More proof that they are not really Catholic!!
Whatever happened to holy days?
Today’s Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, a holy day of obligation, not observed in California or elsewhere in US
Today, Aug. 15, marks the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a holy day of obligation for Catholics across the world – except in California and the rest of the United States.
That’s because it falls on a Monday, and US bishops have decided it’s too much to ask of Catholics to attend Mass just a day after the obligatory Sunday Mass. Whenever a holy day – and in the US there are only six a year – falls on a Saturday or a Monday, US bishops have decided they need not be observed.
In addition to the ‘Saturday or Monday rule,’ the bishops have also moved the observance of other holy days to Sundays, further reducing the number of days other than Sunday that Catholics in the US are obliged to attend Mass. Of the 10 holy days promulgated by the universal Church, US Catholics are required to observe just three in 2011.
That’s because three holy day observances – the Epiphany, Corpus Christi and the Ascension – have all been moved to Sundays. Two others – the Solemnity of Saint Joseph and the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul – have been abandoned altogether. And two others – the Assumption and the Solemnity of Mary – fell on either a Saturday or a Monday.
That leaves just All Saints, the Immaculate Conception and Christmas. The 2011 holy day breakdown for California (and most of the rest of the US) looks like this: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Jan. 1, not a holy day because it fell on a Saturday; Ascension of the Lord, transferred to Sunday, June 5; Assumption of Mary, Aug. 15, not a holy day of obligation because it falls on a Monday; All Saints, Tuesday, Nov. 1, remains a holy day of obligation; Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, remains a holy day of obligation; Christmas, which falls this year on Sunday, Dec. 25, is always a holy day regardless of the day of the week.
There is one small exception to the wholesale reduction of the number of holy days observed in the US. With the Vatican’s approval, the ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Philadelphia and Omaha still observe the Ascension of the Lord on Thursdays, which means that Catholics who live in any of those areas are required to observe it as a holy day and attend Mass.
California Catholic Daily conducted a quick check of diocesan and archdiocesan websites in California and found, with a few exceptions, no mention of today as the Solemnity of the Assumption.
The Aug. 12 “Friday Update” for the Stockton diocese said this: “Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: This year the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary falls on Monday, August 15. It is a Solemnity, and Mass should be celebrated in every parish. However, because it falls on a Monday it is NOT a holy day of obligation.” The “Update” did note, however, that chancery offices would be closed in observance of the Solemnity of the Assumption.
Only a few other dioceses made mention of the holy day on their websites. From the Diocese of Sacramento: “NOT a Holy Day of Obligation since it falls on a Monday.” From the Diocese San Diego: “Holy day; obligation dispensed.” The San Jose diocese made only a general reference: “When January 1, August 15, or November 1 falls on a Saturday or a Monday, the obligation to participate in Mass does not hold.”
The Diocese of Orange took a novel approach -- it moved the holy day backwards: “Sunday, August 15th, 2011 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Holy Day of Obligation.” Sunday, of course, was Aug. 14.
http://calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=e84a5a30-301a-4a8b-bee3-996fdc1b2560
That’s because it falls on a Monday, and US bishops have decided it’s too much to ask of Catholics to attend Mass just a day after the obligatory Sunday Mass. Whenever a holy day – and in the US there are only six a year – falls on a Saturday or a Monday, US bishops have decided they need not be observed. In addition to the ‘Saturday or Monday rule,’ the bishops have also moved the observance of other holy days to Sundays, further reducing the number of days other than Sunday that Catholics in the US are obliged to attend Mass. Of the 10 holy days promulgated by the universal Church, US Catholics are required to observe just three in 2011.
That’s because three holy day observances – the Epiphany, Corpus Christi and the Ascension – have all been moved to Sundays. Two others – the Solemnity of Saint Joseph and the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul – have been abandoned altogether. And two others – the Assumption and the Solemnity of Mary – fell on either a Saturday or a Monday.
That leaves just All Saints, the Immaculate Conception and Christmas. The 2011 holy day breakdown for California (and most of the rest of the US) looks like this: Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, Jan. 1, not a holy day because it fell on a Saturday; Ascension of the Lord, transferred to Sunday, June 5; Assumption of Mary, Aug. 15, not a holy day of obligation because it falls on a Monday; All Saints, Tuesday, Nov. 1, remains a holy day of obligation; Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Dec. 8, remains a holy day of obligation; Christmas, which falls this year on Sunday, Dec. 25, is always a holy day regardless of the day of the week.
There is one small exception to the wholesale reduction of the number of holy days observed in the US. With the Vatican’s approval, the ecclesiastical provinces of Boston, Hartford, New York, Newark, Philadelphia and Omaha still observe the Ascension of the Lord on Thursdays, which means that Catholics who live in any of those areas are required to observe it as a holy day and attend Mass.
California Catholic Daily conducted a quick check of diocesan and archdiocesan websites in California and found, with a few exceptions, no mention of today as the Solemnity of the Assumption.
The Aug. 12 “Friday Update” for the Stockton diocese said this: “Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary: This year the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary falls on Monday, August 15. It is a Solemnity, and Mass should be celebrated in every parish. However, because it falls on a Monday it is NOT a holy day of obligation.” The “Update” did note, however, that chancery offices would be closed in observance of the Solemnity of the Assumption.
Only a few other dioceses made mention of the holy day on their websites. From the Diocese of Sacramento: “NOT a Holy Day of Obligation since it falls on a Monday.” From the Diocese San Diego: “Holy day; obligation dispensed.” The San Jose diocese made only a general reference: “When January 1, August 15, or November 1 falls on a Saturday or a Monday, the obligation to participate in Mass does not hold.”
The Diocese of Orange took a novel approach -- it moved the holy day backwards: “Sunday, August 15th, 2011 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Holy Day of Obligation.” Sunday, of course, was Aug. 14.
http://calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=e84a5a30-301a-4a8b-bee3-996fdc1b2560
I love visiting this page. Do keep me updated when a new one is published.
ReplyDeleteI am from India. I may visit Vancouver Canada, and would like to have the addresses and timings of the Masses held there. Where Is Bishop Vellez ? My yahoo address is: anndsouzain@yahoo.co.in