Holy Days

HOLY DAYS OF OBLIGATION:
In the United States, there are six special or Holy Days.
On certain Holy Days, as on all Sundays, we are obligated, as Catholics, to participate in Mass.

CHRISTMAS EVE MASS SCHEDULE – December 24th

8:15am, (daily Mass, not Holy Day)
4:00pm, 
6:00pm, 
7:30pm (Spanish), 
(Carols), 11:30pm Vigil for Christmas followed by Midnight Mass (Adult Choir). 


CHRISTMAS DAY MASS Schedule – December 25th
10:00am 

NEW YEAR’S EVE (Mary, Mother of God vigil) – December 31st
4:00pm

NEW YEAR’S DAY (Mary, Mother of God) – January 1st
10:00am, 

Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox (the first day of Spring).  Masses are as follows:

Easter Vigil – Mass begins with lighting the new fire, after sunset (at 9:00pm) on the Saturday before Easter Sunday.
Easter Sunday – Masses are scheduled for: 
7:30am, 
9:00am, 
10:30am, 
12noon

Other HOLY DAY MASS SCHEDULE SUMMARY 
Holy Days are the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God (January 1), 
Ascension Thursday (40 days after Easter), 
Assumption of Mary (August 15), 
All Saints (November 1), 
Immaculate Conception (December 8) 
Christmas (December 25).

As you probably recall from your younger years, HolyDays were to be treated like a Sunday. We were required to participate at Mass like Sunday and to avoid unnecessary servile work. In recent years there have been some changes regarding our HolyDays.
In the year (2000) the Feast of the Ascension which was celebrated on a Thursday was transferred to the following Sunday. The obligation to attend Mass on Thursday was abrogated.

With regard to the feasts of the Solemnity of Mary (January 1), the Ascension of Mary (August 15), and All Saints (November 1), the Bishops of our country decided the HolyDay obligation would be removed when the feasts fell on Saturday or Monday. For example, the Feast of the Solemnity of Mary fell on Monday, 2001. The Feast will be celebrated but the obligation to participate in Mass will be abrogated.

With regard to the other two HolyDays, 

FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION – Observed as a Day of Obligation - always on December 8th.
Vigil - 4:00pm

Feast - 8:15am, 
            9:00am, 
            7:00pm
 
THANKSGIVING DAY – MASS SCHEDULE – 9:00am only, not a day of obligation
 
Other than Christmas and the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the HolyDay schedule is as follows: 
Evening Vigil 7:00pm, HolyDay 8:15pm, 12:00noon, 5:30pm 
 
If the other HolyDays fall on Saturday the Mass will be offered at 8:15A.M. 

If they fall on a Monday the Masses will be offered at 8:15A.M. and 5:30P.M.