Solemnity During Lent

[Boulder257]

I noticed when I looked at my March Calendar that their are two Solemneties in March. The first is St. Joseph the second is the Annunciation. A couple of questions:

1. Are we “allowed” to forego our personal penance on those days since they are days of celebration?
2. Am I misunderstanding the definition/purpose of a solomenity?
3. Are either of these Holy Days of Obligation in the USA?

Thanks.

 

[OraLabora]

I noticed when I looked at my March Calendar that their are two Solemneties in March. The first is St. Joseph the second is the Annunciation. A couple of questions:

1. Are we “allowed” to forego our personal penance on those days since they are days of celebration?
2. Am I misunderstanding the definition/purpose of a solomenity?
3. Are either of these Holy Days of Obligation in the USA?

Thanks.

1. Personal penance is not an obligation under the penalty of sin, but yes you can relax your observation during the solemnity; liturgically it is relaxed as well, as the Te Deum and Gloria are sung on the solemnities, but not on Sundays during Lent.
2. You’re good, a solemnity is the highest degree of feast in the Calendar, and thus is meant to be festive, even in Lent. For the purposes of Lenten observations, you can consider the solemnity to begin with first Vespers on the eve and finish at midnight day of the solemnity. Thus you can relax your observances between those times. Moreover if the solemnity falls on a Friday, the Friday abstinence from meat doesn’t apply whether in Lent or through the year, for those places where it is required.
3. No.

If you want to follow tradition, you can also relax your Lenten restrictions on Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday in Lent) also known to us francophones as “mi-Carême” (mid-Lent). At Laetare Sunday, rose vestments may be worn, the organ used at Mass, and the altar decorated with flowers; a bit of a breather mid-way through Lent so we don’t get discouraged!

 

[Boulder257]

1. Personal penance is not an obligation under the penalty of sin, but yes you can relax your observation during the solemnity; liturgically it is relaxed as well, as the Te Deum and Gloria are sung on the solemnities, but not on Sundays during Lent.
2. You’re good, a solemnity is the highest degree of feast in the Calendar, and thus is meant to be festive, even in Lent. For the purposes of Lenten observations, you can consider the solemnity to begin with first Vespers on the eve and finish at midnight day of the solemnity. Thus you can relax your observances between those times. Moreover if the solemnity falls on a Friday, the Friday abstinence from meat doesn’t apply whether in Lent or through the year, for those places where it is required.
3. No.

If you want to follow tradition, you can also relax your Lenten restrictions on Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday in Lent) also known to us francophones as “mi-Carême” (mid-Lent). At Laetare Sunday, rose vestments may be worn, the organ used at Mass, and the altar decorated with flowers; a bit of a breather mid-way through Lent so we don’t get discouraged!

Exactly what I needed to know. Thanks for taking the time anwer my questions!