Editor’s note: This is the third and last of three articles on Holy Day obligations in preparation for a poll to be taken in the archdiocese on the subject.

By Father Henry Gracz

We have already discussed in two previous articles the greater moral maturity that some Catholics have developed in recent times. We have also talked about the place of Holy Days in the central life of the church, perhaps we can now summarize the whole plan concerning the Holy Days of Obligation.

Holy Days of Obligation are special feasts on which Catholics who have reached the age of reason are seriously obliged as on Sunday to participate in the Eucharist and to avoid unnecessary work. Catholics have already been taught that solid reasons excuse them from either or both of the obligations. In the Church throughout the world there are ten Holy Days. But since 1884 only six Holy Days are observed in the United States. Of these six only two are feasts of Our Lord: Christmas and Ascension.

Three are feasts of Our Lady: New Years Day (Solemnity of the Mother of God), the Assumption , and the Immaculate Conception. One is the feast of all the saints and that is All Saints Day.

It is particularly important to remember that every celebration of the Easter of Christ of his death and seeming work of his redemption and of his Resurrection. Chief feast of the year is Easter and every Sunday is the Lord’s Day on which the Church celebrates again the Resurrection of Christ. In other words, every Sunday is a celebration of a Christ-centered event.

In considering a change in the celebration of Holy Days, we have to remember that Sunday is the celebration of the Lord’s day and that some of the feasts could be considered an interruption in the cycle of celebration of Christ’s Mysteries. Perhaps in summary, recommendations for change:

1. In the United States, practically speaking, four Holy Days have never been observed.
2. Half of the obligation for the Holy Days (abstaining from heavy work) is already not binding when these days fall on working days.
3. Despite the variety of times offered many people either cannot get to Mass or they attend Mass in the early morning or at lunch hour. The festive quality and meaning of the feasts are lost.
4. Celebration on Sunday, with appropriate hymns and homily, the meaning of some of the feasts could be better understood.

Reasons against change:

1.Removal of the obligation or transfer to Sunday seems to take away importance from

the feast itself.

2. It seems liturgically less perfect to celebrate three feasts of Our Lord and All Saints

Day on Sunday, the Lord’s Day.

3. Removal of the obligation seems like one more step in “watering down” religion.

4. Celebration of evening Masses has made it possible to schedule Masses at more

convenient evening hours.

1.Since Catholics are now better educated and more responsible, they can more freely recognized situations which would excuse them from obligation. In other words, they should be able to be comfortable with a serious obligation, which does not bind in the presence of serious difficulty.