Please Answer Before Tomorrow

[searn77]

The parish that I have been going to is having a midnight mass on Wednesday Christmas Eve (although technically if it’s at midnight, it will be a Thursday which is Christmas). So is this considered a Wednesday night vigil? And what exactly is a vigil? All I know is that it’s like mass for tomorrow celebrated today. Am I wrong? If a parish has a vigil at 5pm and then has another mass at 7pm, does the 7pm mass have to be a vigil or can it be a mass for that day? I’m kind of confused about vigils and this Christmas Eve midnight mass and was hoping for an answer before I leave my house tomorrow. Thanks

 

[Church_Militant]

The parish that I have been going to is having a midnight mass on Wednesday Christmas Eve (although technically if it’s at midnight, it will be a Thursday which is Christmas). So is this considered a Wednesday night vigil?

Don’t know, but since it begins at 12 AM it is considered a Mass on Christmas day. Enjoy!

And what exactly is a vigil? All I know is that it’s like mass for tomorrow celebrated today. Am I wrong? If a parish has a vigil at 5pm and then has another mass at 7pm, does the 7pm mass have to be a vigil or can it be a mass for that day?

So far as I know, any Mass celebrated after 4 or so in the evening is a Vigil Mass and fulfills the Sunday/ Holy Day obligations.

The AAA forums as these posts that might also help a bit.
Saturday Mass (In lieu of missing Sunday)
Does a vigil Mass satisfy my Holy Day obligation?

I’m kind of confused about vigils and this Christmas Eve midnight mass and was hoping for an answer before I leave my house tomorrow. Thanks

There ya go then.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

Usually what is referred to as a vigil Mass – the ones held on Saturday evening – are actually anticipated Masses for Sunday. Either the Saturday evening or the Sunday Masses fulfill your obligation to attend Mass.

However, there are a few days where there really is a vigil Mass that is different from the Mass of the day. The Easter Vigil is one of those and the Mass is quite different from the Mass on Easter morning.

Christmas also has different Masses for different times of day. There is a Christmas Vigil – see the readings at usccb.org/nab/122408b.shtml. The readings are also different for the Mass at midnight – usccb.org/nab/122508a.shtml, the Mass a dawn – usccb.org/nab/122508b.shtml, and the Mass during the day – usccb.org/nab/122508c.shtml

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

The parish that I have been going to is having a midnight mass on Wednesday Christmas Eve (although technically if it’s at midnight, it will be a Thursday which is Christmas). So is this considered a Wednesday night vigil? And what exactly is a vigil? All I know is that it’s like mass for tomorrow celebrated today. Am I wrong? If a parish has a vigil at 5pm and then has another mass at 7pm, does the 7pm mass have to be a vigil or can it be a mass for that day? I’m kind of confused about vigils and this Christmas Eve midnight mass and was hoping for an answer before I leave my house tomorrow. Thanks

Technically only Masses between 4:30pm and midnight are Vigils. The evening of the day before the Holy Day.
Christmas and Easter are unique in that they have four different sets of readings Christmas Vigil readings are used for any Mass beginning after 4:30PM on the 24th before Midnight. Midnight Mass readings are used for any Mass beginning after midnight until Dawn. Christmas readings are used for Mass Christmas Morning after sunrise until I believe noon. Christmas day readings are used after noon on the 25th until midnight.

 

[searn77]

Thanks a lot for all of your answers. Merry Christmas

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Technically only Masses between 4:30pm and midnight are Vigils. The evening of the day before the Holy Day.
Christmas and Easter are unique in that they have four different sets of readings Christmas Vigil readings are used for any Mass beginning after 4:30PM on the 24th before Midnight. Midnight Mass readings are used for any Mass beginning after midnight until Dawn. Christmas readings are used for Mass Christmas Morning after sunrise until I believe noon. Christmas day readings are used after noon on the 25th until midnight.

It was noted on the Catholic news service that according to the Lectionary document the Mass readings of Christmas may be interchanged for serious pastoral reasons. (Why one would want to do this I have no clue) The readings are in the Lectionary, it’s not like they have to be memorized by the Lay Readers.