How Many Christmas Masses Can We Attend?

[NovusAugustus]

Can we go to both a Midnight Mass and a Christmas morning mass? Or a Christmas Eve mass plus a Christmas morning mass? Does the one a day preferred and two a day if necessary restriction apply for the Eucharist? Thanks.

 

[1ke]

As many as you like. You can go to every Mass available. Or to one.

From midnight to midnight, you can receive the Eucharist twice.

 

[juno24]

You may go to every Mass that is scheduled, if you like. There is no limit on the number of Masses you may attend. There IS a limit on the number of times you may receive the Eucharist, though. I believe the limit is twice in one day (with the stipulation that one of them be during a celebration of the Mass).

 

[SMHW]

Can we go to both a Midnight Mass and a Christmas morning mass? Or a Christmas Eve mass plus a Christmas morning mass? Does the one a day preferred and two a day if necessary restriction apply for the Eucharist? Thanks.

It depends on what time zone you are in, what time of day you start attending, and on how many non-overlapping Masses are offered within the limits of your ability to travel.

But seriously, there is no limit to how many Masses you may attend. Any limits are related to the number of Masses at which you are permitted to receive communion. And others have covered that.

 

[MaryT777]

I loved often attending two Masses to hear the differerent homilies of both priests that served that parishl.
Peace in Christ this Christmas season,
Mary.

 

[JGMendes4049]

Zillions. But you can only receive Holy Communion twice in one calendar day, except in danger of death.

 

[porthos11]

Zillions. But you can only receive Holy Communion twice in one calendar day, except in danger of death.

And the second time one receives, he must be participant at Mass.

 

[YoungTradCath]

You can go to as many Masses as you want, but you may only receive the Eucharist twice in one day, and the second time must be within Mass. So if you receive once (in whatever circumstances) and then go to a nursing home to see someone and a priest is offering Holy Communion, you may not receive It.

 

[malphono]

It seems to me that the question about communion on Christmas would make for a good dubium, even in the Usus Antiquior. It’s really quite an interesting question.

Christmas is the only day of the year where, in the Latin Church, there are traditionally 3 separate Masses, and every priest has the right to celebrate all three without need for special permission (and I believe this is still true even with the Novus Ordo). It often happened (and occasionally still does in the Usus Antiquior, at least) that priests would offer the first 2 Masses back-to-back (Dominus Dixit at midnight & Lux Fulgebit, aka “Mass at Dawn” immediately following it) so the same congregation was normally there. The 3rd Mass of Christmas (Puer Natus) is sub-titled “Mass During the Day” and was always offered after sunrise.

An argument could be made that, although there is only one “obligation” on the part of the faithful and any one of the 3 Masses of Christmas fulfills that obligation, (and I gather that in the Novus Ordo the Mass of the Vigil of Christmas does the same), since a priest is not bound by the normal rules regarding bination provided he offers the three Masses according to the Missal, the faithful may likewise not be bound by Canon 917 provided they assist at the Three Masses OF Christmas (not merely 3 Masses on Christmas).

This may have been submitted as dubium at some point, and if so, I’d love to see the formal response from the SCR (or the CDWDS as I think it’s now called).

 

[tradcathconvert]

It seems to me that the question about communion on Christmas would make for a good dubium, even in the Usus Antiquior. It’s really quite an interesting question.

Christmas is the only day of the year where, in the Latin Church, there are traditionally 3 separate Masses, and every priest has the right to celebrate all three without need for special permission (and I believe this is still true even with the Novus Ordo). It often happened (and occasionally still does in the Usus Antiquior, at least) that priests would offer the first 2 Masses back-to-back (Dominus Dixit at midnight & Lux Fulgebit, aka “Mass at Dawn” immediately following it) so the same congregation was normally there. The 3rd Mass of Christmas (Puer Natus) is sub-titled “Mass During the Day” and was always offered after sunrise.

An argument could be made that, although there is only one “obligation” on the part of the faithful and any one of the 3 Masses of Christmas fulfills that obligation, (and I gather that in the Novus Ordo the Mass of the Vigil of Christmas does the same), since a priest is not bound by the normal rules regarding bination provided he offers the three Masses according to the Missal, the faithful may likewise not be bound by Canon 917 provided they assist at the Three Masses OF Christmas (not merely 3 Masses on Christmas).

This may have been submitted as dubium at some point, and if so, I’d love to see the formal response from the SCR (or the CDWDS as I think it’s now called).

Malphono, what about All Souls Day? If I remember correctly, at least in the EF, there are 3 seperate Masses and some priests do all three back to back. But, as others have said, we may attend as many as we want. The limit is in how many times you may receive communion.

 

[RosalieM]

I’m glad to see this thread.
I plan to go to the 5 p.m. Christmas eve vigil mass. Then I’ll be singing in choir during the Christmas midnight mass. I’m doing this because I feel I miss out when I’m singing in choir. I usually go to a vigil mass and then a choir mass on weekends.
It took me a while to catch on that I should do this at Christmas and Easter time too. Better late than never.

 

[Phemie]

IIt often happened (and occasionally still does in the Usus Antiquior, at least) that priests would offer the first 2 Masses back-to-back (Dominus Dixit at midnight & Lux Fulgebit, aka “Mass at Dawn” immediately following it) so the same congregation was normally there. The 3rd Mass of Christmas (Puer Natus) is sub-titled “Mass During the Day” and was always offered after sunrise.

My memories of those back-to-back Masses are that Communion was only offered to the congregation at the end of the “Midnight” Mass, never at the end of the “Mass at Dawn”.