Is January 1 a Holy Day of Obligation or not?

[Tedster]

Our priest brought that up and we all offered our Mass for world peace. This Sunday our priest made it clear that this is a Holy Day of Obligation. I had to be at all Masses and attendence was disappointing. While I know some had to work, I can’t help but think I need to post the definition of “obligation” on our bulletin board.

I’m not sure how it is where you are at, but trying to find a Mass that fit’s a 9-5 work schedule here is pretty hard. Almost every parish in our area offered Masses in the 8:00 - 12:00 time frame. A couple have Mass at 5:30, but that would be difficult to make if you worked until 5:00. It is truly sad that our parishes seem to discourage this particular Holy Day of Obligation’s attendance.

 

[pnewton]

I’m not sure how it is where you are at, but trying to find a Mass that fit’s a 9-5 work schedule here is pretty hard. Almost every parish in our area offered Masses in the 8:00 - 12:00 time frame.

I understand that. I know folks in retail had to still work on New Year’s Day. Our Masses were at 4:00 pm, 6:00 pm and 10:30 am. Obviously those who have to work do are exempt.

 

[Digitonomy]

Whatever happened to the World Day of Prayer for Peace, which I seem to recall was the title of the January 1 Holy Day of Obligation back in the 80s?

I noticed in the missal last night that it said “With the consent of the ordinary,” the mass could be celebrated for the Day of Prayer for World Peace, and that the proper readings could be found in the lectionary.

I’m still curious as to when this title was first given to the day, and when it was sidelined to its current status.

 

[Cranch]

Can someone explain or defend the US bishops’ nullification of Holy Days of Obligation when they fall on Monday or Saturday? Because all I’ve got right now is the uncharitable thought that the practice is merely the appeasement of those who think going to Mass on consecutive days is a chore.

 

[Ignatius]

I thought it was.
At church yesterday the priest emphasized though that it was NOT.

It gets quite difficult to figure what is and is not a Holy of Day of Obligation these days…

It depends on the bishop. Each bishop has the choice of making is a holy day of obligation or not.

That is incorrect; Jan 1 is, in fact, a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States. It is very simple to tell, the Holy Days of Obligation in the United States are set by the Decree of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops with a confirmation of the decree from the Holy See.

Here is the Decree by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

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Conference of Catholic Bishops
**United States of America **
Decree of Promulgation

On December 13, 1991 the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States of America made the following general decree concerning holy days of obligation for Latin rite Catholics:In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows: 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. Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.This decree of the Conference of Bishops was approved and confirmed by the Apostolic See by a decree of the Congregation for Bishops (Prot. N. 296/84)

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[bankerdavid]

January 1 is a holy day of obligation, but there might be a dispensation from some bishops - or maybe it is each state’s conference that can make the change. At any rate, Californians have been told they have no obligation to attend Mass tomorrow. Too bad we are often told to take the easy way out! We could sure use the Blessed Mother’s intercession.

(How right you are Tedster! Some people don’t get it.)

Yes, this is how it is. Our pastor disagrees with the ruling, and stated there was no obligation, but that we should go anyway, to start the new year off right. There were the regular schedule of Sunday masses, and it was a full mass, not a daily mass (three readings plus psalm, choir and procession, but no altar servers)/

 

[bankerdavid]

I’m sorry you lost me my friend.

I’m from Sacramento, I was just curious and couldn’t find anything on our website. It honestly doesn’t matter, we were going anyway. I just get confused with what each diocese says and why etc…and then couldn’t find anything on mine. I find it interesting why certain ones say no and others say yes.

thanks for answering me

I think, if you feel it’s your obligation to go, whether the Church affirms or not, by all means attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as often as you can.

 

[Ignatius]

I think, if you feel it’s your obligation to go, whether the Church affirms or not, by all means attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, as often as you can.

Actually, Jan 1 is, in fact, a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States. It is very simple to tell, the Holy Days of Obligation in the United States are set by the Decree of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops with a confirmation of the decree from the Holy See.

Here is the Decree by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

---

Conference of Catholic Bishops
**United States of America **
Decree of Promulgation

On December 13, 1991 the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States of America made the following general decree concerning holy days of obligation for Latin rite Catholics: In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows: 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. Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.This decree of the Conference of Bishops was approved and confirmed by the Apostolic See by a decree of the Congregation for Bishops (Prot. N. 296/84)

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An individual priest or bishop cannot abrogate a decree confirmed by the Holy See.

 

[bankerdavid]

Actually, Jan 1 is, in fact, a Holy Day of Obligation in the United States. It is very simple to tell, the Holy Days of Obligation in the United States are set by the Decree of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops with a confirmation of the decree from the Holy See.

Here is the Decree by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

---

Conference of Catholic Bishops
**United States of America **
Decree of Promulgation

On December 13, 1991 the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States of America made the following general decree concerning holy days of obligation for Latin rite Catholics: In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows: 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. Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.This decree of the Conference of Bishops was approved and confirmed by the Apostolic See by a decree of the Congregation for Bishops (Prot. N. 296/84)

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An individual priest or bishop cannot abrogate a decree confirmed by the Holy See.

Well, according to the diocese, your last statement is not true. That said, it does not hold one way or the other to what I said. If you feel it’s your obligation to go to mass, by all means go. I don’t go to mass out of obligation, I go because I want to honor the Lord. So I go every day that I possibly can. Holy Day, or not. Every day of my life is a day I should thank God for my life, so I go.

 

[Kathrin]

I have heard it put this way: Going on to mass on Sundays and Holy Days is the absolute minimum we should do, that can be required of every Catholic. In terms of mass attendance, I mean.

 

[Digitonomy]

An individual priest or bishop cannot abrogate a decree confirmed by the Holy See.

The decrees have the status of particular law for the region in question. A bishop may grant a dispensation from most canons for good reason. I don’t recall exactly what the limits are for granting such dispensations, but certainly in the area of the obligation to attend mass the bishop has the latitude to do this.

Also, I don’t think your statement from the USCCB listing the holy days is quite complete: I seem to recall that there was a dispute between some of the bishops about whether to translate one feast or another to the nearest Sunday, and the bishops in the end compromised by allowing it on the West coast, but not in the East, or vice versa - this may have been for the Assumption. I’m not sure if this was an agreement then approved by the Vatican giving it the force of law, or just a gentleman’s agreement among the bishops.

 

[ItalianBoy1993]

In the United States, the Feast of Holy Mary Mother Of God / Octave Day of Christmas IS a holy day of obligation UNLESS it falls on a Monday or Saturday

 

[SMHW]

In the United States, the Feast of Holy Mary Mother Of God / Octave Day of Christmas IS a holy day of obligation UNLESS it falls on a Monday or Saturday

I don’t think anyone disputes that this is the norm for the United States.

The issue is that the Metropolitan bishops of the provinces of San Francisco and Los Angeles (whose territories cover Hawaii, California, Nevada, and Utah) apparently have a policy whereby they issue annual dispensations from having to attend Mass on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. It seems this will be a regular occurrence.

I guess there are two questions here.

1. 
   *]Do the Metropolitan bishops have the authority? It seems they do.
   *]If a bishop has given a dispensation is it proper to refer to a Holy Day as one “Of Obligation” within the boundaries of that bishop’s authority?
   The second question is perhaps more a matter of semantics than of Church law.

 

[benedictgal]

I don’t think anyone disputes that this is the norm for the United States.

The issue is that the Metropolitan bishops of the provinces of San Francisco and Los Angeles (whose territories cover Hawaii, California, Nevada, and Utah) apparently have a policy whereby they issue annual dispensations from having to attend Mass on the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God. It seems this will be a regular occurrence.

I guess there are two questions here.

1. 
   *]Do the Metropolitan bishops have the authority? It seems they do.
   *]If a bishop has given a dispensation is it proper to refer to a Holy Day as one “Of Obligation” within the boundaries of that bishop’s authority?
   The second question is perhaps more a matter of semantics than of Church law.

1. 
   I don’t think that Hawaii is part of the USCCB. I believe it’s part of the Pacific Conference. I seem to recall someone saying that on EWTN.

 

[Ignatius]

Ignatius}:

Conference of Catholic Bishops

**United States of America **
Decree of Promulgation

On December 13, 1991 the members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States of America made the following general decree concerning holy days of obligation for Latin rite Catholics:In addition to Sunday, the days to be observed as holy days of obligation in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States of America, in conformity with canon 1246, are as follows: 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. Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.This decree of the Conference of Bishops was approved and confirmed by the Apostolic See by a decree of the Congregation for Bishops (Prot. N. 296/84)

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An individual priest or bishop cannot abrogate a decree confirmed by the Holy See.

---

Well, according to the diocese, your last statement is not true. That said, it does not hold one way or the other to what I said. If you feel it’s your obligation to go to mass, by all means go. I don’t go to mass out of obligation, I go because I want to honor the Lord. So I go every day that I possibly can. Holy Day, or not. Every day of my life is a day I should thank God for my life, so I go.

Hi bankerdavid. I don’t see where the feast is abrogated for Jan 1 2008. Please post the document that you believe show the Diocese has abrogated Jan 1, 2008 as a Holy Day of Obligation. Also, if they did, please show us where individual priests or bishops have the authority to overide a decree confirmed by the Apostolic See.

Thank you

Yours in Christ.

 

[SMHW]

Hi bankerdavid. I don’t see where the feast is abrogated for Jan 1 2008. Please post the document that you believe show the Diocese has abrogated Jan 1, 2008 as a Holy Day of Obligation. Also, if they did, please show us where individual priests or bishops have the authority to overide a decree confirmed by the Apostolic See.

Thank you

Yours in Christ.

I cannot give you all the information you want. But here’s a link to the info for the Province of Los Angeles in California, which includes the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the dioceses of Fresno, Monteray, San Bernardino, Orange, and San Diego.

archdiocese.la/prayer/worship/calendar/holydays.html

**In the dioceses of the California province (including the Archdiocese of Los Angeles), the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1) is not celebrated as a holy day of obligation. **

For the Archdiocese of San Francisco there is a link to the diocesan newspaper.

catholic-sf.org/FPArticle214.htm

Explanatory notes and background on 2008 's holy days and solemnities Archbishop George Niederauer has determined that, in accord with the practice of neighboring dioceses, the obligation to attend Mass on Jan. 1, 2008, the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God is dispensed.

Since the Province of San Francisco includes all California dioceses not in the Province of Los Angeles as well as those in Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah, it is possible that those states are also affected.

I have heard that Hawaii follows the norms for Pacific Islander dioceses but I don’t have a link for that. Someone posted that the bishop of the diocese of Reno is following the policy of the Province of San Francisco while the bishop of Las Vegas chose to keep the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God as a day of obligation. I have no confirmation for that information.