HOLY DAY OF OBLIGATION

“The Lord is just in all his ways: and holy in all his works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: to all that call upon him in truth. He will do the will of them that fear him: and he will hear their prayer, and save them. The Lord keepeth all them that love him: but all the wicked he will destroy.”
(Ps. cxliv. 17-20)

 

“Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you. Be not therefore solicitous for to-morrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself.”
(St. Matth, vi. 33-34)

 

An Excerpt from the Baltimore Catechism #3 - Lesson 32

Q. 1242. What is the third Commandment?

A. The third Commandment is: Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day.

 

Q. 1243. What are we commanded by the third Commandment?

A. By the third Commandment we are commanded to keep holy the Lord's day (Sunday) and the holydays of obligation, on which we are to give our time to the service and worship of God.

 

Q. 1244. What are holydays of obligation?

A. Holydays of obligation are special feasts of the Church on which we are bound, under pain of mortal sin, to hear Mass* and to keep from servile or bodily labors when it can be done without great loss or inconvenience. Whoever, on account of their circumstances, cannot give up work on holydays of obligation should make every effort to hear Mass* and should also explain in confession the necessity of working on holydays.

 

Q. 1245. How are we to worship God on Sundays and holydays of obligation?

A. We are to worship God on Sundays and holydays of obligation by hearing Mass*, by prayer, and by other good works.

*The mention of hearing Holy Mass speaks of a true approbated Mass [by clergy having jurisdiction from the True Papacy, now in exile] which is terribly difficult to find in these catacomb days. In any serious inconvenience you are not obliged to attend Mass. The obligation to keep holy the Lord's Day, by hearing Mass, the norm in (pre Oct 26, 1958 times), again, still does not oblige Mass attendance in every instance, and certainly is never imposed upon us "at any price." What is required of us is to perform some additional act of piety, such as recitation of the Rosary, any Church approved prayers/litany, employing oneself in holy reading, or placing of flowers before a statue of our Lord or Our Lady, and to be focused primarily on the things of God, especially by not profaning His holy day by unnecessary servile labor, etc. One must not attend "prayer services" in common with those outside the true Church, which otherwise excommunicates the faithful ["No one shall pray in common with heretics and schismatics." -Council of Laodicea; "One must neither pray nor sing psalms with heretics, and whoever shall communicate with those who are cut off from the communion of the Church, whether clergy or layman: let him be excommunicated." -Council of Carthage]. Tough to Find True Sacraments? Don't be Anxious – Click here.

 

Q. 1246. Name some of the good works recommended for Sunday.

A. Some of the good works recommended for Sunday are: The reading of religious books or papers, teaching Catechism, bringing relief to the poor or sick, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, attending Vespers, Rosary or other devotions in the Church; also attending the meetings of religious sodalities or societies*. It is not necessary to spend the whole Sunday in such good works, but we should give some time to them, that for the love of God we may do a little more than what is strictly commanded.

 

Q. 1247. Is it forbidden, then, to seek any pleasure or enjoyment on Sunday?

A. It is not forbidden to seek lawful pleasure or enjoyment on Sunday, especially to those who are occupied during the week, for God did not intend the keeping of the Sunday to be a punishment, but a benefit to us. Therefore, after hearing Mass we may take such recreation as is necessary or useful for us; but we should avoid any vulgar, noisy or disgraceful amusements that turn the day of rest and prayer into a day of scandal and sin.

 

Q. 1248. Are the Sabbath day and the Sunday the same?

A. The Sabbath day and the Sunday are not the same. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week, and is the day which was kept holy in the old law; the Sunday is the first day of the week, and is the day which is kept holy in the new law.

 

Q. 1249. What is meant by the Old and New Law?

A. The Old Law means the law or religion given to the Jews; the New Law means the law or religion given to Christians.

 

Q. 1250. Why does the Church command us to keep the Sunday holy instead of the Sabbath?

A. The Church commands us to keep the Sunday holy instead of the Sabbath because on Sunday Christ rose from the dead, and on Sunday He sent the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles.

 

Q. 1251. Do we keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy for any other reason?

A. We keep Sunday instead of Saturday holy also to teach that the Old Law is not now binding upon us, but that we must keep the New Law, which takes its place.

 

Q. 1252. What is forbidden by the third Commandment?

A. The third Commandment forbids all unnecessary servile work and whatever else may hinder the due observance of the Lord's day.

 

Q. 1253. What are servile works?

A. Servile works are those which require labor rather of body than of mind.

 

Q. 1254. From what do servile works derive their name?

A. Servile works derive their name from the fact that such works were formerly done by slaves. Therefore, reading, writing, studying and, in general, all works that slaves did not perform are not considered servile works.

 

Q. 1255. Are servile works on Sunday ever lawful?

A. Servile works are lawful on Sundays when the honor of God, the good of our neighbor, or necessity requires them.

 

Q. 1256. Give some examples of when the honor of God, the good of our neighbor or necessity may require servile works on Sunday.

A. The honor of God, the good of our neighbor or necessity may require servile works on Sunday, in such cases as the preparation of a place for Holy Mass, the saving of property in storms or accidents, the cooking of meals and similar works.

 

 

Non-Sunday Holy Days of Obligation

Saint Pope Pius X promulgated on 2 July 1911, the Motu Proprio, Supremi Disciplinae, relating to Holy Days of obligation. It reduced the number of non-Sunday holy days of Obligation from 36 to 8. Later there were two more feasts added (St. Joseph & Corpus Christi), which is seen in the 1917 Code of Canon Law (Canon 1090):

1. December 8th: The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

2. December 25th: Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas)

3. January 1st: Circumcision of the Lord and Octave of the Nativity

4. January 6th: Epiphany of the Lord

5. March 19th: St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Confessor, and Patron of the Universal Church

6. Thursday after the 5th Sunday after Easter: The Ascension of the Lord

7. Thursday after Holy Trinity Sunday: Corpus Christi

8. June 29th: Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

9. August 15th : Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

10. November 1st: All Saints

In the United States four of these feasts are abolished as holidays of obligation, namely Epiphany, Corpus Christi, St. Joseph, and SS. Peter and Paul.

There is no obligation for fast or abstinence on a holy day of obligation, even if it falls on a Friday.

 

"One day, through the Rosary and the Scapular, I will save the world."
(The Blessed Virgin Mary to St. Dominic)

“The LAST MEANS that God will give to the world for its salvation are the Holy Rosary and My Immaculate Heart.”
(Our Lady to Lucy)

Sweet Heart of Mary, be our salvation.
(300 days Indulgence)