|
Every Sunday, the Lord’s Day, is recognized as a holy day of obligation and Catholics are bound to participate in Mass on Sunday or at an anticipated Mass on Saturday in the late afternoon or evening.
In the dioceses of the United States, the following feasts are considered holy days of obligation:
January 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
August 15 - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
November 1 - Solemnity of All Saints
December 8 - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
December 25 - Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus (Christmas)
In November 1991, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (now the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) approved a motion that 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 (removed). This action was confirmed by the Holy See on July 4, 1992.
Additionally, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is considered a holy day of obligation in the dioceses of the United States. However, with the permission of the Holy See, each ecclesiastical province was given permission to move the observance of this feast to the Seventh Sunday of Easter. This is the practice in the Province of Florida (the seven dioceses in the State of Florida).
In 2012, the following holy days of obligation will be observed:
January 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
August 15 - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary
November 1 - Solemnity of All Saints
December 8 - Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
December 25 - Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus (Christmas) In 2013, the following holy days of obligation will be observed:
January 1 - Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God
August 15 - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
November 1 - Solemnity of All Saints
December 25 - Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus (Christmas) P.N. – In 2013, December 8 occurs on a Sunday and will celebrated as the Second Sunday of Advent. The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception will be transferred to Monday, December 9, however, the obligation to attend Mass is not transferred.
|
