Is Ash Wednesday a Holy Day of Obligation?

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Hermione

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Hello everyone,

I live in Canada and am wondering if I am required to go to Mass tomorrow. I want to go, but I am not feeling particularly well so it would not be comfortable for me to go.

Do I miss out on anything by not getting the ashes? Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass on this day?

Thanks 🙂
 
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Hermione:
Hello everyone,

I live in Canada and am wondering if I am required to go to Mass tomorrow. I want to go, but I am not feeling particularly well so it would not be comfortable for me to go.

Do I miss out on anything by not getting the ashes? Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass on this day?

Thanks 🙂
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It is not a Holy Day of Obligation (at least here in the United States

Here is a link to EWTN that has some information on Canada.

As for me, I usually do not go to Mass on Ash Wednesday and will probably not go tomorrow.

PF
 
Personally…it is a HOly Day of Obligation for me…I would suggest, if you can make it without risking your life or health…then go. Why not go? Do you have something better to do?
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Hermione:
Hello everyone,

I live in Canada and am wondering if I am required to go to Mass tomorrow. I want to go, but I am not feeling particularly well so it would not be comfortable for me to go.

Do I miss out on anything by not getting the ashes? Is it a mortal sin to miss Mass on this day?

Thanks 🙂
Click to expand...
 
Hermione,

It is not a Holy Day of obligation–it is not a sin to not go to Mass.

However, it is a day of abstinence (no meat) and fasting (one full meal, two light meals).

Going to Mass on Ash Wednesday and receiving the ashes has always been the best “opener” to lent for me.
 
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WanderAimlessly:
As for me, I usually do not go to Mass on Ash Wednesday and will probably not go tomorrow.
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That seems like an odd decision for someone discerning a vocation to the priesthood.

Scullinius
 
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Scullinius:
That seems like an odd decision for someone discerning a vocation to the priesthood.

Scullinius
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As someone who is discering a vocation to the priesthood, this seems like an odd comment from someone who is not discerning a vocation.
 
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TPJCatholic:
ByzCath,

Holy Orders is NOT the only vocation.
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Didn’t say it was. What I was saying is that someone who is not discerning a vocation to religious life should not place themselves in postion to judge someone who is discerning such a vocation.

Actually no one should judge anyone like this.
 
byzcath,

I agree completely–we should never judge. Yet, it is fairly odd for someone who is discerning a call to the Priesthood to post a message declaring they are not going to Mass today or tommorrow…one has to wonder why a person would post such a message. Is it not always productive and good to attend Mass? Do we not want all of our Priests to attend Mass every day and go to confession every week?
 
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TPJCatholic:
byzcath,

I agree completely–we should never judge. Yet, it is fairly odd for someone who is discerning a call to the Priesthood to post a message declaring they are not going to Mass today or tommorrow…one has to wonder why a person would post such a message. Is it not always productive and good to attend Mass? Do we not want all of our Priests to attend Mass every day and go to confession every week?
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I guess my being from a different tradition than you is showing here.

Priests can not attend daily Liturgies in the Byzantine tradition for a number of reasons.
  1. During Lent, weekdays are aliturgical days, no liturgies except for the Presanctified which is on Wednesdays (in Ruthenian, Ukrainian, and Melkite recessions) and Fridays (in Ruthenian and Ukrainian, Melkites do Compline with Akathist).
  2. Traditionally daily Liturgies only occur in our monasteries. This goes back to the pious practice of a married priest abstaining from sexual relations the night before he celebrates the Divine Liturgy. With most of our priests being celibate these days this is not much of a concern but then the third point comes into play.
3)The Divine Liturgy can only occur when the communinty is gathered together. If no one shows up the Liturgy can not be done.

As for confession. I do not really think it is anyones business how much any other person goes.

These are really private matters and I would expect anyone discerning a vocation to religious life to have a spiritual director/father who would be directing this person along the path. It is between them.
 
Our parish bulletin and website spell it out very clearly – it is a HOLY day but NOT a holy day OF OBLIGATION.
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dumspirospero:
…it is a HOly Day of Obligation for me…
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It is a holy day of obligation FOR YOU :confused: Does that mean that if you don’t go, you’ve committed a mortal sin?
 
Byzcath,

In the Latin Rite we can go to Mass every day…more then once a day in certain situations.

We can also go to confession as frequently as we desire (once a month is not unusual, yet neither is once a week).

I agree that what any given person does (including Priests) is none of my business…yet I was merely expressing a hope that Priests would want to go to attend/celebrate daily Mass and that they would want to have their confession heard once a week. We all need Graces to make it through this life, yet no-one needs Grace more then Priests, who are constantly under attack from all sides. Every sacramental encounter with Christ provides Grace.

The Pope has his confession heard once a week and has been known to have it heard as much as twice a week. IMO, the Eucharist and Confession are very much linked together. I would hope and pray that all Bishops, Priests and Deacons share that feeling.
 
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