Count yourself lucky!
In Ireland we only have 6 left.
Holy Days of Obligation
http://www.catholicireland.net/images/transp.gifThese are major feasts of the Church’s year when Catholics celebrate by going to Mass. The term, ‘obligation’ dates from a more directive period of the Church’s history when the faithful were ‘obliged’ under pain of sin to celebrate by going to Mass.
Throughout the mediaeval period, days off work for the workforce in Catholic countries, consisted of Sundays and single days off on major feasts of the Church. So for the workers holyday was the same as holiday. A combination of the Protestant reformation and the industrial revolution put paid to this system of time off from work, introducing one extended summer break.
The Church retained its feasts, the major ones of which are known as Solemnities. Some of these Solemnities are known as ‘Holy days of Obligation’, when those who are able are expected to attend Mass.
Holy days in Ireland
- Immaculate Conception (8th of December)
- Christmas Day (25th of December)
- Epiphany (6th of January )
- St Patrick (17th March)
- Assumption of Our Lady (15th of August)
- All Saints (1st of November)
Holy days Worldwide
The Roman Catholic Church in the Latin rite has 10 obligatory holy days. With its approval the Apostolic See allows national Bishops’ Conferences to abolish the obligation of some of these or transfer them to Sundays.
- Immaculate Conception
- Christmas Day
- Mary Mother of God (Circumcision of Jesus)
- Epiphany
- St Joseph
- Ascension of Jesus
- Sts Peter and Paul
- Body & Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
- Assumption of Mary
- All Saints
The rule of precedence
If a Holy Day Solemnity falls on a Sunday in ordinary time, it replaces the Sunday liturgy. But if the Sunday is one of Advent, Christmas, Lent or Easter, then the Sunday should take precedence.
Taken from
catholicireland.net/pages/index.php?nd=92
It is not that we have removed the obligation from them all we now celebrate some on a Sunday instead of a weekday. Others like Today for instance 1st Jan, 19th March, and Feast of Ss Peter and Paul have been demoted by our Bishops removing the obligation to the solemnity. The reason given (and accepted by Rome) for moving some important feasts was that greater numbers will celebrate on a Sunday and therefore will retain contact with the Feast. I for one cannot see the wisdom behind moving them from weekdays to Sundays.
Oh bring them back and let us celebreat the beauty of the faith in its entirety.
