Some questions about the Holy days of obligation in Australia?

[TIK]

I was searching for the Holy days of obligation for Australia, and I came to this “official looking” site: link

It says

The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference determined that, in addition to all the Sundays in the year, the only feast days to be observed in Australia as holy days of obligation are the solemnities of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Decree of Promulgation became effective on 16 September, 2001.

DECREE OF PROMULGATION
On 28 November 1996, the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference made the following decree:

That 15 August (the solemnity of the Assumption) be a holy day of obligation in Australia, even when it falls on a Saturday or a Monday.
That decree was reviewed and confirmed by the Congregation for Divine Worship & Discipline of the Sacraments, by virtue of faculties granted it by Pope John Paul II, and by means of a recognitio (Prot. N: 366/97/L)

signed on 23 January 2001 by the Prefect, Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez, and the Secretary, Archbishop Francesco Pio Tamburrino.

The decree effectively modifies the decrees of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference concerning holydays of obligation effective from 1985 and 1991 so that, in addition to all the Sundays of the year,** the only feast days henceforth to be observed in Australia as holy days of obligation are the solemnities of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.**

Moreover, these two holy days of obligation are to be observed annually, regardless of the day of the week on which they fall.

I have four questions:

1. 
   *]Does this mean that my minimum obligation is to attend mass each sunday (or saturday when I can’t go on sunday), as well as on the feast of the assumption and on the feast of the nativity?
   *]If so, Why isn’t easter a holy day of obligation?
   *]Is “the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ” just another way of saying “Christmas”?
   *]The quote mentions that the holy days of obligation have “to be observed annually, regardless of the day of the week on which they fall”. Does this mean that I have to take time off work to attend mass? Or will the church provide an evening mass on weekdays?
   
   I just want to note that I am not trying to be a catholic who only meets the minimum requirements. I would like to go to as many masses and feast days as I can. I just want to make sure that I’ve got the minimum requirements covered and recorded on my calendar.
   
   edit: actually I just realised this question is quite urgent as I’m starting a new job on monday but the feast of the assumption is on monday as well.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I was searching for the Holy days of obligation for Australia, and I came to this “official looking” site: link

It says

I have four questions:

1. 
   *]Does this mean that my minimum obligation is to attend mass each sunday (or saturday when I can’t go on sunday), as well as on the feast of the assumption and on the feast of the nativity?
   *]If so, Why isn’t easter a holy day of obligation?
   *]Is “the solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ” just another way of saying “Christmas”?
   *]The quote mentions that the holy days of obligation have “to be observed annually, regardless of the day of the week on which they fall”. Does this mean that I have to take time off work to attend mass? Or will the church provide an evening mass on weekdays?
   
   I just want to note that I am not trying to be a catholic who only meets the minimum requirements. I would like to go to as many masses and feast days as I can. I just want to make sure that I’ve got the minimum requirements covered and recorded on my calendar.

1. 
   1.-Yes
   2.-Easter IS a Holy Day of Obligation. It falls on Sunday, and ALL Sundays are Holy Days of Obligation.
   3.- Yes.
   4.-Talk to your priest about this. If you cannot take time off work to attend Mass on a Holy Day (I never could), the obligation is usually dispensed. Whether there is an evening Mass depends on the parish. You have to check on that.

 

[thementalwombat]

Most Holy Days of Obligation also have a Vigil Mass the night before, so if you have work and can’t make it to the day mass you might be able to make it to a Vigil Mass. If you can’t make the Vigil but can take off of work that would be recommended if possible, if however it might not be possible to take of work for some reason (for instance, I used to work at a jail and sometimes had to work Saturday night and Sunday during the day and couldn’t take off for safety reasons because we were short-handed.) I would talk to a priest to either get a dispensation or see if he would give you permission to go to mass on a different day.