MERGED: Immaculate Conception Holy Day in the USA and Obligation

[maddogdm]

Brother,

One point of clarification. If one attends a Mass that is celebrated on Saturday after vespers, that can still fulfill the obligation for the Solemnity of the Immacuate Conception.

But it would not fulfill the obligation for the Second Sunday of Advent. That obligation would have to be fulfilled on the following Sunday ( or by a later ‘anticipatory’ Mass)

For example. If parish has Saturday evening anticipatory Masses at 6;00pm and 8:30pm.

Any Catholic may fulfill the obligation for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception by attending the Mass at 6:00pm, and then fulfill the obligation for the 2nd Sunday of Advent by attending the Mass at 8:30pm

Here is Dr. Ed Peters on the subject

canonlawblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/02/two-mass-obligations-means-two-masses-but/

I like Dr Peter’s work but sometimes he oversimplifies things and is not reliable.

For example he writes on his blog: “Two Mass obligations require two Mass satisfactions. Period”

However, consider this. We have an obligation to go to mass each Sunday, and Christmas is a Holy Day of Obligation. According to his oversimplification, we have to attend mass twice if Christmas falls on Sunday: period!

Once again, I prefer the advice of a less contentious canon lawyer who told me that the law is simpler:
Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holy days of obligation, the faithful are obliged to participate in the Mass. Can. 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.

It is not a matter of a “twofer”, it is just a matter of the law. C. 1248 means you can satisfy the Sunday obligation on Saturday evening and C. 1247 makes it clear that participating in Mass on Saturday satisfies the obligation for attending Mass if that day is a holy day of obligation. Thats what the law says.(Period!)

There are not two separate obligations, otherwise you have to attend twice if Christmas falls on a Sunday. There is one obligation: attend Mass on holy days of obligation. Dr Peters is making up his own version of the law when he writes about two obligations.

 

[Brendan]

I like Dr Peter’s work but sometimes he oversimplifies things and is not reliable.It is not a matter of a “twofer”, it is just a matter of the law. C. 1248 means you can satisfy the Sunday obligation on Saturday evening and C. 1247 makes it clear that participating in Mass on Saturday satisfies the obligation for attending Mass if that day is a holy day of obligation. Thats what the law says.(Period!)

There are not two separate obligations, otherwise you have to attend twice if Christmas falls on a Sunday. There is one obligation: attend Mass on holy days of obligation. Dr Peters is making up his own version of the law when he writes about two obligations.

Actually, you are incorrect.

If Christmas, or any other Solemnity falls on a Sunday, the Higher Solemnity replaces the celebration of the lower one. Thus there is only one obligation to fulfill.

But in this case there ARE two obligations. One for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and one for the Solemnity of the 2nd Sunday of Advent.

The obligation for the Immaculate Conception may be fulfilled via a Friday Anticipatiory Mass, or on Mass on Saturday.

The obligation for the 2nd Sunday of Advent can be fulfilled by a anticipatory Mass on Saturday, or on a Mass on Sunday.

But since there are two obligations, there is a requirement for two Masses.

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

But, did you see? The General Norms for the Liturgical Year and the Calendar from the Sacred Congregation of Divine Worship explains*: **"*The liturgical day runs from midnight to midnight…". What occurs on Saturday evening is not the Second Sunday of Advent, liturgically speaking for it is still the liturgical day of Saturday, rather as the the CDW states “the observance of Sunday and solemnities begins with the evening of the preceding day”. The observance (a particular liturgy used) is not always that of the liturgical day. The canon law does not require a particular observance, it is not mentioned, only the time period is specified to meet the obligation of the liturgical day, on that day or previous evening. Even the word “previous” is telling.

I actually did notice that the word “previous” in canon law is telling, in just the way you indicate it is.

I think I understand what you’re saying. Still, I could easily be wrong, as this all seems very complicated.

I’m satisfied with holding to what I understand: the opinion of (another?) professional canon lawyer backed up your answer to the practical component of this question.

(I admit I was leaning toward your position all along, though I knew I was ill-qualified to make such a call myself)

I apologize. I misread this question of yours:

Oh, no problem!

*"Okay, so canon law says that one fulfills the obligation by assisting at Mass either on the holy day itself, or the evening before. It doesn’t have to be a Mass for that particular day. Hence, a wedding Mass or a funeral Mass fulfills the obligation. As would a Mass that occurs on the same day but celebrates a different feast (i.e. uses a different calendar as in a non-Latin sui iuris church).

“Does that mean, then, that - given the above schedule - a Catholic would fulfill both obligations if (s)he went to the 5 pm Sat. Mass (thus satisfying the Dec. 8 requirement, even though it’s actually a Mass with Sunday’s readings and all that) and a Sunday morning Mass?”*

What was your question in that second paragraph, if not “can a Catholic get a twofer?”

Please note the conjunction “and” in the last sentence: in my hypothetical scenario, one goes to to the 5 pm Mass on Saturday and a Sunday morning Mass.

My question was the one which Fr. David and buc_fan33 (on one side) and Vico (on the other side) were politely debating.

Elsewhere in this thread I restated my question to YoungTradCath:

That was never in dispute, YoungTradCath. Nor was anyone trying to do a two-for-one kind of deal.

The question in dispute was whether one may satisfy either obligation - Immaculate Conception, or Sunday - by assisting at a Mass on the evening of Sat, December 8, or if assisting at such a Mass could satisfy only one’s Sunday obligation.

Gwen cited canon lawyer Dr. Ed Peters, who confidently asserts that assisting at Mass on Saturday evening could fulfill either obligation (though not, of course, both).

Vico is correct, according to this Dr. Peters.

So my question wasn’t, “Does going on Saturday evening fulfill both obligations?” but rather, “Can the Saturday evening fulfill either obligation, or just the Sunday one?”

Even if it can fulfill either (as Dr. Peters indicates in the link you provided), you still have to fulfill the other one with a separate Mass.

It complicates matters for the person in the pew. Most people want to know if they have to attend two masses or one mass this weekend. The legalese of Canon Law is not what the average lay person is looking for.

Actually, Brother, I believe this question can be a very practical - even necessary one. Say there’s a Catholic who works all day on Saturday, for instance. For him, the question of whether he meets both obligations by going to Saturday evening Mass and Sunday morning Mass is not just a hypothetical, legalese, canon law question.

Anyway, you certainly raise very good points. I totally understand what you’re saying about people needing a simple “yes” or “no.” I guess my point is that on this particular question, a simple “yes” or “no” took a long time and much labored discussion to get.

 

[Elizium23]

I work in the parish office and someone phoned this morning to inquire about the holy day and our Mass schedule. I was petrified that he would ask these exact questions and I would end up looking up this thread and trying to give him my opinion of the law, but luckily he did not ask that precise question. He wanted to know if he could go on Friday evening and then Saturday evening for both obligations and I said yes. Whew.

 

[maddogdm]

Actually, you are incorrect.

If Christmas, or any other Solemnity falls on a Sunday, the Higher Solemnity replaces the celebration of the lower one. Thus there is only one obligation to fulfill.

Brendan, here you are using what you call liturgical law, not canon law. you are also talking about the obligation to celebrate (eg: an obligation of priests) not the obligation to participate (eg:for laypersons etc). As you noted earlier:

Brother,

One item that Dr. Peters notes is that the obligation is Canonical in nature. The Liturgical Law addresses what color vestments are worn, what readings are said, if the Gloria is to be said or not, etc… The obligation itself comes from Canon Law, and not liturgical law, and thus the correct answer should be looked for in Canon Law.

Thus there is no arbitration of liturgical law required. Each form of law addresses it’ own area.

So stick to your own advice and don’t mix the application of the different jurisdictions.

You will sound credible if you cite canon law and stop mixing in other indications that are concerned with which mass to celebrate. You are correct about higher solemnities replacing lower ones, but this is liturgical.

You are correct that the obligation is outlined in canon law. The wording of canon 1248 clearly indicates that assisting at evening mass satisfies any obligation for that day. It also clearly indicates that assisting at evening mass satisfies the obligation for the day it precedes.

But in this case there ARE two obligations. One for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and one for the Solemnity of the 2nd Sunday of Advent.

One mass can satisfy various obligations. For example, a bishop or pastor of a diocese or parish etc needs to apply mass for the people entrusted to him. In some cases, a bishop or pastor may have more than one group of people entrusted to him (eg as ordinary of one diocese and administrator of another). In that case, one mass satisfies the obligation for all the groups entrusted to him.
c.388 §3. A bishop to whom other dioceses besides his own have been entrusted, even under title of administration, satisfies the obligation by applying one Mass for all the people entrusted to him.
Can. 534 §2. A pastor who has the care of several parishes is bound to apply only one Mass for the entire people entrusted to him on the days mentioned in §1.

It is clear then that assisting at one evening mass can satisfy the obligation of two holy days in the case where one day immediately precedes the other, as outlined in can.1248.

 

[GwenL]

…

Somewhere along the way she put her hand out like a police officer and said, “Dad, can I have just a simple “yes” or “no”? I don’t care about the wording of the law.” I told her, “Yes, it’s possible. You have to do several things.” She responds, “Without quoting Canon Law, what to I have to do and to whom do I have to speak? No Canon Law, please. Just the practical stuff.”

I started to laugh, because I realized that most Catholics just want a simple yes or no answer to their questions. Those who want more will ask for it and then I can point them to where they can find it.

Your reference to Dr. Peters is a good one. However, there are canonists and bishops who disagree with his interpretation of the canon. At the end of the day, I say “go with your bishop.” If he’s wrong, non one else is accountable except him.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

Br. JR, you are once again allowing common sense and a practical approach to everyday life intrude into your thinking!

You must remember that this board consists mostly of full-on liturgy geeks. Why would we want a simple, practical answer when twenty pages of canon law and references to the GIRM, the Ordo, and Sacrosanctum Concilium are available?

Personally, I’ll be sacristan at four Masses this weekend. First, a TLM on Friday evening (anticipation Mass for the Immaculate Conception). Then, two Masses on Saturday morning (our normal at 7:30 and a special for our CCD families). Then, our 9:30 Sunday Mass. I think I have all the obligations filled, and then some.

 

[Vico]

The simplicity is that since there are two holy days of obligation there are two days to refrain from labors, and two Masses to attend.

 

[maddogdm]

I agree there are two holy days of obligation and we must refrain from labor on both days (the law is clear and simple). Some parishes only have two masses to attend but in my parish there are actually seven masses. I will probably attend two on Saturday, however saying you have to attend two masses would be a very broad interpretation of the text.

 

[maddogdm]

Please read the entire post, because the 2nd half is important here.

This year, we have two obligatory Solemnities back-to-back.

Saturday is Dec. 8 The Immaculate Conception
Sunday is Dec. 9, the 2nd Sunday of Advent

(yes, everyone knows this, but since posts & threads get quoted and resurface years later, I felt the need for this little introduction)

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception begins at the time of Evening Prayer on Friday evening.

The 2nd Sunday of Advent begins at the time of Evening Prayer on Saturday evening–and at the same time, the feast of the Immaculate Conception ends.

Each solemnity carries one obligation to attend Mass, completely separate and distinct from each other. We have two obligations–there’s no way around this.

The obligation to attend Mass on the Immaculate Conception is fulfilled either on the day of the feast, or the evening before.

The claim (unfortunately often made on CAF) that canon law states that a day runs from midnight to midnight is simply untrue. I say again, it is untrue.

Canon law does say this
“Can. 202 §1. In law, a day is understood as a period consisting of 24 continuous hours and begins at midnight unless other provision is expressly made…”

Read that again “…unless other provision is expressly made”

Canon 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.

“The feast day itself” of the Immaculate Conception ends on Saturday evening. It does not continue to midnight. The reason is because the 2nd Sunday of Advent is ranked above the Immaculate Conception in the Church’s calendar—the higher ranked feast takes precedence. (See the Universal Norns on the Calendar)

In order to fulfill the obligation for the Immaculate Conception, one must attend Mass from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon (since Sunday begins at evening).

Attending Mass on Saturday evening fulfills the obligation for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. It does not fulfill the obligation for the Immaculate Conception.
This is not (note the negative) because the readings are different or the opening collect is different, or the hymns etc. etc. It’s because the day of the Immaculate Conception will have ended.

Although very common in the United States, even by bishops, this understanding of the law is not applied consistently by those who advocate it.
If you can’t count Saturday evening mass for Saturday, then you shouldn’t count Sunday evening Mass for Sunday. That would be a consistent application. NO diocese I know of is that legalistic. They all allow Sunday evening Mass to count for Sunday, even though they also allow Saturday evening Mass to count for Sunday. So much for the “day” idea. So they are misapplying the law to read it more strictly than it is meant to be read.

 

[JReducation]

Please read the entire post, because the 2nd half is important here.

This year, we have two obligatory Solemnities back-to-back.

Saturday is Dec. 8 The Immaculate Conception
Sunday is Dec. 9, the 2nd Sunday of Advent

(yes, everyone knows this, but since posts & threads get quoted and resurface years later, I felt the need for this little introduction)

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception begins at the time of Evening Prayer on Friday evening.

The 2nd Sunday of Advent begins at the time of Evening Prayer on Saturday evening–and at the same time, the feast of the Immaculate Conception ends.

Each solemnity carries one obligation to attend Mass, completely separate and distinct from each other. We have two obligations–there’s no way around this.

The obligation to attend Mass on the Immaculate Conception is fulfilled either on the day of the feast, or the evening before.

The claim (unfortunately often made on CAF) that canon law states that a day runs from midnight to midnight is simply untrue. I say again, it is untrue.

Canon law does say this
“Can. 202 §1. In law, a day is understood as a period consisting of 24 continuous hours and begins at midnight unless other provision is expressly made…”

Read that again “…unless other provision is expressly made”

Canon 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.

“The feast day itself” of the Immaculate Conception ends on Saturday evening. It does not continue to midnight. The reason is because the 2nd Sunday of Advent is ranked above the Immaculate Conception in the Church’s calendar—the higher ranked feast takes precedence. (See the Universal Norns on the Calendar)

In order to fulfill the obligation for the Immaculate Conception, one must attend Mass from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon (since Sunday begins at evening).

Attending Mass on Saturday evening fulfills the obligation for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. It does not fulfill the obligation for the Immaculate Conception.

Now, to continue with part 2.

The above is how the laws of the Church regulate the days. What follows is my opinion.

A person who attends only the Saturday evening Mass knowing that the Mass will be both for the 2nd Sunday of Advent and on the 2nd Sunday of Advent has not met the obligation for the Immaculate Conception.

However, a person who unknowingly or unwittingly attends the Mass on Saturday evening in an attempt to fulfill the Immaculate Conception obligation would not be at fault for missing Mass on the Holy Day. This might happen if the priest errs in the Mass schedule and celebrates the wrong Mass in the evening—the fault is that of the priest, not the attendee. Such a person would fulfill the Sunday obligation, but not the Holy Day obligation, but without fault.

If it is physically or morally impossible to attend Mass from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, yet one is able (and does) attend Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, that person would be excused from the Immaculate Conception obligation but fulfill the Sunday obligation.

Father is right. Why people would even discuss the issue is stunning. The mass of the Immaculate Conception praises and adores God for what he has done in through this particular event. The mass for the second Sunday of Advent praises and adores God for a completely different event. It’s that simple.

Obviously, if a person has to work, especially people like nurses, police officers and fire fighters, they may not be able to make two masses in one weekend. So they do the best they can. If one is all they can do, so be it. We don’t need to go through all of Canon Law and 5 council documents to answer this question.

Br. JR, you are once again allowing common sense and a practical approach to everyday life intrude into your thinking!

Maybe that the reason that Rome appointed me superior general of my community. They needed someone too dumb to be a Canon Lawyer.

Although very common in the United States, even by bishops, this understanding of the law is not applied consistently by those who advocate it.
If you can’t count Saturday evening mass for Saturday, then you shouldn’t count Sunday evening Mass for Sunday. That would be a consistent application. NO diocese I know of is that legalistic. They all allow Sunday evening Mass to count for Sunday, even though they also allow Saturday evening Mass to count for Sunday. So much for the “day” idea. So they are misapplying the law to read it more strictly than it is meant to be read.

Actually no, the Sunday evening mass is not inconsistent for two reasons.

First is that our liturgical calendar mimics the Jewish liturgical calendar where holy days run from sunset to sunset. If the Monday that follows is an ordinary weekday, then the Sunday evening mass can be applied to the Sunday solemnity as long as it’s celebrated as closely as possible to sunset. When Monday is a solemnity, then the Sunday evening mass may have to yield to the solemnity. That depends on which solemnity. Very few solemnities trump Sunday. Christmas would be one of the few.

If December 24 were on a Sunday, the Sunday evening mass would not be the fourth Sunday of Advent. It would be the anticipated Christmas liturgy.

If Monday is an ordinary Monday, there is no conflict and the Sunday solemnity can be observed until Sunset or as close as you can get to it.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

 

[Vico]

Father is right. Why people would even discuss the issue is stunning. The mass of the Immaculate Conception praises and adores God for what he has done in through this particular event. The mass for the second Sunday of Advent praises and adores God for a completely different event. It’s that simple.

Obviously, if a person has to work, especially people like nurses, police officers and fire fighters, they may not be able to make two masses in one weekend. So they do the best they can. If one is all they can do, so be it. We don’t need to go through all of Canon Law and 5 council documents to answer this question.

Maybe that the reason that Rome appointed me superior general of my community. They needed someone too dumb to be a Canon Lawyer.

Actually no, the Sunday evening mass is not inconsistent for two reasons.

First is that our liturgical calendar mimics the Jewish liturgical calendar where holy days run from sunset to sunset. If the Monday that follows is an ordinary weekday, then the Sunday evening mass can be applied to the Sunday solemnity as long as it’s celebrated as closely as possible to sunset. When Monday is a solemnity, then the Sunday evening mass may have to yield to the solemnity. That depends on which solemnity. Very few solemnities trump Sunday. Christmas would be one of the few.

If December 24 were on a Sunday, the Sunday evening mass would not be the fourth Sunday of Advent. It would be the anticipated Christmas liturgy.

If Monday is an ordinary Monday, there is no conflict and the Sunday solemnity can be observed until Sunset or as close as you can get to it.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, FFV

It is a fact that both the general liturgical norms and the canon law define the liturgical day as midnight to midnight. It does not change.

 

[VivienneJ]

It matters not how many priests were mistaken, however it does matter that they are mistaken; don’t you agree? It does not change the necessity to fulfill both Mass obligations. The key there is “2”, not one for both./QUOTE]

And it is quite possible that the priests are not mistaken.

Clearly, if you are in the USA (and probably some other countries too) you need to attend two different Masses to fulfill your obligations.

However it is also possible that the Bishops in the Philippines (where Thistle is) have said attendance at one Mass over that weekend fulfills both obligations in the Philippines.

 

[Lapey]

I agree there are two holy days of obligation and we must refrain from labor on both days (the law is clear and simple). Some parishes only have two masses to attend but in my parish there are actually seven masses. I will probably attend two on Saturday, however saying you have to attend two masses would be a very broad interpretation of the text.

But it would be correct! Isn’t that the point???

Please don’t add to th econfusion which already exists. 2 obligations = 2 Masses. Yoou choose how to satify this. 1 on Friday & 1 on Saturdy or 1 on Sunday, 2 on Saturday, or 1 Saturday and 1 Sunday. It’s really just that simple.

 

[Lapey]

diocesepvd.org/12-8-feast-of-the-immaculate-conception/

From the Diocese web site from Providence Rhode Island.

I’m still looking for a refrence to what the Phillipines prescribes to.

 

[Lapey]

Lapey;10089430:

It matters not how many priests were mistaken, however it does matter that they are mistaken; don’t you agree? It does not change the necessity to fulfill both Mass obligations. The key there is “2”, not one for both./QUOTE]

And it is quite possible that the priests are not mistaken.

Clearly, if you are in the USA (and probably some other countries too) you need to attend two different Masses to fulfill your obligations.

However it is also possible that the Bishops in the Philippines (where Thistle is) have said attendance at one Mass over that weekend fulfills both obligations in the Philippines

.

I am heading out to a meeting, but I will do some more searching. If this is in fact the case I owe Thistle an apology. But my doubts are strong. good day folks!

 

[Fone_Bone_2001]

It is clear then that assisting at one evening mass can satisfy the obligation of two holy days in the case where one day immediately precedes the other, as outlined in can.1248.

Are you asserting that assisting only at one Mass, on the evening of this Sat., December 8, would fulfill both obligations?

If so, no offense, but you’re just some random Internet person. Why should we believe you when a trained, professional canon lawyer (Dr. Ed Peters, in the link a page or two back) expressly disagrees that one Mass can fulfill two separate obligations?

Actually no, the Sunday evening mass is not inconsistent for two reasons.

First is that our liturgical calendar mimics the Jewish liturgical calendar where holy days run from sunset to sunset. If the Monday that follows is an ordinary weekday, then the Sunday evening mass can be applied to the Sunday solemnity as long as it’s celebrated as closely as possible to sunset.

Well said, Brother.

Very few solemnities trump Sunday. Christmas would be one of the few.

Don’t all solemnities trump Sundays in Ordinary Time? While Sundays of Advent, Lent, and Easter take precedence over solemnities?

 

[agapewolf]

Dr. Peters responded to this thread in his blog:

canonlawblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/1964/

 

[St_Stephen_1]

Please read the entire post, because the 2nd half is important here.

This year, we have two obligatory Solemnities back-to-back.

Saturday is Dec. 8 The Immaculate Conception
Sunday is Dec. 9, the 2nd Sunday of Advent

(yes, everyone knows this, but since posts & threads get quoted and resurface years later, I felt the need for this little introduction)

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception begins at the time of Evening Prayer on Friday evening.

The 2nd Sunday of Advent begins at the time of Evening Prayer on Saturday evening–and at the same time, the feast of the Immaculate Conception ends.

Each solemnity carries one obligation to attend Mass, completely separate and distinct from each other. We have two obligations–there’s no way around this.

The obligation to attend Mass on the Immaculate Conception is fulfilled either on the day of the feast, or the evening before.

The claim (unfortunately often made on CAF) that canon law states that a day runs from midnight to midnight is simply untrue. I say again, it is untrue.

Canon law does say this
“Can. 202 §1. In law, a day is understood as a period consisting of 24 continuous hours and begins at midnight unless other provision is expressly made…”

Read that again “…unless other provision is expressly made”

Canon 1248 §1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.

“The feast day itself” of the Immaculate Conception ends on Saturday evening. It does not continue to midnight. The reason is because the 2nd Sunday of Advent is ranked above the Immaculate Conception in the Church’s calendar—the higher ranked feast takes precedence. (See the Universal Norns on the Calendar)

In order to fulfill the obligation for the Immaculate Conception, one must attend Mass from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon (since Sunday begins at evening).

Attending Mass on Saturday evening fulfills the obligation for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. It does not fulfill the obligation for the Immaculate Conception.

This is not (note the negative) because the readings are different or the opening collect is different, or the hymns etc. etc. It’s because the day of the Immaculate Conception will have ended. This is not the same situation we often encounter when someone asks about a wedding Mass on Saturday at 7 PM or an ordination Mass on Sunday at 11 AM. It’s different because a Mass on Saturday evening is not a Mass on the Immaculate Conception. Note that it is not “on” the Immaculate Conception; instead of not “for” the Immaculate Conception.

What I’ve cited above is the canon law and the liturgical law of the Church.

Now, to continue with part 2.

The above is how the laws of the Church regulate the days. What follows is my opinion.

A person who attends only the Saturday evening Mass knowing that the Mass will be both for the 2nd Sunday of Advent and on the 2nd Sunday of Advent has not met the obligation for the Immaculate Conception.

However, a person who unknowingly or unwittingly attends the Mass on Saturday evening in an attempt to fulfill the Immaculate Conception obligation would not be at fault for missing Mass on the Holy Day. This might happen if the priest errs in the Mass schedule and celebrates the wrong Mass in the evening—the fault is that of the priest, not the attendee. Such a person would fulfill the Sunday obligation, but not the Holy Day obligation, but without fault.

If it is physically or morally impossible to attend Mass from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon, yet one is able (and does) attend Mass on Saturday evening and Sunday morning, that person would be excused from the Immaculate Conception obligation but fulfill the Sunday obligation.

canonlawblog.wordpress.com/2012/12/04/1964/is a link to a post on a canon law blog. The blog cites your post, Father. He makes a contrary argument to yours.

 

[buc_fan33]

Let me just say this…I will freely admit that it appears I was wrong. The anticipatory Mass for the Second Sunday in Advent will satisfy the obligation for the Immaculate Coneption this year. That said…

Why are we even discussing this? I think this is part of the problem. Mass is not an obligation. It should be a joy and a privilege. Last week, for instance, I wasn’t celebrating one Mass, but I was passing through the vestibule of our church. I confronted a young man who was lying on our steps (inside), playing a video game on his cell phone. I gently, but pastorally, reminded him that he was there to worship God, not play video games and that he needed to go to Mass. He was present in body, but not in spirit. Did he fulfill his obligation? Technically, I suppose. But not really.

I guess what I’m saying is that, yes, technically, Saturday evening Mass works. But, we don’t just follow the law to say we’re following the law. Rather, the Church calls us to enter into her liturgy. The liturgy the Church intends for us to participate in on Saturday is the Immaculate Conception, complete with the proper readings and prayers, a Gloria, and the Creed. I can’t just wake up that morning and decide, “Hmm…I have a devotion to the Sacred Heart. I think I’ll celebrate a votive Mass of the Sacred Heart today.”

So, if someone absolutely could not get to Mass Friday evening or Saturday morning, then, perhaps, technically, he could go Saturday evening and again Sunday for Sunday. But, to intentionally do this with no good reason, I think, is not thinking with the mind of the Church.

FWIW…I’ve asked other priests their take on this (six of them, all recently ordained from orthodox seminaries) and they all said the same thing.

 

[YoungTradCath]

I’ve ravaged lotsa sources and from all I can tell, when there are two obligations, two Masses must be attended.