Immaculate Conception Holy Day Status
  • StephenMatthew
    Posts: 105
    So, word has just come from our diocesan liturgy office that Rome has ordered that Immaculate Conception be observed in the United States as a Holy Day of Obligation on Monday December 9th this year. The prior understanding reflected in published ordos and liturgical calendars was that when Dec 8th fell on a Sunday the celebration of the solemnity moved but the obligation did not transfer with it. Allegedly Bishop Paprocki wrote to Rome requesting clarification. So, add another Holy Day of Obligation to your parish calendar this year.

    Anyone else hearing anything similar?

    The USCCB liturgical calendar still notes it as not being a day of obligation this year.
  • TimTheEnchanterTimTheEnchanter
    Posts: 202
    There are some rumblings (and a copy of the letter) on a music director Facebook group a few here are on.

    I sent a question to my diocesan liturgy office and am waiting to hear back. I feel like this is a USCCB-needs-to-issue-a-ruling situation.
  • Liam
    Posts: 5,068
    Keep your powder dry, and don't spread in advance of USCCB instruction. "I heard thusly" is not something that binds other Catholics canonically.
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,229
    It’s not a I heard thusly. The protocol letter from the former PCLT, which is binding, is public whether it should be or not, as often happens because as the OP says, relevant parties have been informed.

    What will happen in practice this year is another question.

    The USCCB has no authority to issue a ruling. Dispensations — which must take a particular form to be valid — can be granted, but not willy-nilly, and locally. (I suspect that a draft will be given by the USCCB to bishops, however.)

    It wasn’t even the prior understanding. The USCCB changed this in advance of 2013. Now Paprocki asked in his capacity as chairman of the Canonical Affairs committee, on behalf of the conference, and Rome clarified.

  • StephenMatthew
    Posts: 105
    Yeah, until we get a copy of the dubia and response (with protocol number) this is not quite official… but I think it is only a matter of when it is circulated.

    Probably trying to avoid yet another situation where a bishop finds out on the news… which already happened at least twice this year with other matters.
  • davido
    Posts: 922
    This is great! Now how can we get USCCB to fix Epiphany and Ascension?
    Thanked by 1trentonjconn
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,205
    The letter from Rome has appeared on the net. I saw this copy posted on Facebook.
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    786 x 1106 - 94K
    Thanked by 2CHGiffen tomjaw
  • FSSPmusic
    Posts: 276
    How will this affect the traditional Latin Mass? According to the calendar of the 1962 Missal, when December 8th falls on a Sunday, the feast of the Immaculate Conception takes precedence over the Second Sunday of Advent (general rubric 15). Will we be obligated under pain of mortal sin to assist at the Mass of a third-class Advent feria, or is there a provision for the bishop(s) to order a votive Mass of the same mystery celebrated the previous day?
  • MarkB
    Posts: 1,068
    From a strictly canonical point of view with regard to satisfying the obligation to attend Mass on days of precept, for the two days Sunday & Monday, December 8 & 9, Roman Catholics must attend two valid Masses celebrated in a Catholic rite. The two Masses may be distributed in any of the following combinations to satisfy the dual obligation:

    1. Mass on Saturday evening. Mass on Monday.
    2. Mass on Sunday. Mass on Monday.
    3. Mass on Saturday evening. Mass on Sunday evening.
    3. Mass on Sunday. Mass on Sunday evening.

    It matters not what texts are used in the celebration of Mass on any day; only that one of those four possible combinations of Mass attendance be fulfilled.
  • trentonjconn
    Posts: 609
    It matters not what texts are used in the celebration of Mass on any day; only that one of those four possible combinations of Mass attendance be fulfilled.


    But certainly, as Patrick has pointed out above, it is absurd that those who use the traditional calendar and have therefore fulfilled both their holy day and Sunday obligations simultaneously, should be required to attend Mass again on Monday.

    For my part, I'm very surprised to be reading that Monday will (may?) be obligatory. The ordo for the Ordinariate has it marked as moved, obligation dispensed. Since many American dioceses dispense for holy days adjacent to Sundays in the first place, it seems odd for Rome to suddenly be strict about this. Of course, I'll be playing and singing either way...
  • MatthewRoth
    Posts: 2,229
    Because the US asked for a definitive interpretation.

    The ordo would have been based on the norms that were adopted in anticipation of 2013 and which Rome has now said are incorrect.

    The interesting thing is that in the missal of St Pius V, the feast was transferred but obviously that was before it was a dogma.

    The rubrics changed around 1911 (no transfer) then in 1956 (transfer), in 1960 (no transfer) and finally in 1969 (transfer). But many places have asked for and received an indult not to transfer the feast. Ultimately, I would be happiest with s reversion to pre-1955 and 1960 practice here. The feast is too popular to transfer, and Advent is just that much less important than Lent — where if the Annunciation is moved, then St Joseph definitely should be.
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,205
    The table of liturgical days, in the Roman Missal, determines whether the feast is transferred in the OF; and the Sundays of Advent rank very high (#2).

    Immaculate Conception is a solemnity of Our Lady so that's pretty high (#3), but still not high enough to bump a Sunday of Advent.

    Note, in the list, that Sundays of Ordinary Time are at #6, so during much of the year solemnities can bump Sundays.
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