If going to Mass is only an unpleasant chore for someone, then in my opinion doing a “two-for-one deal” is the least of their problems. (Unless, of course, there is a legitimate reason, like trying to juggle the care of children or a sick relative, or travel arrangements.) How does this person participate in the one Mass he attends? Does he understand what is happening, the significance of it… does he receive?What should we say to someone who claims they can do a two-for-one kind of deal?(…) “Hey, I’ll go to Mass in the evening on Saturday. Then I will have gone to Mass on Christmas, but I will also have gone to Mass the evening before Sunday. So I only need to go to Mass once!”
Anyone fullfill the Sunday obligation at Saturday evening Mass for any reason whatsoever, even if just for convenience or personal preference. One does not need a serious/grave reason to do so.Until my work schedule changes, I can only go to Saturday evening Mass instead of Sunday morning. My mother remembers when there was no such thing as a Saturday evening Mass (or any Saturday Mass of any kind) counting for Sunday obligation. Some people due to work or family things can only go on Saturday evenings to Mass, and nothing wrong with it.
Well, yes. You’ve attended two Masses, gained an increase in sanctifying grace at each one, who knows how many souls in Purgatory benefited from your generosity and twice received your Lord in Communion (of course, I speak hypothetically as you won’t be formally received till later this year). Twice you’ve accompanied the Lord to Calvary and relived his Paschal Mystery.Hi I was wondering wether to go to the Saturday vigil mass and Sunday mass since its the as the Sunday and same sermon and readings is there any point in going to the vigil mass ?
Or should Go ?
Thanks chuck
I’m not sure anybody knows, unless one is a canon lawyer. I don’t like it either; such an attitude reeks of selfishness and sloth. I would hear both Masses, as my gut tells me there are two obligations, and therefore require two Masses.What should we say to someone who claims they can do a two-for-one kind of deal?
For instance, let’s say you’ve got a canonically Latin Catholic living in the United States. Let’s imagine that the Nativity of the Lord is on a Saturday. In the U.S. Christmas is a holy day of obligation no matter what.
This hypothetical Latin Catholic thinks to himself, “Hey, I’ll go to Mass in the evening on Saturday. Then I will have gone to Mass on Christmas, but I will also have gone to Mass the evening before Sunday. So I only need to go to Mass once!”
I don’t like this reasoning, and I don’t agree with it… but I don’t know how to **refute **it, especially in light of the legal and canonical principle that “Laws, even invalidating and disqualifying ones, do not oblige when there is a doubt about the law” (Canon 14). So how do we refute my hypothetical person’s claim that one Mass counts for both? Or are we unable to do so, and he’s right?
Perhaps in your parish. Not the case in mine, thank you.In my experience, the Saturday Vigil Mass is more likely than Sunday Masses to have large numbers of people arriving late and leaving early, not singing, and dressed like slobs.
You are correct. I stand corrected about the “readings” part.On the readings, this is not true. The readings don’t matter; they could be of a funeral or wedding, an Extraordinary Form Saturday Mass, Ordinary Form Saturday Mass, Byzantine Divine Liturgy, etc. The key thing is the time: it should be during the time accepted/approved for anticipated Sunday Masses or Evening Prayer.
Chuck, there are all kinds of reasons why you might want to go to Mass more than the one time needed to meet your Sunday obligation. You don’t need any better reason than because you just feel like doing so. Some of the more concrete reasons people have for going more than once are because they have responsibilities at more than one Mass or because they need to be at one Mass for some purpose and they want to attend a different Mass with family.Hi I was wondering wether to go to the Saturday vigil mass and Sunday mass since its the as the Sunday and same sermon and readings is there any point in going to the vigil mass ?
Or should Go ?
Thanks chuck
No, it doesn’t.It depends on the priest’s intent. If he uses the readings and prayers of the Mass of the Day, it isn’t a Sunday Mass. It’s a daily Mass that just happens to be on a Saturday evening. These, however, are few and far between. They would probably be listed as a weekday Mass in the bulletin and on the marquis.
We discussed this a few times over the years on CAF. The opportunity to fulfill the obligation for Sunday is extended to the Saturday evening. The obligation to keep Sunday holy remains on Sunday. The obligation to keep Saturday Christmas holy applies to Saturday. There are two obligatory days that we keep holy, there are also two Mass obligations. If the Sunday obligation is fulfilled on Saturday evening then the Christmas obligation could be fulfilled either on Friday evening or Saturday morning.I’m not sure anybody knows, unless one is a canon lawyer. I don’t like it either; such an attitude reeks of selfishness and sloth. I would hear both Masses, as my gut tells me there are two obligations, and therefore require two Masses.
I don’t think that is possible. If Christmas falls on a Saturday, you have to attend a Christmas Mass on either Friday or Saturday and a Sunday Mass on Saturday evening or Sunday. I think that was the case two years ago in 2010. We had to attend Mass twice in that three day period.What should we say to someone who claims they can do a two-for-one kind of deal?
In the three parishes in my town (with a population of roughly 70,000), the Saturday evening Masses (5 p.m. at our parish, 5:30 at the second parish and 6 p.m. at the third) are well attended and very reverent.In my experience, the Saturday Vigil Mass is more likely than Sunday Masses to have large numbers of people arriving late and leaving early, not singing, and dressed like slobs.
Another example is the Immaculate Conception which is never abrogated for the Latin Church.I don’t think that is possible. If Christmas falls on a Saturday, you have to attend a Christmas Mass on either Friday or Saturday and a Sunday Mass on Saturday evening or Sunday. I think that was the case two years ago in 2010. We had to attend Mass twice in that three day period.
Now if Christmas falls on a Sunday, one only has to attend one Mass.
In countries where it is a Holy Day of Obligation, of course. It is not so universally - not in the UK, for instance.Another example is the Immaculate Conception which is never abrogated for the Latin Church.
Thank you. I did not realize that is was not universally obligatory.In countries where it is a Holy Day of Obligation, of course. It is not so universally - not in the UK, for instance.