Author Topic: Catholic School - Holy Day of Obligation (Read 1156 times)

Dolores · « **on:** August 03, 2015, 03:18:46 PM »

I was recently informed that the local NO parochial school does not close the school on Holy Days of Obligation (few as they may be in the NO). Instead, they cancel the morning classes, and have the entire student body go to Mass.

I have mixed feelings about this. On the positive side, it does make sure that all of the children fulfill their obligation. However, it also forces the teachers and other employees to work on a Holy Day.

Does anyone know what pre-VII parochial school did, or what traditional schools do now? This really only applies on three days--the Immaculate Conception, Ascension Thursday, and All Saints day--because I'm sure the school is closed on the other three NO Holy Days (Christmas, Feast of the Circuмcision, and Feast of the Assumption).

Nadir · « **Reply #1 on:** August 03, 2015, 04:29:07 PM »

At least in Australia, and probably in your neck of the woods, there is no such thing as Ascension Thursday in the NO.
It's the Ascension and "celebrated" on Sunday now.

Miseremini · « **Reply #2 on:** August 03, 2015, 04:57:49 PM »

If you live in North America, in the NO, all the old pre Vat II Holy Days have been transferred to the following Sunday.
If you have a school that has Mass on those mornings that is a rare exception.
SSPX schools are closed those days.

Peter15and1 · « **Reply #3 on:** August 03, 2015, 08:47:56 PM »

Quote from: Miseremini

If you live in North America, in the NO, all the old pre Vat II Holy Days have been transferred to the following Sunday.

Not to defend the NO, but this statement is false. In the United States, the NO has five Holy Days of obligations that have not been transferred to a Sunday:

Immaculate Conception (December 8)
Christmas (December 25)
Solemnity of Mary - NO name for the Feast of the Circuмcision (January 1)
The Assumption (August 15)
All Saints' Day (September 1)

As far as Ascension Thursday is concerned, it depends on the diocese. Some have transferred to Sunday, some have not. Where it has not, it is a Holy Day of Obligation.

I don't like the NO any more than other people on this forum, but let's at least be accurate when we talk about it.

Miseremini · « **Reply #4 on:** August 03, 2015, 09:59:30 PM »

My apologies, I really thought the US was the same as Canada.

poche · « **Reply #5 on:** August 03, 2015, 10:32:22 PM »

I went to grade school prior to the Vatican II reforms and I don't remember getting Holy Days of obligation off from school.

TKGS · « **Reply #6 on:** August 03, 2015, 10:54:01 PM »

One correction, which I'm sure was just an inadvertent error, All Saints Day is, of course, 1 November.

I have heard that not all dioceses have transferred Ascension Thursday to Sunday, but I'll be darned if I can find out which ones. It started, according to what I've read, in Los Angeles and was found to be so popular that it quickly spread. As of of few years ago, it was nearly universal in the U.S. Anyone know a diocese in the U.S. that Ascension Thursday was not transferred this past May?

Also, the U.S. has a rule that removes any obligation to attend Mass if the Holy Day falls on a Saturday or Monday because it's too confusing to Conciliar Catholics to know when to go to Mass since the creation of the Saturday afternoon Mass that supposedly fulfills the Sunday obligation. If the Holy Day is on Saturday, does Saturday afternoon Mass count for the Holy Day or the Sunday? If the Holy Day is on Monday, what about Sunday afternoon Masses? Well, golly, Guber, we just don't know, so don't worry about it. This is the U.S. Conciliar bishops' official law. The exception to that is Christmas Day. There was an exception for the Immaculate Conception as well, but I don't know if that exception is still in effect.

I don't think Catholic doctrine prohibition of servile work on Holy Days applies to the intellectual work of instructing the ignorant since that is also a corporal work of mercy. So there should not be any scruples about teaching children on a Holy Day.

Dolores · « **Reply #7 on:** August 04, 2015, 07:56:37 AM »

Quote from: TKGS

I have heard that not all dioceses have transferred Ascension Thursday to Sunday, but I'll be darned if I can find out which ones. It started, according to what I've read, in Los Angeles and was found to be so popular that it quickly spread. As of of few years ago, it was nearly universal in the U.S. Anyone know a diocese in the U.S. that Ascension Thursday was not transferred this past May?

According to a few websites I read, the following provinces do not transfer Ascension Thursday, and celebrate it on the traditional day; essentially, the dioceses comprise the New England states, New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska.

Ecclesiastical Province of Boston
*Archdiocese of Boston
*Diocese of Burlington
*Diocese of Fall River
*Diocese of Manchester
*Diocese of Portland
*Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
*Diocese of Worcester

Ecclesiastical Province of Hartford
*Archdiocese of Hartford
*Diocese of Bridgeport
*Diocese of Norwich
*Diocese of Providence

Ecclesiastical Province of New York
*Archdiocese of New York
*Diocese of Albany
*Diocese of Brooklyn
*Diocese of Buffalo
*Diocese of Ogdensburg
*Diocese of Rochester
*Diocese of Rockville Centre
*Diocese of Syracuse

Ecclesiastical Province of Newark
*Archdiocese of Newark
*Diocese of Camden
*Diocese of Metuchen
*Diocese of Paterson
*Diocese of Trenton

Ecclesiastical Province of Omaha
*Archdiocese of Omaha
*Diocese of Grand Island
*Diocese of Lincoln

Ecclesiastical Province of Philadelphia
*Archdiocese of Philadelphia
*Diocese of Allentown
*Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown
*Diocese of Erie
*Diocese of Greensburg
*Diocese of hαɾɾιsburg
*Diocese of Pittsburgh
*Diocese of Scranton

CathMomof7 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 04, 2015, 07:59:38 AM »

I checked the local NO Catholic school calendar:

This year, All Saint's Day is on a Sunday.

They will not be closed on the Feast Day of the Immaculate Conception.

They will obviously be closed from Christmas until after New Year's Day.

They will be closed on Good Friday.

Ascension Thursday is on May 5, 2016 and they will not be closed.

In the U.S. having religious holy days, other than Christmas and Good Friday, is pretty foreign. In countries with a Catholic history, businesses and schools are often closed on various holy days and saint's days. Since our country is founded more on Protestantism/Fɾҽҽmαsσɳɾყ we do not have that experience. Thus, it is really easy for modern Catholics to just go along like everyone else.

Besides what would the working mothers do with their children on these days?

Holy Days no longer fit into a Catholic American's psyche.

CathMomof7 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 04, 2015, 08:12:07 AM »

Quote from: Dolores

Quote from: TKGS
I have heard that not all dioceses have transferred Ascension Thursday to Sunday, but I'll be darned if I can find out which ones. It started, according to what I've read, in Los Angeles and was found to be so popular that it quickly spread. As of of few years ago, it was nearly universal in the U.S. Anyone know a diocese in the U.S. that Ascension Thursday was not transferred this past May?

According to a few websites I read, the following provinces do not transfer Ascension Thursday, and celebrate it on the traditional day; essentially, the dioceses comprise the New England states, New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska.

Ecclesiastical Province of Boston
*Archdiocese of Boston
*Diocese of Burlington
*Diocese of Fall River
*Diocese of Manchester
*Diocese of Portland
*Diocese of Springfield in Massachusetts
*Diocese of Worcester

Ecclesiastical Province of Hartford
*Archdiocese of Hartford
*Diocese of Bridgeport
*Diocese of Norwich
*Diocese of Providence

Ecclesiastical Province of New York
*Archdiocese of New York
*Diocese of Albany
*Diocese of Brooklyn
*Diocese of Buffalo
*Diocese of Ogdensburg
*Diocese of Rochester
*Diocese of Rockville Centre
*Diocese of Syracuse

Ecclesiastical Province of Newark
*Archdiocese of Newark
*Diocese of Camden
*Diocese of Metuchen
*Diocese of Paterson
*Diocese of Trenton

Ecclesiastical Province of Omaha
*Archdiocese of Omaha
*Diocese of Grand Island
*Diocese of Lincoln

Ecclesiastical Province of Philadelphia
*Archdiocese of Philadelphia
*Diocese of Allentown
*Diocese of Altoona–Johnstown
*Diocese of Erie
*Diocese of Greensburg
*Diocese of hαɾɾιsburg
*Diocese of Pittsburgh
*Diocese of Scranton

I live in the Diocese of Scranton. This year the Bishop held and ecuмenical service at the 1st Presbyterian Church on Thursday. He gave the sermon.

Individual parishes in the diocese usually have one service in the evening around 6 pm. The schools usually have a morning Mass, but they don't close.

It's really not a big deal and no one has to go out of their way to take the day off or anything to go to NO Mass.

TKGS · « **Reply #10 on:** August 04, 2015, 03:55:11 PM »

Quote from: Dolores

According to a few websites I read, the following provinces do not transfer Ascension Thursday, and celebrate it on the traditional day; essentially, the dioceses comprise the New England states, New York state, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Nebraska.

Well, I'll be. Thanks. Very small portion of the U.S., indeed.

Pelly · « **Reply #11 on:** August 08, 2015, 01:35:38 PM »

My (former) NO school does this, too, along with monthly Masses.