B
benedictgal
Guest
However, in the case of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, Catholics in the United States still have the obligation to assist at Mass because this is our patronal Feast Day. Now, in Mexico, December 12th is a Holy Day of Obligation for that country because it is the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is the Patroness of Mexico. Thus, it is their patronal feast day. Now, Christmas, too, is not affected by the Saturday/Monday issue, since it is still a Holy Day of Obligation regardless of what day it falls.
Regarding the issue of having folks come to an extra Mass during the week, I will say this much: Daily Mass at my parish averages about 30-40 people a day. If we can find time to go to the movies, go to a sporting event (Spurs basketball game, baseball game), take the kids to karate or soccer practice, then, we should not be so busy as to make an additional time for God.
Maybe folks back then took their faith more seriously. When it was a Holy Day of Obligation, it was understood that you went to Mass, no matter what. Perhaps there was a stronger discipline then. Maybe there was a greater sensus fidei among the faithful.
Now, as far as the number of Masses on a given Sunday, let me give you the example of my PV when he served as rector of the Cathedral. The Cathedral would average 80+ weddings a year, most of them on Satuday. He would celebrate most of them. There were some weekends when he had five to seven weddings, along with the five weekend Masses and the special Mass for the Neocatechetical Movement, who inisisted that he celebrated Saturday evening Mass for them even when the last wedding cleared at 9:00PM that night.
If the wedding party contracted its own musician (rector-approved), then the organist would have a night of, but, most of the time, our organist played and our cantor sang at every Mass.
The rector had no qualms about celebrating extra Masses. He was (and remains) committed to his sacred duty to celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, and, no matter how tired he was, each Mass was reverently celebrated and he seemed refreshed.
Now, I did have my concerns that he was spending himself too much, but, he dismissed my worries. He has never complained about celebrating too many Masses.
And yes, I was there for most, if not all, of the Masses celebrated, since I assited him in the liturgical aspects and I helped the wedding coordinator with the weddings (I handled the convalidations).