This is a tale not of the local schools' ball game, but of liturgical concurrence. Last fall, I presented my pastor with plans for the coming Christmas season. The plans included the celebration of the parish's titular solemnity, St. John the Evangelist, which fell on Sunday, Dec. 27th, having precedence over the feast of the Holy Family. He understood the rubric of precedence; he had agreed to the Sunday celebration of St. Margaret of Scotland in 2014, at another parish in the collaborative where I'm also responsible. Yet, he flatly refused to consider suppressing the feast of the Holy Family. I was surprised, but obeyed, and didn't press it.

Looking ahead to the next concurrence in 2020, I'm wondering how this was handled elsewhere. I checked the bulletins online for the cathedrals in Milwaukee and Cleveland, which also are named for the Evangelist. I was surprised again, that the titular solemnity was not observed. I followed up with inquiries to both music directors, who answered kindly and candidly. In one place, the subject was never even raised. In the other, the bishop ruled against the titular observance.

My question for the forum: did any parish keep the titular observance for the Evangelist in 2015? (insert link here for theme music of "Never on a Sunday")