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PeteZaHut
Guest
Just having a recent holy day, the question came up for me “how are we supposed to treat holy days?” We are required to go to Mass. Do we treat as a day of rest like Sunday?
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John_Lilburne
Guest
From the Code of Canon Law, canon 1247:
“On Sundays and other holydays of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. They are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body.”
(The Code of Canon Law: New revised English Translation, HarperCollins Liturgical, 1997, ISBN 000599375X.)
From the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“453. How does one keep Sunday holy? 2177-2185 2192-2193 Christians keep Sunday and other days of obligation holy by participating in the Eucharist of the Lord and by refraining from those activities which impede the worship of God and disturb the joy proper to the day of the Lord or the necessary relaxation of mind and body. Activities are allowed on the Sabbath which are bound up with family needs or with important social service, provided that they do not lead to habits prejudicial to the holiness of Sunday, to family life and to health.”
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
"2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.123 Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.
The charity of truth seeks holy leisure- the necessity of charity accepts just work.124
2186 Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of their brethren who have the same needs and the same rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.
2187 Sanctifying Sundays and holy days requires a common effort. Every Christian should avoid making unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord’s Day. Traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure. With temperance and charity the faithful will see to it that they avoid the excesses and violence sometimes associated with popular leisure activities. In spite of economic constraints, public authorities should ensure citizens a time intended for rest and divine worship. Employers have a similar obligation toward their employees.
2188 In respecting religious liberty and the common good of all, Christians should seek recognition of Sundays and the Church’s holy days as legal holidays. They have to give everyone a public example of prayer, respect, and joy and defend their traditions as a precious contribution to the spiritual life of society. If a country’s legislation or other reasons require work on Sunday, the day should nevertheless be lived as the day of our deliverance which lets us share in this “festal gathering,” this "assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.“125”
Footnotes:
123 Cf. CIC, can. 1247.
124 St. Augustine, De civ. Dei 19,19
L 41,647.
125 Heb 12:22-23.
“On Sundays and other holydays of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. They are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body.”
(The Code of Canon Law: New revised English Translation, HarperCollins Liturgical, 1997, ISBN 000599375X.)
From the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
“453. How does one keep Sunday holy? 2177-2185 2192-2193 Christians keep Sunday and other days of obligation holy by participating in the Eucharist of the Lord and by refraining from those activities which impede the worship of God and disturb the joy proper to the day of the Lord or the necessary relaxation of mind and body. Activities are allowed on the Sabbath which are bound up with family needs or with important social service, provided that they do not lead to habits prejudicial to the holiness of Sunday, to family life and to health.”
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
"2185 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are to refrain from engaging in work or activities that hinder the worship owed to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, the performance of the works of mercy, and the appropriate relaxation of mind and body.123 Family needs or important social service can legitimately excuse from the obligation of Sunday rest. The faithful should see to it that legitimate excuses do not lead to habits prejudicial to religion, family life, and health.
The charity of truth seeks holy leisure- the necessity of charity accepts just work.124
2186 Those Christians who have leisure should be mindful of their brethren who have the same needs and the same rights, yet cannot rest from work because of poverty and misery. Sunday is traditionally consecrated by Christian piety to good works and humble service of the sick, the infirm, and the elderly. Christians will also sanctify Sunday by devoting time and care to their families and relatives, often difficult to do on other days of the week. Sunday is a time for reflection, silence, cultivation of the mind, and meditation which furthers the growth of the Christian interior life.
2187 Sanctifying Sundays and holy days requires a common effort. Every Christian should avoid making unnecessary demands on others that would hinder them from observing the Lord’s Day. Traditional activities (sport, restaurants, etc.), and social necessities (public services, etc.), require some people to work on Sundays, but everyone should still take care to set aside sufficient time for leisure. With temperance and charity the faithful will see to it that they avoid the excesses and violence sometimes associated with popular leisure activities. In spite of economic constraints, public authorities should ensure citizens a time intended for rest and divine worship. Employers have a similar obligation toward their employees.
2188 In respecting religious liberty and the common good of all, Christians should seek recognition of Sundays and the Church’s holy days as legal holidays. They have to give everyone a public example of prayer, respect, and joy and defend their traditions as a precious contribution to the spiritual life of society. If a country’s legislation or other reasons require work on Sunday, the day should nevertheless be lived as the day of our deliverance which lets us share in this “festal gathering,” this "assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven.“125”
Footnotes:
123 Cf. CIC, can. 1247.
124 St. Augustine, De civ. Dei 19,19
L 41,647.125 Heb 12:22-23.
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Mary1973
Guest
Growing up, I was never taught that people could not work at their job on a holy day of obligation. The only obligation was to attend Mass. Now I have read that bit in the catechism that seems to indicate we are not to work. Well, that is not practical for everyone. I, personally, now do try to take the holy days off but, for example, it was not possible for the past Feast of the Assumption.
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PhilipCal
Guest
Prior to my retirement, I often had to work on a Holy Day of Obligation. I either went to Vigil Mass the night before, or on the Holy Day itself. I suppose that if it is possible to be off from work, you should be. Quite often, it’s not possible, or even feasible. In those instances, you attend Mass, and that’s it.Check this out with a Priest or Deacon, but I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. Missing Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation, absent good reason, is a problem. But, we all know that.
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rlg94086
Guest
Our pastor reminds everyone of the requirement to attend Mass on a Holy Day of Obligation. And, on the Sunday after, he usually brings it up again. Today, he mentioned it in his homily, and said “I’m sure a third of you are saying to yourselves ‘oh, that’s right, Wednesday was a day of obligation.’ We don’t forget dentist appointments, soccer practices, and other events because we place importance on them.”
The previous Sunday-after-HDA, he reminded people that they should not present themselves for Communion if they missed the Holy Day Mass and didn’t go to Confession. That woke me and my family up! I was really lax about missing Holy Days (including occasional Sundays) before attending this parish.
The previous Sunday-after-HDA, he reminded people that they should not present themselves for Communion if they missed the Holy Day Mass and didn’t go to Confession. That woke me and my family up! I was really lax about missing Holy Days (including occasional Sundays) before attending this parish.
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Miserissima
Guest
This begs the question: do we fast before we feast? I don’t remember. Are we to abstain or fast on the evening before a feast?
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Altesse
Guest
This is a problem in my area, churches frequently have the mass during the day and there is not a vigil mass the night before. Taking the day off is not practical for my work schedule, I won’t always get permission for the time off. If I choose a service over my job (going AWOL), I would end up jobless.
I did make it to the Assumption service. It was in the evening.
Why does the church obligate us to do something if our jobs will not allow it?
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LilyM
Guest
The same way the Church will mandate Sunday mass attendance even if some people’s jobs don’t allow that. It’s trying to balance the obligation of every Catholic to worship on those days that are important to our faith with the reality that some can’t.
The pragmatic solution lies partly in the fact that you are dispensed from the Mass obligation for reasons of unavoidable work obligations. Then too, there used to be many more HDOs, most have either been relegated to the nearest Sunday or dropped altogether.
Just thank God that you were able to make it. My parents live in a remote area and couldn’t, much as they would have liked to.
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PhilipCal
Guest
This is probably an issue you should discuss with a Priest or Deacon. Certainly, there are situations in which you simply cannot be off work on a Holy Day of Obligation. From my perspective, your preference would be to attend Mass if you were able to. If neither your parish or one reasonably close, offers a Vigil Mass, or one on the evening of the Holy Day, you’re probably in the clear. Again, I urge you to talk to a Priest or Deacon. At the end of the day, anything I offer is only my opinion.
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chicago
Guest
Well, if you absolutely can not make it due to other obligations, then you are excused. Though, hopefully, parishes would make it possible for you to at least meet the obligation of Mass attendance.
That said, we are to be a leaven in the world such that our culture is changed and we would generally be allowed this day off work, even with it perhaps becoming a sort of holiday. Until recently, for instance, Good Friday was just such in thing in most locales. And Christmas Day still is!
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