Holy Days of Obligation
This Thursday (May 14, 2026) will be forty days since Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning. Acts 1:3 tells us that after his Resurrection, Jesus spent forty days with his disciples before ascending to Heaven (Acts 1:1-11). Thus, this Thursday is a very special day. In fact, it is a Holy Day of Obligation.
What is a Holy Day of Obligation? The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Holy Day of Obligations as “Principal feast days on which, in addition to Sundays, Catholics are obliged by Church law to participate in the Eucharist; a precept of the Church (2043, 2180)” (glossary, 882). In short, a Holy Day of Obligation has the same obligation to attend Mass as Sunday.
Before going further in our discussion of Holy Days of Obligation, we need to clear up a misconception. Some people have come to have the mistaken impression that the Second Vatican Council changed the rules to say that is not necessary to attend Mass every Sunday. Nowadays, once a month is considered by many to be regularly attendance at Mass. The Second Vatican Council did not reduce the requirement of weekly participation at Mass on Sunday. In fact, we read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass” (2180). The council merely clarified that things such as serious illness and the care of infants could be good reasons for missing Mass (2181).
Some people attend Sunday Mass when they feel a need for a pick-up me or a spiritual recharge. Why would we wait until our spiritual batteries are dead before we go to Mass when we can go every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation to be renewed in grace before our spiritual batteries go dead?
Fr. Ronald Rolheiser invites us to think about why an alcoholic continues going to Alcoholic Anonymous (AA) meetings when he/she hasn’t been drinking? He/she goes to keep from drinking (Our One Great Act of Fidelity: Waiting For Christ in the Eucharist. New York: Image. 2011. 77).
Likewise, do you wait for your cell phone to go dead before you recharge it or do you regularly charge it? Why would you keep your cell phone charged and not your soul?
Returning to our topic of Holy Days of Obligation, we can ask what makes Holy Days of Obligation important. The Code of Canon Law speaks of Holy Days of Obligation in canons 1245-1248. In the United States of America we have six Holy Days of Obligation. They are December 25th (Christmas), January 1st (Mary, Mother of God), Ascension Thursday (moves with Easter), August 15th (the Assumption of Mary), November 1st (All Saints’ Day), and December 8th (The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary). (Interestingly, Easter Sunday is not listed as a Holy Day of Obligation as it always falls on a Sunday). These are the most important days of the year. Thus, they call for our participation in the Mass to honor the meaning of the day.
As Holy Days of Obligation, their celebration includes the Gloria, a second reading, and the Creed. However, it is not the inclusion of these that make these days Holy Days of Obligation. Rather, the Gloria, a second reading, and the Creed are included because they are Holy Days.
Why should we make the effort to attend Mass on Holy Days of Obligation?
I know many people lead very busy lives. Knowing what we are offered through our participation at Mass, why would one not want to come every Sunday and Holy Day? When we actively participate in the celebration of Mass, our souls are recharged with the Word of God from the biblical readings proclaimed at Mass, the weight of venial is removed through the sacrifice we celebrate in the Eucharist, and our souls are spiritually fed with the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist when we worthily receive Communion. We may not be able to drop everything to immediately begin attending every Sunday and Holy Day but we need to make an effort.
Knowing people live busy lives, parishes offer more than one Mass on Holy Days. At St. Mary’s of the Lake and St. Benedict’s, we could fit everyone who typically comes on Holy Days of Obligation in one Mass. We offer three Masses (8:00 am and 12:05 pm at St. Mary’s of the Lake and 6:30 pm at St. Benedict’s). We do not offer multiple Masses simply for your convenience. We offer three Masses to provide you with every chance we can to receive the grace that God offers you in the celebration of Mass.
If you do not feel like you receive much when you come to Mass, I point you to my series of presentations, Uncovering the Treasures of the Mass.
Do you want the grace that God offers you in the Mass?
Peace,
Fr. Jeff