Hope this isn't a stupid question

[MarieVeronica]

I just noticed on our current parish calendar… the little symbol for “Holy Day of Obligation” next to Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day. Is Christmas Eve also a Holy Day of Obligation?

When we were young kids… our parents never took us to Mass on Christmas Eve. Only on Christmas Day. Our parish always HAD a Christmas Eve Mass… but it was very, very late in the evening (Midnight Mass). And we never went, till we were much older (because of that, I guess I didn’t realize it might be a “Holy Day of Obligation”). If so, boy do I feel dumb!

There is another part of the equation for me, though. I take care of my elderly mother (she’s 85+); She is extremely frail, and often ill. She retires to bed early in the evening, between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., and she can not be left alone (she suffers from early stage Alzheimer’s).

This a valid reason for me to miss Christmas Eve Mass, right? I feel the answer is “yes”… but I guess, I just want to make certain. Thanks in advance.

 

[baltobetsy]

Christmas Eve is not a holy day of obligation. Perhaps your parish put the little symbol there to indicate that you could fulfill your obligation for Christmas either on Christmas day or one of the Masses on the evening of Christmas Eve.

For future reference, when a Sunday or an actual holy day is involved, yes, the care of a sick person removes your obligation to attend Mass.

Merry Christmas!
Betsy

 

[bpbasilphx]

**Only on Christmas Day. Our parish always HAD a Christmas Eve Mass… but it was very, very late in the evening (Midnight Mass). **

The Midnight Mass is NEVER the Christmas Eve mass, but always the first of the tradtional 3 masses of Christmas Day.

 

[Ahimsa]

**Only on Christmas Day. Our parish always HAD a Christmas Eve Mass… but it was very, very late in the evening (Midnight Mass). **

The Midnight Mass is NEVER the Christmas Eve mass, but always the first of the tradtional 3 masses of Christmas Day.

Are you Latin Rite Catholic?

 

[puzzleannie]

we already have a thread about the anticipated Mass on Christmas Eve, which does fulfill the obligation to attend Mass on the Holy Day (a change in place for over 40 years), and yes there is still a Midnight Mass, which is NOT the anticipated Mass, it is the principal celebration of the Christmas liturgy.

anyone who has to stay home to care for a sick person does not have a Mass obligation in any case.

your parish calendar probably had that note to inform you that the Christmas eve Masses would also fulfill your obligation.

 

[BradW]

but it was very, very late in the evening (Midnight Mass).

What time did your Midnight Mass start?
(Ok, that might be a stupid question )

It wasn’t very, very late in the evening on Christmas Eve… it was very, very early on Christmas morning!

 

[MarieVeronica]

lol! Thanks Brad! Good point! And all… Great information. My gratitude.

 

[Karl_M]

What time did your Midnight Mass start?
(Ok, that might be a stupid question )

Actually, that isn’t a stupid question at all. In these parts, its quite common to have a Midnight Mass (not a Vigil Mass-it’s all the Midnight Mass stuff) on Christmas Eve night-usually at 10pm, the more orthodox parishes hold it off till 11pm-and no, I’m not being sarcastic.

But, last year, at my home parish, we had a Midnight Mass (at Midnight-one of the few left) and I overheard the priest and deacon talking about it’s the biggest Midnight crowd they’ve had in about eight years.

 

[Inman]

Since I am a new catholic, I am not sure if our parish is orthodox or not, but there is a performace of Handel’s Messiah at 11pm, with mass starting at midnight.

I just assumed all Catholic parishes did it this way. The one I visited with a catholic girlfriend and her family had theirs at midnight.

 

[cgirl4ever]

I’m not a big fan of holy days of obligation. I think that we just need to go to church on SUnday’s and Christmas and Easter. I don’t think that CHrstmas eve is a holyday of obligation. It counts for Christmas day so it doesn’t matter which one you go to.

 

[jpjd]

I’m not a big fan of holy days of obligation. I think that we just need to go to church on SUnday’s and Christmas and Easter. I don’t think that CHrstmas eve is a holyday of obligation. It counts for Christmas day so it doesn’t matter which one you go to.

Holy Days of Obligation (HDO) are required attendance because the Church is celebrating a significant event. In the U.S., there are 6 HDOs:

January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God;
Thursday of the Sixth Week of Easter, the solemnity of the Ascension;
August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary;
November 1, the solemnity of All Saints;
December 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception;
December 25, the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

You should be a fan of HDOs because they are celebrating things that should be very important to you as a Catholic. We remember the event in prayer, and give thanks and praise to God for His goodness and mercy. And personally, I love the opportunity to attend another Mass and receive the Eucharist. I don’t see it as Mass being forced upon me but as an event I look forward to.