

I wonder if an indult was obtained for California re: holy days of obligation. In Hawaii, only two holy days of obligation are observed, but only since an indult was issued by the Pope in 1992.

The holy days of obligation for Latin Catholics are indicated in canon 1246 of the Code of Canon Law:

§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.
§2. With the prior approval of the Apostolic See, however, the conference of bishops can suppress some of the holy days of obligation or transfer them to a Sunday.

Complementary Norm: In accord with canon 1246, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops decrees that the holy days of obligation to be observed in the United States are the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God; the Solemnity of the Ascension; the Solemnity of the Assumption; the Solemnity of All Saints; the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception; the Solemnity of Christmas. The Solemnity of the Epiphany shall be transferred to the first Sunday following January 1; the Solemnity of Corpus Christi shall be observed on the second Sunday following Pentecost.

Approved: General Meeting, November 1983

Reviewed: Holy See (Congregation for Clergy), Letter from Apostolic Pro-Nuncio (Prot. No. 1091/84/8) February 13, 1984

However, whenever 1 January (solemnity of Mary, Mother of God), 15 August (solemnity of the Assumption), or 1 November (solemnity of All Saints) falls on a Saturday or Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated. In Hawaii, in 1992, the Bishop of Honolulu, pursuant to an indult from the Holy See, established the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and Christmas as the only two holy days of obligation to be observed in the State of Hawaii.[11]

and

marianist.com/articles/why-celebrate-v7-14.pdf