Friday, December 29, 2023

THE LITURGICAL MISHMASH OF JANUARY 1

By Tim Rohr

For anyone still sweating over having to go to Mass this past Sunday Dec. 24 and Christmas Dec. 25 (two days in a row!) you can breath easy now that the Archdiocese of Agana has issued a statement "abrogating" Jan. 1 as a Holy Day of Obligation. CONTINUED 

6 comments:

  1. Lex orandi, lex credendi.
    The law of prayer (the way we worship) is the law of belief (what we believe). With no exceptions.

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    1. I dunno. But seems to me that the manipulation of Holy Days to accommodate "the world," is nuts. However, one wonders if the real reason is not the accommodation of "the world," but the accommodation of clergy who don't like to do all those extra Masses. The linked article suggests the same.

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    2. "The mishmash is a result of the “Complementary Norm” adopted by the United States Catholic Conference back in 1991 which abrogated the obligation for the holy days of January 1, August 15, and November 1 if they fell on a Saturday or a Monday.

      The logic behind the decision seems to be that, if a feast abuts a Sunday, one would have the obligation to attend two Masses. Apparently, the bishops find that excessive, though it’s not clear for whom: the laity or the diminished numbers of clergy in many American dioceses?"

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    3. I meant that a shrinking of the sanctoral calendar will result in a shrinking of faith, no matter how well-intentioned are the adjustments.

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    4. Agreed. The above quote is from the article. And there seems to be nothing well-intentioned, but rather laziness.

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  2. At the top of my Laudate App today it read: "Mon. Jan. 1 - MARY, MOTHER OF GOD. (Octave of Christmas). No obligation this year to attend Mass."

    Per the USCCB directive (and to which this archdiocese subscribes), if Jan 1 was on any other day other than a Saturday or a Monday, then there would be an obligation to attend Mass, i.e. Jan. 1 would be a Holy Day of Obligation.

    So what makes the SOLEMNITY OF MARY, MOTHER OF GOD not a Holy Day? Ummm, well, it's on a Saturday or a Monday. And we wonder why Catholic don't take their faith seriously.

    I went to Mass anyway.

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