Refraining from Work on a Transferred Holy Day of Obligation

[kcho]

Hello! This is my first post on this forum! I know that here in the United States, certain holy days of obligation are transferred to Sundays (e.g., Ascension Thursday; Assumption of Mary if it falls on a Monday or Saturday), and the obligation to attend Mass is dispensed. However, I haven’t found any resources that discuss whether the obligation to refrain from work is dispensed on such holy days as well. I have read that sometimes, although the holy day is transferred, the actual observation of it is not, which makes me wonder whether the obligation to refrain from work remains even though the obligation to attend Mass is explicitly dispensed. Does any one have any answers to this?

For some context, I’m a student. I try to avoid studying/working on Sundays (sometimes even if there’s an exam the next day) by doing the work in advance. I thought that transferred holy days dispensed the obligation to refrain from work, so I usually studied on such days. Years ago, I struggled quite a bit with scrupulosity, so now I’m worried that my ignorance of such an obligation will have been sinful… I also want to know for future reference. Thanks in advance!

 

[otjm]

Transferred means just that - it is transferred.

And there is a very strong thread of advice that if one struggles with scrupulosity, one should take those questions to a confessor who understands the dynamics and problems it creates, and stick with that confessor, and avoid the internet.

I am not trying to be harsh; but part of scrupulosity seems to be doubting legitimate information concerning moral guilt; that is not alleviated by turning to complete strangers for an answer. It is also the suggestion of the moderators - that those who suffer from this need to ask their confessor, not others.

I am sure everyone here would be glad to have you as a participant, as long as you are not here due to moral concerns - which we are not equipped to deal with.

 

[Anesti33]

If the observance is transferred to Sunday, as in the Ascension of our Lord, everything is transferred. However:
USCCB:

Whenever January 1, the solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, or August 15, the solemnity of the Assumption, or November 1, the solemnity of All Saints, falls on a Saturday or on a Monday, the precept to attend Mass is abrogated.

Note what this does not say: that the precept to refrain from work is abrogated; therefore we can conclude that it isn’t.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Is it, indeed, obligatory to treat Holy Days of Obligation in the same way as Sundays, abstaining from unnecessary labor and commerce, and so on, aside from attending Mass?

I thought I read somewhere (45 years of reading is a lot of reading, sorry, don’t remember where) that abstaining from work is not obligatory in the United States. Based upon this, I treat HDOs in this fashion to the extent possible (I am retired), and on occasion while I was working, I would take the day off work precisely for this reason, but I do not view myself as "having to " do this — it’s a “want to”, not a “have to”.

If it is indeed obligatory, could someone confirm this?

 

[otjm]

Note what this does not say: that the precept to refrain from work is abrogated; therefore we can conclude that it isn’t.

I am not sure there is a precept of refraining from work on a holy day - is there?

 

[Anesti33]

Anesti33:

Note what this does not say: that the precept to refrain from work is abrogated; therefore we can conclude that it isn’t.

I am not sure there is a precept of refraining from work on a holy day - is there?

Code of Canon Law 1983:

Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holydays of obligation, the faithful are obliged to assist at Mass. They are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body.

Looks that way to me.

 

[kcho]

Thank you, everyone, for your quick replies! They have answered my questions very well!

@otjm, Thank you for your advice. As you suggested, I have been trying to avoid forums like these for years since I diagnosed the problem, not because they are bad, of course, but because I was afraid of fueling my insecurity. I gave in today, but hopefully I will be able to continue avoiding it until I am more confident!

@Anesti33, Thank you for your clear answer! I now see the difference between the Ascension of our Lord and the other holy days.

 

[1ke]

transferred to Sundays (e.g., Ascension Thursday; Assumption of Mary if it falls on a Monday or Saturday)

Ascension is transferred (in most diocese, but not all).

The obligation to attend mass is abrogated on the holy days of Assumption, All Soul’s, and Mary Mother is God when they fall on Saturday or Monday. The holy day is still celebrated in the day, just the mass obligation is removed. Yes, we do still have the obligation of rest, to the degree possible.

Christmas and Immaculate Conception obligations are never abrogated, regardless of the day they fall on.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

In my Anthology, it says all the Sundays of the year are Holy Days of Obligation.

So even if a feast is transferred, the obligation to refrain from servile work still applies.

 

[Anesti33]

Yes, but not on the day it was transferred from.

 

[otjm]

Thanks for your reply. I was digging back in memory some 60+ years ago; my recollection is that we may have had a day off from school on a holy day, but adults went to work.

 

[Anesti33]

Probably because school was Catholic, work was secular, and the Catholics there lacked collective bargaining powers for selecting days off.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

otjm:

Anesti33:

Note what this does not say: that the precept to refrain from work is abrogated; therefore we can conclude that it isn’t.

I am not sure there is a precept of refraining from work on a holy day - is there?

Can. 1247 On Sundays and other holydays of obligation, the faithful are obliged to assist at Mass. They are also to abstain from such work or business that would inhibit the worship to be given to God, the joy proper to the Lord’s Day, or the due relaxation of mind and body.

Looks that way to me.

Again, I distinctly remember reading somewhere, that abstaining from work or business unbecoming a holy day, was not of precept in the United States. I want to say it was in one of Our Sunday Visitor’s various publications, or maybe one of the shorter catechisms such as The New Parish Catechism. I honestly don’t remember.

If it is binding, do we ever hear of it from the pulpit? Is it mentioned in the bulletin? You might not be able to get a day off from your secular job, but you could always abstain from such things as cutting the grass or doing the weekly grocery shopping — things that can easily be done some other day of the week.

Here is The New Parish Catechism. As contemporary, short catechisms go, it’s not bad, fully orthodox in doctrine, well-presented, easily read:

https://www.amazon.com/Parish-Catechism-Rev-William-Martin/dp/B000HKV6Q0