Work on Jan. 1st

[expectthebest]

Vince, are you in agreement with JM3 on this? Thanks.

 

[JM3]

This is what I’m talking a about and why my question came up. If you look at just the words specifically one would have to avoid work just like on any Sunday. But I don’t think most Catholics have that understanding so this is where my question comes in. Has the Church been clear on this?

Catechism of the Catholic Church

vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P7P.HTM

2193 “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound . . . to abstain from those labors and business concerns which impede the worship to be rendered to God, the joy which is proper to the Lord’s Day, or the proper relaxation of mind and body” (⇒ CIC, can. 1247).

Yes, the Church has been clear on this.

 

[expectthebest]

I do understand your logic. However, I question if the Bishops have interpreted it in this way. I believe the vast majority of Catholics have the understanding that there is no obligation for Mass or anything else on these days and I think that is illustrated by the posts so far. In fact, most on-line direction on this that I’ve seen simply list today as “not a Holy Day of Obligation” period without differentiating between the two obligations one being Mass attendance and the other avoidance of work. I’d like to see if others would weigh in on this.

 

[JM3]

I do understand your logic. However, I question if the Bishops have interpreted it in this way. I believe the vast majority of Catholics have the understanding that there is no obligation for Mass or anything else on these days and I think that is illustrated by the posts so far. In fact, most on-line direction on this that I’ve seen simply list today as “not a Holy Day of Obligation” period without differentiating between the two obligations one being Mass attendance and the other avoidance of work. I’d like to see if others would weigh in on this.

Whether someone obeys the Church or not is up to them. The Church is not a democracy where law is decided by what people believe is right or what they think should be right or what they interpret the law to mean. Questioning the authority of the Church is the major error of the day.

Just because a few catholics have misunderstood a teaching of the Church does not mean that the teaching has been wrong or needs to be changed to what they are currently doing (though some would define this as tradition).

Today is the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. It is a Holy Day of Obligation. In the U.S. the obligation to attend Mass has been abrogated, because it is Saturday. The obligation to avoid servile work has not been abrogated. The Code of Canon Law uses the word ‘Moreover’, which means additionally. An additional obligation is seperate from the main obligation.

To say that it is not a Holy Day of Obligation because one obligation has been abrogated is an error.

 

[Vince1022]

What part of the Code Of Canon Law do you not understand?

Thanks.

Sorry, I misread your previous post. I neglected what you posted regarding Canon 1247.

Appreciate the reference and reminder! Thanks again.

 

[Vince1022]

I do understand your logic. However, I question if the Bishops have interpreted it in this way. I believe the vast majority of Catholics have the understanding that there is no obligation for Mass or anything else on these days and I think that is illustrated by the posts so far. In fact, most on-line direction on this that I’ve seen simply list today as “not a Holy Day of Obligation” period without differentiating between the two obligations one being Mass attendance and the other avoidance of work. I’d like to see if others would weigh in on this.

My understanding is that a holy day of obligation is just that and all requirements attending to such apply. If in some cases (as, in the U.S., Jan. 1 2011 is) a general holy day of obligation is decided not to be such, then all the requirements of a holy day of obligation are suspended. I don’t know anywhere the Church teaches that differentiate between specific obligations of a holy day of obligation. Either a day is, or isn’t. And all attendant obligations apply, or all don’t.