How to make holy days of obligation more interesting

[Chuck1]

My church and the bishops in my area are meeting to discuss how they can make holy days more interesting and keeping it a sacred feast days and apart of the church , they realise everyone might not be able to attend but they don’t want it to become shoved to the nearest Sunday etc so any suggestions about this would be helpful ?

Thanks Chuck

 

[JGMendes4049]

My church and the bishops in my area are meeting to discuss how they can make holy days more interesting and keeping it a sacred feast days and apart of the church , they realise everyone might not be able to attend but they don’t want it to become shoved to the nearest Sunday etc so any suggestions about this would be helpful ?

Thanks Chuck

Keeping them on their original days.

 

[YoungTradCath]

Keeping them on their original days.

 

[John_of_Woking]

My church and the bishops in my area are meeting to discuss how they can make holy days more interesting and keeping it a sacred feast days and apart of the church , they realise everyone might not be able to attend but they don’t want it to become shoved to the nearest Sunday etc so any suggestions about this would be helpful ?

Thanks Chuck

As a fellow Countryman, I have to say the only thing that will work is by admitting that they made a mistake and to return them to their original dates whilst reminding the faithful that it would be a sin to not be present at the mass without valid reason. Tell them to use the sin word and to remind us all that sin is possible

 

[JGMendes4049]

in fact, let’s take that a step further and suggest that they keep all of the days mentioned in canon 1246, §1:
Canon 1246, §1. Sunday, on which by apostolic tradition the paschal mystery is celebrated, must be observed in the universal Church as the primordial holy day of obligation. The following days must also be observed: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Epiphany, the Ascension, the Body and Blood of Christ, Holy Mary the Mother of God, her Immaculate Conception, her Assumption, Saint Joseph, Saint Peter and Saint Paul the Apostles, and All Saints.

(Dies dominica in qua mysterium paschale celebratur, ex apostolica traditione, in universa Ecclesia uti primordialis dies festus de praecepto servanda est. Itemque servari debent dies Nativitatis Domini Nostri Iesu Christi, Epiphaniae, Ascensionis et sanctissimi Corporis et Sanguinis Christi, Sanctae Genetricis Mariae, eiusdem Immaculatae Conceptionis et Assumptionis, sancti Ioseph, sanctorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum, omnium denique Sanctorum.)

 

[Allegra]

I don’t think faithful Catholics miss feast days because they aren’t interesting, but because they have to work. The solution might be as simple as having nearby churches communicate and provide as many Mass options as possible. For example, St. Joe’s can have 5AM, Noon, and 6PM. St. John’s can have 6AM, 1PM, and 7PM and St James can have 7AM 4PM, and 8PM. If a church has an evening Mass, they might also have some sort of get-together afterward, like a spaghetti supper or something. I don’t think it is best to force people to chose between their job and attending Mass, when it is just as easy for the parish to schedule Masses at convenient times.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

I would say bring back the preceding rogation and feria days of fasting and penance as well. Then feast days will be seen as a more special and important day.

 

[CatholicLife]

My church and the bishops in my area are meeting to discuss how they can make holy days more interesting and keeping it a sacred feast days and apart of the church , they realise everyone might not be able to attend but they don’t want it to become shoved to the nearest Sunday etc so any suggestions about this would be helpful ?

Thanks Chuck

This

 

[ConstantineTG]

My church and the bishops in my area are meeting to discuss how they can make holy days more interesting and keeping it a sacred feast days and apart of the church , they realise everyone might not be able to attend but they don’t want it to become shoved to the nearest Sunday etc so any suggestions about this would be helpful ?

Thanks Chuck

In the Philippines, especially back in the day, Feast Days are FEAST Days. Aside from the Mass, you have a procession that usually goes around the entire territory of the parish. Then there are other, non-Liturgical celebrations. Some are still being done to this day. It was a big event and everyone gets involved. The atmosphere is indeed festive. It also involves a lot of eating. Feast days after all are non-fast days.

 

[thistle]

In the Philippines, especially back in the day, Feast Days are FEAST Days. Aside from the Mass, you have a procession that usually goes around the entire territory of the parish. Then there are other, non-Liturgical celebrations. Some are still being done to this day. It was a big event and everyone gets involved. The atmosphere is indeed festive. It also involves a lot of eating. Feast days after all are non-fast days.

 

[Vico]

My church and the bishops in my area are meeting to discuss how they can make holy days more interesting and keeping it a sacred feast days and apart of the church , they realise everyone might not be able to attend but they don’t want it to become shoved to the nearest Sunday etc so any suggestions about this would be helpful ?

Thanks Chuck

Have these as a minimum, on the days shown. Only March 25 is not on the universal list of 10, I would rather observe March 25 than January 1, in light of having Epiphany on January 6.
6 January: the Epiphany (Theophany)
25 March: the Annunciation of the Holy Mother of God
Thursday of the sixth week of Easter: the Ascension
29 June: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
15 August: the Assumption (Dormition) of the Blessed Virgin Mary
8 December: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Conception of St. Anne)
25 December: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas)

 

[JGMendes4049]

Have these as a minimum, on the days shown. Only March 25 is not on the universal list of 10, I would rather observe March 25 than January 1, in light of having Epiphany on January 6.
6 January: the Epiphany (Theophany)
25 March: the Annunciation of the Holy Mother of God
Thursday of the sixth week of Easter: the Ascension
29 June: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
15 August: the Assumption (Dormition) of the Blessed Virgin Mary
8 December: the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Conception of St. Anne)
25 December: the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas)

What about Corpus Christi and the Solemnity of St. Joseph? And the Solemnity of All Saints? (all three of which are mentioned in can. 1246)

 

[babochka]

I have actually wondered about this question quite a bit myself. In theory, if not in practice, we keep Sunday apart from other days. Yes, we attend Mass, but the way in which we spend our day is not the same as the way in which we spend other days. The same is true for Christmas. Because it is both a Holy Day and a secular holiday, we treat it as something special. We gather with friends and family, open gifts, etc. We feast and we celebrate. Because our secular culture and government is so disconnected from the traditional Christian calendar, most Holy Days become just another day to go to mass, which can be a burden for a family to fit in after school or work. Since secular life goes on as usual, it is just another day to so many and the sense of celebration is lost. Maybe we could encourage people to take the day off work and celebrate. Perhaps a parish potluck dinner after an evening Mass? Have a Corpus Christi procession. Bring back the idea of fasting followed by feast days. Try to think of Holy Days of Obligation as great Feast Days in the church, as times of celebration Encourage families to save at least some Christmas gifts to open on Epiphany.

 

[Vico]

I have actually wondered about this question quite a bit myself. In theory, if not in practice, we keep Sunday apart from other days. Yes, we attend Mass, but the way in which we spend our day is not the same as the way in which we spend other days. The same is true for Christmas. Because it is both a Holy Day and a secular holiday, we treat it as something special. We gather with friends and family, open gifts, etc. We feast and we celebrate. Because our secular culture and government is so disconnected from the traditional Christian calendar, most Holy Days become just another day to go to mass, which can be a burden for a family to fit in after school or work. Since secular life goes on as usual, it is just another day to so many and the sense of celebration is lost. Maybe we could encourage people to take the day off work and celebrate. Perhaps a parish potluck dinner after an evening Mass? Have a Corpus Christi procession. Bring back the idea of fasting followed by feast days. Try to think of Holy Days of Obligation as great Feast Days in the church, as times of celebration Encourage families to save at least some Christmas gifts to open on Epiphany.

As you propose, and canonically too, that on other holy days of obligation besides Sundays that we should abstain from labors and business, which implies that we should take those days as vacation days if we can.

Canon 1247
On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass; they are also to abstain from those labors and business concerns which impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy which is proper to the Lord’s Day, or the proper relaxation of mind and body.

 

[Pug]

Have something fun or different associated with each day. For example, all saints has the children dress as saints. It doesn’t have to happen at mass, though. Like St. Francis (not a holy day, I know) is quite noticeable for the blessing on the rectory lawn of the animals.

Since we have 3 Mary days around here, can we have music reserved for each day, so that we don’t sing the same stuff on all three, nor the same stuff we sing on regular Sundays? I want the days to be more different, musically.

I know this next request is a tough one because priests are busy, but have a real, full homily for the holy day, and not a warmed over homily from last year? Either that or go for a very, very, very short one that you recycle each year. And definitely stop congratulating those who showed up for the feast day. I have a running bet with my spouse for those feast days that are not transferred, that the priest will make that comment.