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Marybeloved
Guest
Does Saturday evening mass without any special dispensation, fulfill the Sunday obligation? 
That’s pretty much it 
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That’s pretty much it .
Is it Ok to attend Saturday evening mass instead of Sunday mass?
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The_Idiot
Guest
Yes …
Providing it is a Vigil Mass - which will be using Sunday readings rather than Saturday ones.
Providing it is a Vigil Mass - which will be using Sunday readings rather than Saturday ones.
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Dicerning
Guest
Liturgically Saturday evening IS sunday. Sunday begins with evening prayer.
The readings have to be for the particular sunday if Mass is after vespers.
There has been considerable debate around here about how early the vigil mass can occur.
The readings have to be for the particular sunday if Mass is after vespers.
There has been considerable debate around here about how early the vigil mass can occur.
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Marybeloved
Guest
Ours is always at 7.00 pm or 7.15 pm latest.
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Dicerning
Guest
7 PM on Saturday secular time is actually SUnday in Church time… SO yes as long as the readings are correct you ARE attending mass on SUnday even though the rest of the world thinks its saturday. Sunday begins with vespers on Saturday.
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jimrob
Guest
The idea of the day starting and ending at midnight comes from pre-Christian Rome. The early Church followed the Jewish system where the days starts and ends notionally at sunset - in practice what we call 6:00pm. That’s why the Jewish Sabbath starts late afternoon on Friday and ends late afternoon on Saturday. Having a vigil mass after sunset on Saturday or the day before a major feast harks back to the Church’s Jewish roots.
When Christmas Day is on a Monday, life becomes quite complicated if the church holds a vigil Mass on Sunday evening. The Mass can fulfil the Sunday obligation (any Mass on a Sunday counts) or the Christmas Day obligation (since it is a vigil Mass), but not both.
The Celtic Church in the British Isles used the Jewish system of days. The Roman Church in Southern England used the Roman system. The Celtic year started on 1st November and the Roman year started on 1st March. At the unifying Synod of Whitby, it was agreed that the British Church would use the Roman day and the Celtic year. So the year would start at midnight on 1st November - the feast of All Hallows (All Saints). To the Celtic way of thinking, that left the period from sunset on 31st October (All Hallows E’en) until midnight outside of the Christian Calendar altogether. This has been of great benefit to pumpkin growers and candy manufacturers ever since.
When Christmas Day is on a Monday, life becomes quite complicated if the church holds a vigil Mass on Sunday evening. The Mass can fulfil the Sunday obligation (any Mass on a Sunday counts) or the Christmas Day obligation (since it is a vigil Mass), but not both.
The Celtic Church in the British Isles used the Jewish system of days. The Roman Church in Southern England used the Roman system. The Celtic year started on 1st November and the Roman year started on 1st March. At the unifying Synod of Whitby, it was agreed that the British Church would use the Roman day and the Celtic year. So the year would start at midnight on 1st November - the feast of All Hallows (All Saints). To the Celtic way of thinking, that left the period from sunset on 31st October (All Hallows E’en) until midnight outside of the Christian Calendar altogether. This has been of great benefit to pumpkin growers and candy manufacturers ever since.
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MissRose73
Guest
I have to go on Saturday evenings for Mass as my job requires me to work early in the mornings, and I cannot go on Sunday mornings. I leave right from work on Saturday afternoon to make it to a 4pm or 5pm Mass. I would say yes its okay to go on Saturday evenings if you truly cannot go on Sunday due to work or another good reason.
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paperwight66
Guest
When we have discussed this before, it was established (through the references to various documents) that ANY Mass after a certain time satisfies the obligation, regardless of the readings used. For instance, attending a Wedding Mass. The readings do NOT have to be of the Sunday.
The ‘certain time’ seemed to be generally accepted as 4 pm.
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Matthew_Holford
Guest
You can satisfy the Sunday obligation by going to Mass on Sunday itself or on Saturday evening in any one of the twenty-three Catholic churches and in any liturgical rite in those Catholic churches.Does Saturday evening mass without any special dispensation, fulfill the Sunday obligation?
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Monte_RCMS
Guest
Sometimes there even are Sunday evening Masses that satisfy the Sunday Mass obligation.
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garn9173
Guest
It does and the way the forecast is sounding for my area Saturday night into Sunday, I just may go to Mass Saturday eveningDoes Saturday evening mass without any special dispensation, fulfill the Sunday obligation?
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puzzleannie
Guest
there is no debate whatever on the matter. Where the bishops have established the custom any Mass on Saturday evening, after the time set by the bishop, generally 4pm, fulfills the Sunday obligation. The readings are irrelevant. It could be a nuptial Mass, for instance. Repeat. no debate. Consult your local parish bulletin or the diocesan office of liturgy, or their website. If there is a Saturday evening Mass it fills the obligation. Repeat, No debate. It is not a weak substitute or emergency stop-gap for Sunday Mass, it is for anyone who choses to go at that time and does not in any way diminish one’s participation, experience or devotion at Mass. It has nothing to do with Roman or Jewish custom. The liturgical day of Sunday begins on Saturday evening and goes until midnight Sunday.
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Skeptic92
Guest
If it’s a vigil Mass, they are the same Mass, Saturday Vigil Mass=Sunday MassDoes Saturday evening mass without any special dispensation, fulfill the Sunday obligation?
, no dispensation required.
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Rascalking
Guest
Why would they offer a mass on Saturday afternoon if it wasn’t okay?
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puzzleannie
Guest
The regularly scheduled Saturday evening Mass is not properly speaking a vigil Mass, it is Saturday evening Mass in anticipation of Sunday (too long a mouthful so vigil is easier to say. to iterate, any Mass, no matter what the reason, no matter what the readings, celebrated after the time designated as “evening” by the bishop fills the Sunday obligation. Most Masses celebrated for a sacrament (confirmation for instance) on a Sunday (or SAturday evening) are obliged to use the Sunday readings in any case so it usually does not arise, but just so you know.
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Monte_RCMS
Guest
Useful information.
The liturgical day of Sunday begins on Saturday evening and goes until midnight Sunday
Good info.
Thanks.
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Digitonomy
Guest
No one is saying it’s not OK to have a mass Saturday afternoon - of course it is. The question is whether a Saturday evening mass meets the requirement that we attend mass once a week, on Sunday. The consensus answer, firmly backed up by Canon 1248, is that it does. The cutoff time usually given is 4pm.
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FrDavid96
Guest
Yes, it does fulfill the obligation.Does Saturday evening mass without any special dispensation, fulfill the Sunday obligation?
As long as the Mass begins “after the time of First Vespers” (ie 4 PM)* on Saturday, then it is a Sunday Mass. Nothing else matters—nothing.
The choice of readings or the Mass text doesn’t matter (although there are norms for how the priest makes those choices).
There is no requirement that it has to be out of necessity, or anything else. It’s a personal choice and nothing more. One does not need permission or a dispensation or anything else.
- see Bl John Paul II’s encyclical Dies Domini
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FrDavid96
Guest
The “cutoff time” given by Bl John Paul II is “the time of First Vespers” on Saturday, which is 4 PM.
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promethius
Guest
Except that the church does NOT teach that a day starts with sundown on the previous evening. The church teaches, according to Canon 1248, that the mass in the evening of the PREVIOUS day counts as fulfillment of obligation to attend mass. The church does not in any way teach that sundown to sundown is a “day” in liturgical or secular terms.
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