Holy Days of Obligation

[JPUSC]

Since every country has different Holy Days of Obligation…if you are an American in another country, would you observe the Holy Days observed in the U.S. or in that country?

For example, let’s say you were in Mexico on December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Since it’s not a Holy Day in the U.S., but a Holy Day in Mexico, are you required to attend Mass?

 

[Aramis]

Since every country has different Holy Days of Obligation…if you are an American in another country, would you observe the Holy Days observed in the U.S. or in that country?

For example, let’s say you were in Mexico on December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Since it’s not a Holy Day in the U.S., but a Holy Day in Mexico, are you required to attend Mass?

If you are residing there for a significant period, you follow the local. If you are just visiting, you keep your own.

 

[FrDavid96]

Since every country has different Holy Days of Obligation…if you are an American in another country, would you observe the Holy Days observed in the U.S. or in that country?

For example, let’s say you were in Mexico on December 12, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Since it’s not a Holy Day in the U.S., but a Holy Day in Mexico, are you required to attend Mass?

Here’s how it works

All Catholics are bound by universal law (canon law, and other universal laws), regardless of where they are at the moment.

When a traveller goes to another place, and that place has a local law (particular law) that requires something, the traveller is not bound to observe it. At the same time, dispensations from the law which are granted in that territory apply to the traveller as well.

Travellers are exempt from local (home diocese/territory) laws which require them to do something, once they leave that territory.

The law that says that OL Guadalupe is an obligatory feast is a matter of particular law for Mexico (only). Therefore a resident of the US who goes to Mexico is not bound to observe OLGuadalupe because it’s a local law (not a universal one).

So, the answer is…No
But if you can, you should go to Mass anyway

 

[JPUSC]

Thanks for the replies! I wasn’t really planning on going out of the country, but got a little confused when I was looking up Holy Days of Obligation and observed that every country had different days.

 

[FrDavid96]

Here’s what we have to keep in mind:

Not all “Holy Days of Obligation” are viewed the same way.

The universal law defines certain Holy Days (c 1246), so it does make a difference whether we’re talking about a universal day, or a national/local day.

OLGuadalupe is not in that list in 1246.

 

[JPUSC]

OK, so basically these are the Holy Days of Obligation everywhere?

1 January: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

6 January: the Epiphany

19 March: Solemnity of St. Joseph, Husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thursday of the sixth week of Easter: the Ascension

Thursday after Trinity Sunday: the Body and Blood of Christ

29 June: Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, Apostles

15 August: the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1 November: All Saints

8 December: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

25 December: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas)

So, in America, we don’t observe the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul as a Holy Day of Obligation. If a traveller were to go to a country that observed that feast, then he would have to go to Mass on June 29th?

Also, I read that Mexico only has 3 Holy Days of Obligation:

Jan. 1st (Holy Mary, Mother of God)
Dec. 12 (Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe)
Dec 25 (Christmas)

Is this because the other feasts have been moved to Sundays?

 

[FrDavid96]

So, in America, we don’t observe the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul as a Holy Day of Obligation. If a traveller were to go to a country that observed that feast, then he would have to go to Mass on June 29th?

Good question. Here’s how I would answer it. Since travellers aren’t bound by the laws of the territory which they are visiting, (but are still bound by universal law) they aren’t bound by the obligation to attend Mass on that day.

I would say this only because the universal law itself gives the conference of bishops the authority to suppress Holy Days (rather than being a dispensation in the proper sense of the word). So by universal law, a US resident doesn’t have the obligation.

That’s merely my take on things, and nothing more.

Also, I read that Mexico only has 3 Holy Days of Obligation:

Jan. 1st (Holy Mary, Mother of God)
Dec. 12 (Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe)
Dec 25 (Christmas)

Is this because the other feasts have been moved to Sundays?

The conference of bishops may either remove the obligation on the exact day, OR move the feast to a Sunday. You’d have to check with the conference of bishops for Mexice to get a direct answer (and most likely it’s a matter of one way for some, another way for others.)

 

[Digitonomy]

Good question. Here’s how I would answer it. Since travellers aren’t bound by the laws of the territory which they are visiting, (but are still bound by universal law) they aren’t bound by the obligation to attend Mass on that day.

I would say this only because the universal law itself gives the conference of bishops the authority to suppress Holy Days (rather than being a dispensation in the proper sense of the word). So by universal law, a US resident doesn’t have the obligation.

So you’re saying that outside of the US, a traveller is no longer bound by US obligations, but neither are obligations added from universal law (such as Peter and Paul).

 

[FrDavid96]

So you’re saying that outside of the US, a traveller is no longer bound by US obligations, but neither are obligations added from universal law (such as Peter and Paul).

Well, not quite.

Travellers aren’t bound by obligations placed upon them if those obligations are a matter of particular law for that territory where they live. Let’s say your local bishop declares a day of penance in the diocese. If you are outside of the diocese, that particular law would not apply to you. Universal laws bind all Catholics everywhere (unless there’s a local law loosing from it).

Here’s where it gets tricky. The feast of Peter & Paul is a holy day of obligation by the universal law itself. Since it’s universal law the dispensation FROM it applies only only in those countries where it has been granted; otherwise the obligation still stands.
(what follows is going to seem like a contradition of that, so please read through to the end).

My thought is that because the authority to suppress it is itself very specifically mentioned in the same universal canon that defines it as a day of obligation, one could argue that universal law itself makes it non-obligatory. I admit, it’s not a very strong argument, though. What I see as a stronger argument is that since US Catholics are so accustomed to not having these Holy Days, they are, for the most part, unaware that these days even exist. In other words, they don’t even know that Peter&Paul is a Holy Day, let alone know that they aren’t celebrating it because it’s been supressed or moved. I don’t feel that the law would hold someone responsible for missing that day if he travels to a country where it is still obligatory, because without having an education in canon and liturgical law, the person does not know any better (through no fault of his own).

This is merely my persoal opinion and nothing more than that.

 

[Digitonomy]

We discussed this a year or so ago and the ever-knowledgeable cameron_lansing basically agreed that a traveller wouldn’t be obligated to additional days of obligation from the universal calendar. However, I wasn’t able to squeeze an explanation out of him that my feeble mind could make sense of.

traveling? which diocese rules to obey?

 

[bpbasilphx]

Different sui juris Churches–especially the Eastern Catholic Churches–have different days of obligation.

Allow me to comment here that “holy day of obligation” is a term I detest.

 

[IrishAm]

I think I would go out of my way to attend Mass on a day “of obligation” in another land where it was not so in my country. What a wonderful experience it would be to be at Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe while in Mexico, or at St. Joseph’s Day in Italy! How close I would feel to my brothers and sisters in the faith in those countries – even if I didn’t speak a word of their language.

 

[FrDavid96]

I think I would go out of my way to attend Mass on a day “of obligation” in another land where it was not so in my country. What a wonderful experience it would be to be at Mass on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe while in Mexico, or at St. Joseph’s Day in Italy! How close I would feel to my brothers and sisters in the faith in those countries – even if I didn’t speak a word of their language.

Oh no doubt. No doubt at all. I’m just saying that if someone returned from a trip there and found out afterwards that he had “missed” a holy day of obligation, that I don’t think he’d be culpable for it. Mass is always something that we should want to do, rather than something we do because we have to do it.

 

[xlake78]

I live in the US and will be in Mexico from 12/4-12/11. I will obviously attend mass on Sunday (12/7) while there, but will I need to find a weekday mass on (12/8) since it’s a day of obligation in the US?

Thanks

 

[FrDavid96]

I live in the US and will be in Mexico from 12/4-12/11. I will obviously attend mass on Sunday (12/7) while there, but will I need to find a weekday mass on (12/8) since it’s a day of obligation in the US?

Thanks

No. Because the territory of Mexico is exempt from the obligation on Dec. 8, when you are physically present in that territory, you are likewise exempt. Canon 12.
However, on a personal note, of course I encourage you to go to Mass anyway!

 

[MusicMan]

FrDavid96 has become an oustanding resource of information since he joined CAF, without doubt.

However, the answer to this particular question is far simpler than anyone has given: Ask your pastor. He has the authority to dispense you from obligatory attendance, regardless of where you’re going to be because he is the territorial shepherd responsible for the salvation of your soul.

 

[FrDavid96]

FrDavid96 has become an oustanding resource of information since he joined CAF, without doubt.

However, the answer to this particular question is far simpler than anyone has given: Ask your pastor. He has the authority to dispense you from obligatory attendance, regardless of where you’re going to be because he is the territorial shepherd responsible for the salvation of your soul.

That’s why I refered to canon 12. I don’t want to interfere with the local pastor, but since canon law is clear on this one, I don’t think it’s necessary. There’s no need for a dispensation from the pastor. Just for clarity, here’s exactly what it says:

1. All persons for whom universal laws were passed are bound by them everywhere.
2. However, all persons who are actually present in a certain territory are exempted from the universal laws which do not have force in that territory.

 

[MusicMan]

No problem. My preference is to see this kinds of questions answered in one’s parish, rather than on an internet forum. Kind of puts the priestly authority back in the hands of the parish priest where it belongs.

 

[FrDavid96]

No problem. My preference is to see this kinds of questions answered in one’s parish, rather than on an internet forum. Kind of puts the priestly authority back in the hands of the parish priest where it belongs.

Good point.

xlake78: Have a good time in Mexico, and I do hope you are able to get to Mass.

 

[xlake78]

I still may go, I just don’t want to be in a moral dilemma…and now I know. Thank you.