The obligation of Ascension Thursday transferred to Sunday?

[blaskoman]

Holy Days of Obligation for 2009

Thursday, January 1, 2009 - Mary, Mother of God - obligation to attend Mass
Sunday, May 24, 2009 - Ascension of the Lord - transferred to Sunday
Saturday, August 15, 2009 - Assumption of Mary - not a day of obligation
Sunday, November 1, 2009 - All Saints - obligation to attend Mass
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - Immaculate Conception - obligation to attend Mass
Friday, December 25, 2009 - Christmas - always a holy day

Why has the obligation to attend mass on the Feast Day of the Ascension been transferred to Sunday??? It’s then not obligatory after all, since Sunday is ALWAYS an obligation.

 

[LilyM]

That list should start with ‘Every Sunday’, because every Sunday (including Ascension) IS a Holy Day of Obligation.

You know in Australia we have a massive ONE (count 'em, ONE) HDO apart from Christmas that isn’t a Sunday. So give thanks that your Bishops aren’t as slack as they might be.

 

[Phemie]

That list should start with ‘Every Sunday’, because every Sunday (including Ascension) IS a Holy Day of Obligation.

You know in Australia we have a massive ONE (count 'em, ONE) HDO apart from Christmas that isn’t a Sunday. So give thanks that your Bishops aren’t as slack as they might be.

We in Canada also only have two: Christmas & Mary, Mother of God (Jan. 1). What’s your second one?

In the bulletin I always mention that Christmas and Mary, Mother of God are HDO but nobody pays attention. The church is almost empty on Jan. 1 – not even the choir bothers to show up for the only Marian feast that’s a HDO.

 

[LilyM]

We in Canada also only have two: Christmas & Mary, Mother of God (Jan. 1). What’s your second one?

In the bulletin I always mention that Christmas and Mary, Mother of God are HDO but nobody pays attention. The church is almost empty on Jan. 1 – not even the choir bothers to show up for the only Marian feast that’s a HDO.

Ours is the feast of the Assumption on August 15. From past experience there’s a slight increase on normal daily Mass attendance, but not huge. People work on that day, unlike New Years.

 

[tee_eff_em]

Holy Days of Obligation for 2009

Thursday, January 1, 2009 - Mary, Mother of God - obligation to attend Mass
Sunday, May 24, 2009 - Ascension of the Lord - transferred to Sunday
Saturday, August 15, 2009 - Assumption of Mary - not a day of obligation
Sunday, November 1, 2009 - All Saints - obligation to attend Mass
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - Immaculate Conception - obligation to attend Mass
Friday, December 25, 2009 - Christmas - always a holy day

Why has the obligation to attend mass on the Feast Day of the Ascension been transferred to Sunday??? It’s then not obligatory after all, since Sunday is ALWAYS an obligation.

My understanding is: The bishops in conference (to whom the authority to translate and/or suppress obligation pertains), recognizing that many of the faithful fail to keep some obligations, translate it to remove an occasion of sin.
(FTR: In the US, the conference seems to have delegated this on a province basis. A handful of provinces retain Thursday celebration/obligation of the Ascension)

You may ask: Is that a better course than catechizing the faithful in their duties, and making many Masses available for their benefit? Who knows? (But the episcopal conference did not consult with me on the matter)

PS.
You might also ask why the list you supplied makes no mention of Epiphany, Corpus Christi, St Joseph, and SS Peter and Paul, which obligations have long been translated or entirely suppressed.

tee

 

[puzzleannie]

Why has the obligation to attend mass on the Feast Day of the Ascension been transferred to Sunday??? It’s then not obligatory after all, since Sunday is ALWAYS an obligation.

ask your bishop or bishop’s conference they made the decision

 

[OraProNobisIHM]

Holy Days of Obligation for 2009

Thursday, January 1, 2009 - Mary, Mother of God - obligation to attend Mass
Sunday, May 24, 2009 - Ascension of the Lord - transferred to Sunday
Saturday, August 15, 2009 - Assumption of Mary - not a day of obligation
Sunday, November 1, 2009 - All Saints - obligation to attend Mass
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 - Immaculate Conception - obligation to attend Mass
Friday, December 25, 2009 - Christmas - always a holy day

Why has the obligation to attend mass on the Feast Day of the Ascension been transferred to Sunday??? It’s then not obligatory after all, since Sunday is ALWAYS an obligation.

Because being externally Catholic is soooo passe.

 

[sarahraegraham]

You may ask: Is that a better course than catechizing the faithful in their duties, and making many Masses available for their benefit?

Exactly! This topic gets me hot under the collar. IMO every major feast day should be an obligation, no matter what day of the week it falls on. Transferring them because most people just can’t make it is ridiculous. Why not stop the Sunday requirement also, because Lord knows we just can’t miss golf or football or that great party so-and-so is throwing.

 

[pnewton]

I do not understand why there is resentment for these days not being held obligatory. After all, it is not like one can not still attend Mass those days. There are many areas of Catholic spirituality open that one can use to strengthen their faith. Observing feast, solemnities and holy days are one way and this still remains available. As to whether the Church requites this of our fellow Catholics, I am reminded of the words of Jesus when we spoke to Peter.

John 21:21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus said to him, “What if I want him to remain until I come? 12 What concern is it of yours? You follow me.”

If you want to attend on Thursday, then do so.

 

[LilyM]

My understanding is: The bishops in conference (to whom the authority to translate and/or suppress obligation pertains), recognizing that many of the faithful fail to keep some obligations, translate it to remove an occasion of sin.
(FTR: In the US, the conference seems to have delegated this on a province basis. A handful of provinces retain Thursday celebration/obligation of the Ascension)

You may ask: Is that a better course than catechizing the faithful in their duties, and making many Masses available for their benefit? Who knows? (But the episcopal conference did not consult with me on the matter)

PS.
You might also ask why the list you supplied makes no mention of Epiphany, Corpus Christi, St Joseph, and SS Peter and Paul, which obligations have long been translated or entirely suppressed.

tee

Not to mention All Souls’ Day - and Good Friday, which if ANY feast apart from Easter and Christmas is to be an HDO should be in my books. What does it say about the importance we attach to THAT day that it’s not obligatory?

 

[sarahraegraham]

I do not understand why there is resentment for these days not being held obligatory. After all, it is not like one can not still attend Mass those days. There are many areas of Catholic spirituality open that one can use to strengthen their faith. Observing feast, solemnities and holy days are one way and this still remains available. As to whether the Church requites this of our fellow Catholics, I am reminded of the words of Jesus when we spoke to Peter.

If you want to attend on Thursday, then do so.

You are right, of course. I’m not sure how others see it, but to me it reveals a slackening of importance of the faith which the Church shows. I believe it’s especially important in these days of minimalism (what’s the very least I can do and get by, kind of attitude).

Not that having stricter rules to follow would add to everyone’s respect for, adherence to and understanding of the faith, but it can’t hurt to leave certain requirements in place to help toward that effect.

 

[tee_eff_em]

Not to mention All Souls’ Day - and Good Friday, which if ANY feast apart from Easter and Christmas is to be an HDO should be in my books. What does it say about the importance we attach to THAT day that it’s not obligatory?

Except that those are not listed among the Canonical Holy Days of Obligation.

(Good thing too – An obligation to assist at Mass could not be satisfied on Good Friday. )

tee

 

[pnewton]

Not that having stricter rules to follow would add to everyone’s respect for, adherence to and understanding of the faith, but it can’t hurt to leave certain requirements in place to help toward that effect.

Chicken and the egg? I haven’t been Catholic for decades like some have. Was the attendence already lagging on these days? I guess it is hard to know which is the more prudent course. After all the message of the Ascension needs to be proclaimed. If Sunday is the day that this best done, that is a benefit. However, the point you and others make about keeping the bar high is also a very good argument to keeping the tradition of Holy Days wherever it may fall.

 

[NHInsider]

Not to mention All Souls’ Day - and Good Friday, which if ANY feast apart from Easter and Christmas is to be an HDO should be in my books. What does it say about the importance we attach to THAT day that it’s not obligatory?

Holy Days are always Feasts, not Fasts. Good Friday doesn’t even have a Mass so you couldn’t make Mass attendance an obligation.

Also the list of HDOs varies from place to place in part because of the relationship of particular saints or observances to those places - St. Patrick in Ireland, for example, or St. Joseph in Italy. Our Lady of Guadaloupe in Mexico but Immaculate Conception in the US.

 

[Phemie]

Holy Days are always Feasts, not Fasts. Good Friday doesn’t even have a Mass so you couldn’t make Mass attendance an obligation.

Not to mention that you can’t separate Good Friday from the rest of the Triduum, it’s all ONE celebration.

 

[EasterJoy]

My understanding is: The bishops in conference (to whom the authority to translate and/or suppress obligation pertains), recognizing that many of the faithful fail to keep some obligations, translate it to remove an occasion of sin.
(FTR: In the US, the conference seems to have delegated this on a province basis. A handful of provinces retain Thursday celebration/obligation of the Ascension)

You may ask: Is that a better course than catechizing the faithful in their duties, and making many Masses available for their benefit? Who knows? (But the episcopal conference did not consult with me on the matter)

PS.
You might also ask why the list you supplied makes no mention of Epiphany, Corpus Christi, St Joseph, and SS Peter and Paul, which obligations have long been translated or entirely suppressed.

tee

I think they do it, too, because they can’t stand the thought of so few Catholics celebrating the Ascension. (Too bad the feast fell on Memorial Day weekend this year. )

 

[LilyM]

Not to mention that you can’t separate Good Friday from the rest of the Triduum, it’s all ONE celebration.

Please, a bit more exercise of the old brain cells wouldn’t go astray here.

It could easily be made an obligation to attend the Liturgy on Good Friday, regardless of the Triduum being liturgically one day. Note that Thursday or Saturday are not mandatory days of fast and abstinence, unlike Good Friday. If those obligations can be reserved to Good Friday alone, then why not an obligation to go to the liturgy?

And truly, the day is of such importance that frankly I don’t give a stuff that it’s a fast day and that there isn’t a Mass, we can and should be put under an obligation to attend the liturgy on that day regardless.

 

[churchsecretary]

In our diocese (Allentown) we still have Ascension as a HDO on Thursday! However, I can tell you that the church is not full, at either Mass offered.

One other note: Ash Wednesday is NOT a HDO either, and yet, it is often more highly attended than the HDOs are! As a church secretary, I’ve noted that when the church is giving something (ashes, palms, blessed loaves of bread for Thanksgiving, blessed chalk for Epiphany house blessing, etc.) attendance is higher. It reminds me of the prize in a box of Cracker Jack.

 

[tee_eff_em]

I think they do it, too, because they can’t stand the thought of so few Catholics celebrating the Ascension.

Isn’t that saying the same thing?

(Or are you implying the bishops – the successors of the Apostles – have some less charitable, more self-serving motivation? "Oooooh, these attendance figures do not reflect well on me and my job performance" ?)


tee