Category: Liturgical Year

Why Don't We Have To Go To Mass Tomorrow?

Down yonder, a reader asks:

"…the precept to attend Mass is abrogated."

Why ?

Because people would resist and resent it if they were forced to go to church two days in a row. (And it is more of a hassle on holy days since most parishes try to get away with a smaller number of Masses than on Sundays, meaning that the parking lots are more crowded and the people are often unsure when those Masses will be since the usual schedule isn’t being kept.)

People will put up with that for Christmas (like this year), but they’ll either resent it or won’t come other holy days.

That’s awful un-pious, of course, but then this is a fallen world, and that’s just where American society is right now.

Still, we have about 28% regular Mass attendance among Catholics here, which is not only better than a large number of developed countries but (contrary to popular impression) better than church attendance by Protestants here (they typically show up at church about 25% of the time).

Note that I’m not endorsing the abrogation of the need to go to Mass tomorrow, I’m merely explaining it.

A counterargument could be made that if the Church expected more out of people by way of piety that they’d rise to the occasion and act more pious. That’s certainly true in some ways, and one well might argue that this would be the case here.

Tomorrow IS NOT A Holy Day Of Obligation

If you live in the U.S., that is.

According to the complimentary norms for the United States:

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.

PROOF.

So, unlike last weekend, you don’t gotta make it to two Masses. (Though you are of course welcome to!)

Christmas Greetings From China

Christmas_hong_kong_1Down yonder, Francis DS writes:

Hi Jimmy,

I just want to make known a wonderful display in one of the big shopping malls in secular/Buddhist Hong Kong. 

They have constructed a large lifesize Nativity scene, and another
scene showing Mary, Joseph and Jesus looking for a place to stay. And
on the ceilings, you have angels carrying a banner saying ‘Glory to God
in the highest and goodwill toward men’

In addition, performances are definitely Christian in content, especially those on the 24th and 25th.

If you look beyond the veneer, it’s still commercially driven, and
one feels the ‘true spirit of Christmas’ is also lost on them, but it’s
still good enough!

http://www.cityplaza.com.hk/homepage.html

Amazing that they could get the true spirit of Christmas more right in a place that is part of China (which is officially atheist and often persecutes Christians) than malls can over here.

Old Liturgical Myths Die Hard

Down yonder, a reader says:

In 2002 I went to confession on Saturday, December 8. I casually asked
the priest what time Masses were being celebrated that day, keeping in
mind that I had not yet fulfilled my obligation for that feast and that
evening Masses were common on Holy Days of Obligation. He told me that
the Mass to be celebrated that evening was the vigil Mass for the
following Sunday and couldn’t be used to fulfill the Immaculate
Conception obligation. I remember thinking that his statement didn’t
sound quite right, but I would like to know for certain. (I did assist
at Mass later that evening at another parish and it was the Mass of the
Immaculate Conception.)

What the priest told you is wrong.

He is one of a great many priests who has absorbed the idea that the theme of a particular Mass (or the readings it uses) are some how relevant to the Mass’s ability to fulfill you holy day obligation.

THEY AIN’T.

Thing to do in such a situation would be to go to the evening Mass and then go to another Mass the next day (in an eastern rite parish if you don’t want to hear the same readings again).

About The Pope Saving Christmas . . .

From the NYTnoids:

Pope John Paul II defended Nativity scenes in public places after
several Italian schools changed Christmas ceremonies to avoid offending
Muslim pupils. "It is an element of our culture and of art, but above
all a sign of faith," the pope said at an annual ceremony at the
Vatican blessing figures of the baby Jesus to be used in crèches around
Italy. "Big or small, simple or elaborate, the Nativity scene
constitutes a familiar and, moreover, an expressive representation of
Christmas." Some teachers have said that they would not allow Nativity
pageants, to reflect growing multiculturalism in Italy, while one
school replaced the word "Jesus" with "virtue" in a Christmas carol and
another said it would substitute "Little Red Riding Hood" for its
Nativity play.

[Cowboy hat tip: Kerry Spot.]

Satisfying Two Obligations With One Mass

A reader writes:

Christmas Day is a holy day of obligation. The 25th is on a Saturday. Can you explain the breakdown of the mass schedule over the weekend? Here is my confusion.

If we go to mass on the 24th(Friday) does it fulfill the 25th’s (Saturday) obligation? example Saturday night mass fulfills Sunday’s obligation.

It is my understanding that we still need to fulfill Sunday’s obligation as well.

Is there a certain time on the eve of a holy day that is the cut-off time. For example any mass after 12:00 noon on Saturday fulfills the Sunday obligation. Any mass prior to 12:00 noon does not.

Is this all correct?

The way the law is written, you’re articulating something that would seem possible at first glance. Here is what the Code of Canon Law says:

Can.  1248

§1. A person who assists at a Mass celebrated
anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the feast day itself or in the evening of
the preceding day satisfies the obligation of participating in the Mass.

That’s all. No further restrictions.

Given that, it would appear that if a holy day of
obligation on the day before a Sunday that going to a Mass on Saturday
evening fulfills the holy day obligation under the blue clause while
simultaneously fulfilling the Sunday obligation under the red clause.

But that ain’t what it means.

Canonical opinion is almost universally agreed that there are two distinct obligations to attend Mass and they cannot be fulfilled by attending a single Mass. What we appear to have, then, is a drafting problem in the law that could (and hopefully will) be cleared up by an authentic interpretation from Rome.

UPDATE: As pointed out by a kind reader down yonder, I misread the question! Though he was asking one thing when he was asking another. (That’ll learn me to skim a question too quickly!)

The correct answer is that this year a Friday evening Mass will satisfy for the Christmas obligation but then you do have to go to an additional Mass (either Saturday evening or Sunday) to fulfill the Sunday obligation.

As to what counts as evening, this is unclear. Noon is a leading contender as the law does not specify when evening begins. Some hold other positions, but I have yet been able to find a legal text that is in force that backs them up. MORE HERE.

As always, the readings of the Mass have nothing at all to do with whether it satisfies the obligation.

CHAPUT: Scrub “Happy Holidays” From Vocabulary

YEAH!

Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput ROCKS!

According to CNA:

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has urged his faithful to "scrub" the expression "Happy Holidays" from Catholic vocabulary.

"We
don’t celebrate a generic excuse for gift-giving," he wrote in his
latest column, published in the Denver Catholic Register. "We celebrate
the birth of Jesus Christ."

"For the vast majority of Americans,
Christmas has a distinctly religious, Christian identity rooted in
Scripture. Publicly ignoring this fact is not a form of ‘inclusion’ or
‘tolerance.’ On the contrary, it’s a deliberate act of intolerance and
exclusion against Christians," he wrote.

He
said lumping Christmas together with seasonal celebrations devalues and
marginalizes the sacred nature of Christmas, and reduces Christian
influence in society.

"No other religious community would be
subjected to this kind of treatment – and remember, American Christians
are in the majority," he said.

GET THE STORY.

READ THE ARCHBISHOP’S COLUMN.

CHAPUT: Scrub "Happy Holidays" From Vocabulary

YEAH!

Denver Archbishop Charles Chaput ROCKS!

According to CNA:

Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver has urged his faithful to "scrub" the expression "Happy Holidays" from Catholic vocabulary.

"We

don’t celebrate a generic excuse for gift-giving," he wrote in his

latest column, published in the Denver Catholic Register. "We celebrate

the birth of Jesus Christ."

"For the vast majority of Americans,

Christmas has a distinctly religious, Christian identity rooted in

Scripture. Publicly ignoring this fact is not a form of ‘inclusion’ or

‘tolerance.’ On the contrary, it’s a deliberate act of intolerance and

exclusion against Christians," he wrote.

He

said lumping Christmas together with seasonal celebrations devalues and

marginalizes the sacred nature of Christmas, and reduces Christian

influence in society.

"No other religious community would be

subjected to this kind of treatment – and remember, American Christians

are in the majority," he said.

GET THE STORY.

READ THE ARCHBISHOP’S COLUMN.