Jan. 1st - Holy day of obligation?

[1ke]

The traveler takes the dispensation with him/her so if it’s not a holy day where you are from you aren’t bound even if it is where you are going.

The traveler also receives the benefit of the dispensation/abrogation wherever they are. So if it’s a holy day back home and not where you are, you are also dispensed.

 

[stinkcat_14]

The traveler also receives the benefit of the dispensation/abrogation wherever they are. So if it’s a holy day back home and not where you are, you are also dispensed.

Thanks. That is helpful to know because I do a bit of traveling and sometimes it seems to revolve around holy days, I seem to hit a high proportion of them.

 

[1ke]

Yeah, me too. I managed to be traveling during Ascension, Assumption, and All Saints last year.

 

[Melissa]

One thing that really depends on one’s location–when I lived in Syracuse (city, also diocese), there were about 20 parishes just in the city I lived in (even more when you took in the nearby suburbs). Even if each parish dropped to a single Mass per day, there’d be multiple times in which one might be able to get to Mass, and depending on where exactly one was, there could be multiple parishes in walking distance from one’s home. It seemed hard to imagine how anyone wouldn’t be able to get to Mass on a given day.

Here, there is one pastor for two parishes and only one Mass at one parish and none at the other (but if it were still a day of obligation, there’d be a vigil Mass at one of the two parishes and at least one Mass per parish on the day itself. This is the only Mass in the entire county today. Next nearest place is about 15 miles away via 2-lane highways, and thus would need a lot of advance planning (knowing what time the other parishes might be celebrating their Mass, knowing how long the route would take, if there are any issues like road closures between here and there, etc). It suddenly isn’t so hard to imagine how it might be too difficult for someone to get there.

 

[FrDavid96]

Is that the norm, that if a country doesn’t celebrate a holy day, we (US residents) are exempt if we are in that country? Or is that just unique to this situation.

The practice is universal.

It isn’t quite as simple as saying “a holy day.” It depends on whether the law establishing the Holy Day is a universal one (ie listed in the Code of Canon Law as such) or a particular/local Holy Day.

In the situation I was addressing, this canon applies:

Can. 12 §2. All who are actually present in a certain territory, however, are exempted from universal laws which are not in force in that territory.

If it is a local or national Holy Day (not universal), on the other hand, this would apply:

Can. 13 §2. Travelers are not bound: 2/ by the laws of the territory in which they are present…

Even though the end result is the same (not bound) the reason is based on different canons, and that does matter.

 

[Herculees]

Sorry Monday’s Mass does NOT fulfill your Sunday obligation.
Sunday obligation can ONLY be fulfilled at a 4 PM or later Saturday
Mass or by going on Sunday!

 

[Don_Ruggero]

I pray for the Bishops; that the celebration of the Holy Eucharist will be the pinnacle of their day; that the proclamation of the Gospel their mission, and the defense of the faith their zeal.

In all my many years, working with them sometimes shoulder to shoulder – literally when it came to some committees – I have never known a bishop who did not see the celebration of the Holy Eucharist as the pinnacle of his day; that the proclamation of the Gospel as his mission, and the defence of the faith as of great import.

I compliment the bishops of the United States on their formulations regarding the observances of days of obligation in their country.

 

[po18guy]

Very encouraging. Even if my prayers have no effect; need no effect, the Lord will reward as He sees fit.