Also, can someone kindly explain to me why there are different holy days of obligation for different countries; i.e., why is the Assumption a holy day of obligation in the USA but not in Canada?
The Holy See, i.e. Rome, determines the holy days of obligation (HODs).
The current HODs are:
- All Sundays
- Ten holy days with the rank of solemnity called solemnities of precept.
The ten solemnities of precept are:
In honour of Our Lord
- Nativity of the Lord
- Epiphany
- Ascension
- Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
In honour of Our Lady
5. Mary, Mother of God
6. Assumption
7. Immaculate Conception
In honour of Saints
8. St Joseph
9. Sts Peter & Paul
10. All Saints
Bishops’ conferences can remove the precept from these solemnities and then they cease to be HODs. Their decisions must be confirmed by Rome. Rome does ask that all keep the Nativity and one day in honour of Our Lady as HODs.
If a bishops’ conference removes the precept from Epiphany, Ascension or
Corpus Christi they must be permanently transferred to a Sunday.
In England & Wales, our bishops have removed the precept from Epiphany, Ascension,
Corpus Christi, Mary, Mother of God, Immaculate Conception and St Joseph. So, our HODs, in addition to Sundays, are Nativity, Assumption, Sts Peter & Paul and Assumption.
Rome also allows other particular arrangements. For example, the English & Welsh bishops, with Rome’s approval, have decreed that if Assumption, Sts Peter & Paul or All Saints fall on a Saturday or Monday the solemnity is transferred to the neighbouring Sunday to avoid two HODs on two consecutive days.
