Ask a Question - or - Return to the Faith and Spirituality Forum Index

Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Does this Mass fulfill Sunday Obligation	Chas	Friday, March 12, 2010
Question: I have had different answers as to attending Saturday Mass. Some have said that the Mass must be at 5PM or after to fulfill ones obligation. Others that the readings must be Sundays and not Saturdays. I'm am going to a debut in a few Saturdays and the Mass will be at 4PM. I plan a gathering the following Sunday morning with my nephew and his eight (8) children at their home for a nice breakfast and roundtable conversation and will not have a chance to attend Mass that Saturday at 5:30. I know that I will have a chance the following Sunday in the evening. The reason I need to know is that whenever we get together for breakfast which is about once every 5-6 weeks we talk about God, discuss religion,and my nephew likes for me to give them advice. I know the subject of attending Mass on Sunday will come up since it's my nephews daughter that will be having the debut and all the family will be there for the Saturday Mass at 4PM. Thanks and God Bless.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Chas: There is a difference between a Saturday Mass and the Sunday vigil Mass. The vigil Mass is Sunday's liturgy and is to be held in the evening of Saturday. The earliest time to qualify for the Sunday vigil Mass is determined by the Bishop. The individual priest may not determine how early the vigil Mass may be. Most bishops have set 4pm - 5pm as the earliest time for the Sunday vigil Mass. On a related note: Before the 1983 Code of Canon Law attendance at a Sunday vigil Mass on Saturday evening was to be allowed only for serious reasons, such as in the cases of those with occupations that required Sunday work (e.g. doctors, nurses, police, firemen). It was not considered a serious reason to miss Sunday Mass on Sunday for regular business owners and their employees; nor for the rest of us. After the 1983 Code of Canon Law, however, anyone can attend Sunday Mass either on Sunday or the vigil Mass on Saturday. Unfortunately, as people are want to do, since this indulgence to allow anyone to attend the vigil Masses on Saturday Evening, attendance on Sundays and the actual day of a Holy Day of Obligation have declined significantly. While we have a technical option to attend Mass on Saturday evening, the intent of the Church Fathers is that we celebrate the Mass on the Lord's Day. We need to remember that Sunday is officially designated the Lord's Day, not "mental health day", or "family get-together day", or "mow the lawn day" or any other activity that excludes worship of our Lord in Mass on Sunday. I think we all need to read the Apostolic Letter by Pope John-Paul II, Dies Domini (On Keeping the Lord's Day Holy). God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Does this Mass fulfill Sunday Obligation

Chas

Friday, March 12, 2010

Question:

I have had different answers as to attending Saturday Mass. Some have said that the Mass must be at 5PM or after to fulfill ones obligation. Others that the readings must be Sundays and not Saturdays. I'm am going to a debut in a few Saturdays and the Mass will be at 4PM.

I plan a gathering the following Sunday morning with my nephew and his eight (8) children at their home for a nice breakfast and roundtable conversation and will not have a chance to attend Mass that Saturday at 5:30. I know that I will have a chance the following Sunday in the evening.

The reason I need to know is that whenever we get together for breakfast which is about once every 5-6 weeks we talk about God, discuss religion,and my nephew likes for me to give them advice. I know the subject of attending Mass on Sunday will come up since it's my nephews daughter that will be having the debut and all the family will be there for the Saturday Mass at 4PM.

Thanks and God Bless.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Chas:

There is a difference between a Saturday Mass and the Sunday vigil Mass. The vigil Mass is Sunday's liturgy and is to be held in the evening of Saturday. The earliest time to qualify for the Sunday vigil Mass is determined by the Bishop. The individual priest may not determine how early the vigil Mass may be. Most bishops have set 4pm - 5pm as the earliest time for the Sunday vigil Mass.

On a related note: Before the 1983 Code of Canon Law attendance at a Sunday vigil Mass on Saturday evening was to be allowed only for serious reasons, such as in the cases of those with occupations that required Sunday work (e.g. doctors, nurses, police, firemen). It was not considered a serious reason to miss Sunday Mass on Sunday for regular business owners and their employees; nor for the rest of us.

After the 1983 Code of Canon Law, however, anyone can attend Sunday Mass either on Sunday or the vigil Mass on Saturday. Unfortunately, as people are want to do, since this indulgence to allow anyone to attend the vigil Masses on Saturday Evening, attendance on Sundays and the actual day of a Holy Day of Obligation have declined significantly.

While we have a technical option to attend Mass on Saturday evening, the intent of the Church Fathers is that we celebrate the Mass on the Lord's Day. We need to remember that Sunday is officially designated the Lord's Day, not "mental health day", or "family get-together day", or "mow the lawn day" or any other activity that excludes worship of our Lord in Mass on Sunday.

I think we all need to read the Apostolic Letter by Pope John-Paul II, Dies Domini (On Keeping the Lord's Day Holy).

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum