January 1st Solemnity of Mary, waived in California

[Mrs_Sally]

One more time folks:

1. The local congregation of Bishops (in the US, the USCCB) decides which days outside of Sunday are HDO for their country or jurisdiction.
2. The local Bishop (Ordinary) can dispense the obligation to attend Mass on any particular HDO for his diocese.
3. In specific instances the local Pastor can dispense the obligation to attend Mass on any particular HDO for his parish - either for the entire parish or individual faithful.

We, as laity, will not always get the specific reasoning for why a dispensation was offered. We also don’t have to take the dispensation. If there is a Mass offered, we can attend.

The appropriate Christian response is to determine for ourselves if we plan to attend Mass and, if a dispensation was offered, keep our mouths shut about what other people decide.

 

[MSSheBear]

I live in the Diocese of San Jose and have a wonderful parish. Yesterday we were not required to go to Mass but we had one wonderful Mass at 9:30 a.m. I went of course. Some of the other parishes added extra Masses.

A lot of people travel out of the area at this time of year and we have just the one priest who had quite a work load on Christmas Eve and Christmas. We had as many people as we would on one Sunday Mass but the attenders tended to be older in age, over 30, but I did hear one baby!

By the way I think our priest is amazing considering all the work that he does.

 

[JuantheTuba]

I was in shock that it was not a holy day in San Diego

Uhmm… Are you sure? I live in San Diego, I frequent two parishes here and both had January 1 listed as a Holy Day of Obligation. I went to one mass in the evening and it was prety well attended

 

[babochka]

One more time folks:

1. The local congregation of Bishops (in the US, the USCCB) decides which days outside of Sunday are HDO for their country or jurisdiction.
2. The local Bishop (Ordinary) can dispense the obligation to attend Mass on any particular HDO for his diocese.
3. In specific instances the local Pastor can dispense the obligation to attend Mass on any particular HDO for his parish - either for the entire parish or individual faithful.

We, as laity, will not always get the specific reasoning for why a dispensation was offered. We also don’t have to take the dispensation. If there is a Mass offered, we can attend.

The appropriate Christian response is to determine for ourselves if we plan to attend Mass and, if a dispensation was offered, keep our mouths shut about what other people decide.

 

[RosalieM]

I went to the vigil mass (5:30 pm Monday evening) for the Holy Day of Obligation, here in “Godless” San Francisco (as a previous poster calls it). I wasn’t sure, but I could feel it was our new bishop who did not ‘waive’ the Holy Day. I’m glad. Things were so crazy during the Christmas season this year, I needed an ‘extra’ mass and wouldn’t have had the presence of mind to go at that time unless it had been specified as obligatory. You go, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone! I look forward to your running a tighter ship. We here in SF really need that.
Happy and Holy New Year everyone!:heart:

 

[Elizium23]

I called the chancery here, and the man in the Office of Liturgy assured me that the obligation had been dispensed. So I guess this means that our pastor was wrong about the obligation. (The chancery would of course not answer that question directly.)

 

[rwinner]

I live in California, where yesterday was not a day of obligation. One Mass was still held at my parish for those who wished to attend. It was poorly attended, and probably wouldn’t have been much better had yesterday been a HDO. Getting people to attend Mass on New Years Day seems like a losing proposition in my neck of the woods and a setup to have 99% of the parish automatically in a state of mortal sin for skipping Mass for non-urgent reasons (is going to the Rose parade a good excuse to miss church?)

If going to the Rose Parade figures higher on a scale of values to someone than attending Holy Mass, I think mortal sin is an apt description of their choice. It’s not a losing proposition for someone to come to terms with what they value and why.

Terry

 

[anp1215]

One more time folks:

1. The local congregation of Bishops (in the US, the USCCB) decides which days outside of Sunday are HDO for their country or jurisdiction.
2. The local Bishop (Ordinary) can dispense the obligation to attend Mass on any particular HDO for his diocese.
3. In specific instances the local Pastor can dispense the obligation to attend Mass on any particular HDO for his parish - either for the entire parish or individual faithful.

We, as laity, will not always get the specific reasoning for why a dispensation was offered. We also don’t have to take the dispensation. If there is a Mass offered, we can attend.

The appropriate Christian response is to determine for ourselves if we plan to attend Mass and, if a dispensation was offered, keep our mouths shut about what other people decide.

Amen.

 

[SMHW]

It surprises me that others are surprised by the confusion.

I thoroughly expected this year would be confusing.

Two (relatively) new archbishops for the California provinces. Two provinces where some but not all bishops had been giving dispensations since 2002/2003. Most likely a big change in staff for both archdioceses (which means that there might have been no one designated to send out news as to whether or not a dispensation had been issued this year.) Parish staff who don’t know that dispensations are not automatic. Priests who depend on staff for this kind of administrative news.

If ever there was a year to make allowances for clergy, staff, and parishioners alike, this is that year.

 

[MarkThompson]

If going to the Rose Parade figures higher on a scale of values to someone than attending Holy Mass, I think mortal sin is an apt description of their choice.

Mortal sin requires that the the act in question be grave matter. Since failing to attend Mass on a day when attendance is not required is not grave matter, there can be no mortal sin, notwithstanding the frame of mind of the person involved.

 

[anp1215]

I actually had no idea that some Californian dioceses have been dispensing MMOG since 2002/2003. I knew that Hawaii only has Christmas and IC as holy days of obligation, and that only the provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Philadelphia, and Omaha maintained Ascension Thursday as a HDOO. I knew that if MMOG, Assumption, or All Saints fell on Saturday or Monday, the requirement to attend Mass was abrogated.

But I didn’t know about the dispensation of MMOG in California. And I thought I was a HDOO expert!

 

[babochka]

If going to the Rose Parade figures higher on a scale of values to someone than attending Holy Mass, I think mortal sin is an apt description of their choice. It’s not a losing proposition for someone to come to terms with what they value and why.

Terry

Perhaps some Bishops, in their mercy and wisdom, and with knowledge of the state of their flocks, have chosen to not place the burden of grave matter on their people. I’m not saying this is the best choice, but it is a possibility.

 

[SMHW]

But I didn’t know about the dispensation of MMOG in California. And I thought I was a HDOO expert!

The nature of the Holy Day has not changed. In the dioceses where the dispensation has been given, a new dispensation must be issued every year. The day would still be considered a “Holy Day” /solemnity.

It’s kind of like how some bishops will give a dispensation from attending Mass on a Sunday when there is a serious weather condition that makes driving/walking dangerous for a large number of people. The dispensation applied to everyone, (even if some of the people would be able to attend Mass with no problem.)

 

[O_Moriah]

I tried searching on the Internet for any sort of pronouncement or reason for the California provinces routinely dispensing the HDO for Mary, Mother of God and came up with zilch.

Anyone know any of the folk in any of their offices of worship you can ask for the history of such a practice?

 

[Phemie]

I said that a little confusing…the vatican says it’s a holy day of obligation UNLESS it falls on a saturday or Monday…so as it is tuesday, it IS a holy day, but NOT according to the dioceses I’ve mentioned

The Vatican says it’s a Holy Day of Obligation. It’s the USCCB that says that if it falls on Saturday or Monday the obligation to attend Mass is dispensed. In Canada, where Mary, Mother of God is one of only two HDOs, the other being Christmas, there is no such caveat and the obligation to attend Mass remains regardless of the day of the week on which it falls.

I have to say that even if it weren’t a HDO, I can’t imagine starting the year off without Mass, as I’ve started it off each year since I was 4. I was in my early adult years before I realized that it wasn’t ‘New Year’s’ that was the HDO but the feast of the Circumcision. That’s because one of the hymns in my Francophone parish on that day was “Mon Dieu benissez la nouvelle année” (My God, bless the new year). I hadn’t heard the hymn in years and reviewed the lyrics yesterday. I don’t think I’d ever paid attention to anything but the refrain before but the hymn is a powerful reminder not to put off prayer and conversion until tomorrow since we don’t know if tomorrow will come. I’ve attempted a literal translation but literal doesn’t always work.
Refrain
Mon Dieu, bénissez la nouvelle année:
Rendez heureux nos parents, nos amis;
Elle est tout à vous, et nous est donnée
Pour mériter le Paradis,
Pour mériter le Paradis!

My God, bless the new year
Grant happiness to our relatives and friends
The year is all Yours and is given to us
To achieve Paradise.

L’homme prédestiné n’a pas reçu la vie
Pour attacher son coeur aux choses d’ici bas,
Mais comme un exilé, pour tendre à la patrie
Sans arrêter le pas,
Sans arrêter le pas.

Man did not receive life
To attach his heart to things here below
But like an exile to constantly keep heading for home.

Bénissez-la, Seigneur, cette nouvelle année;
Que votre amour céleste en charme tous les jours!
Et nul moment perdu, nulle heure profanée,
N’en ternira le cours!
N’en ternira le cours!

Bless it, O Lord, this new year
May your heavenly love charm all its days
And no wasted time, no soiled hour
Shall tarnish its course.

Qui de nous peut compter combien d’instants encore,
Pour conquérir le ciel, lui garde l’avenir?
Du nouvel an joyeux nous voyons bien l’aurore:
Le verrons-nous finir?
Le verrons-nous finir?

Which of us knows how much time
To conquer Heaven the future holds?
Of a happy new year we are seeing the dawn
Will we see it end?

 

[ProVobis]

I live in the Diocese of San Jose and have a wonderful parish. Yesterday we were not required to go to Mass but we had one wonderful Mass at 9:30 a.m. I went of course. Some of the other parishes added extra Masses.

A lot of people travel out of the area at this time of year and we have just the one priest who had quite a work load on Christmas Eve and Christmas. We had as many people as we would on one Sunday Mass but the attenders tended to be older in age, over 30, but I did hear one baby!

My last visit to California over the holidays was in 1986 and I only caught the tail end of a Mass on Jan 1. It was a different time than the daily Mass and visitors and hotels aren’t aware of these special times. It was the only Mass I found available in the San Diego area where I stayed.

 

[MSSheBear]

My last visit to California over the holidays was in 1986 and I only caught the tail end of a Mass on Jan 1. It was a different time than the daily Mass and visitors and hotels aren’t aware of these special times. It was the only Mass I found available in the San Diego area where I stayed.

Our parish didn’t have the Daily Masses but one hour long morning Mass. I find I have to check up on the (other) parishes’ website to find out what time Masses are being held. We have a special parish in our diocese that has lots of Masses everyday.

In my more cynical moments I wonder if the obligation to attend Mass was dispensed because many Catholics around here seem to view the obligation to attend Sunday Mass and Masses on Holy Days of Obligation as more or less just a recommendation and few would be showing up January 1 anyway. But I prefer to think that they just go to a Mass at some other parish.

When I was in RCIA we did try to ask why so few people were at Holy Day of Obligation Masses. This turned out to be one of the questions we do not ask in RCIA. I also asked why so few people were attending after Christmas was over. That one was explained to me, that I would see these people again during Lent.

 

[rwinner]

Perhaps some Bishops, in their mercy and wisdom, and with knowledge of the state of their flocks, have chosen to not place the burden of grave matter on their people. I’m not saying this is the best choice, but it is a possibility.

I have to respectfully disagree, both with you and with the Bishops if that was their intent. I don’t think that attending Mass on the chief feast of our Blessed Mother presents such a difficult challenge that it must be, wholesale, dispensed with.

Lowering standards rarely ends up being a blessing. If we accept Aquinas’ definition of love as that which Seeks the greatest good for the beloved, then I don’t think presenting greater opportunities for missing Mass to be a loving response. It may make us feel good, but that is not the same thing.

Terry

 

[ProVobis]

In my more cynical moments I wonder if the obligation to attend Mass was dispensed because many Catholics around here seem to view the obligation to attend Sunday Mass and Masses on Holy Days of Obligation as more or less just a recommendation and few would be showing up January 1 anyway. But I prefer to think that they just go to a Mass at some other parish.

I don’t think the Chicago area has that much improvement. The Spanish Mass which preceded our EF Mass couldn’t have had more than 25 in attendance. Also there were fewer Masses than on Sunday. The number of Masses offerred probably reflects previous years’ attendances on that day.

 

[babochka]

I have to respectfully disagree, both with you and with the Bishops if that was their intent. I don’t think that attending Mass on the chief feast of our Blessed Mother presents such a difficult challenge that it must be, wholesale, dispensed with.

Lowering standards rarely ends up being a blessing. If we accept Aquinas’ definition of love as that which Seeks the greatest good for the beloved, then I don’t think presenting greater opportunities for missing Mass to be a loving response. It may make us feel good, but that is not the same thing.

Terry

I never said I agreed with this approach, just that it is possible that this is what the bishops are thinking.